Chromecast is the best digital media player developed by Google Inc. Google Chromecast is the biggest competitor to popular streaming devices such as Firestick, Roku, etc. There are more than 20000 Chromecast compatible apps available. By connecting the Chromecast to a TV, you can cast any app or content from your smartphone or PC. Google launches its first Chromecast device in the year 2013. Starting from 2013 to 2022, Google has released six types of Chromecast devices. Each Chromecast device is better compared to its previous one. But, the procedures to set up the Chromecast device is similar for all devices. It is necessary to know about the features and price before buying a Chromecast device. By the end of this article, you will get a clear understanding about the types of Google Chromecast.
Types of Google Chromecast
The different types of Chromecast devices are listed below.
- Chromecast 1st generation
- Chromecast 2nd generation
- Chromecast Audio
- Chromecast Ultra
- Chromecast 3rd generation
- Chromecast with Google TV
Currently, only three Chromecast devices are available for purchase. The comparison between the three devices is listed in the table below.
| Features | Chromecast Ultra | Chromecast 3rd Generation | Chromecast with Google TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casting | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Remote | n/a | n/a | Yes |
| Video Resolution | 1080p and 4K | 1080p at 60fps | Upto 4K at 60fps |
| Supported Video formats | n/a | n/a | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ |
| Supported Audio formats | n/a | n/a | Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos |
| Color | Black | Chalk, and Charcoal | Snow, Sunrise, and Sky. |
| Google TV interface | n/a | n/a | Yes |
| RAM | 1 GB. | n/a | 2 GB |
| Processor | ARM Cortex-A53 | n/a | Quad-core Amlogic |
| Price | $69 | $29.99 (Buy Now) | $49.99 (Buy Now) |
Chromecast 1st Generation
Chromecast 1st Generation is the first Chromecast device developed by Google Inc. It looks like a USB pen drive and weighs approximately 34 grams. The HDMI plug is attached to one end, and the other end is equipped with a Micro USB port. The device comes with a storage of up to 2 GB and RAM of 512 MB. With this device, you can cast and stream the videos at 1080p quality. It supports 802.11 b/n/g Wi-Fi technologies and can connect only with the 2.5 GHz frequency band. The production and sales of this device were discontinued after the launch of the Chromecast 2nd generation on September 29, 2015.
| Specifications | Chromecast 1st Generation |
|---|---|
| Ports and Connectors | Ethernet, HDMI, and Micro-USB |
| RAM | 512 MB |
| Storage | 2 GB |
| Weight | 1.20 oz or 34g |
| Dimensions | 2.83 in × 1.38 in × 0.47 in |
| Chipset | Marvell Armada 1500 Mini 88DE3005 (SoC) |
| Processor | ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore |
| Wireless Standard | 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz only) |
| Output Video Resolution | 1080p |
| Color | Black |
| Price | 35$ |
| Release Date | July 24, 2013 |
Chromecast 2nd Generation
After the success of the Chromecast 1st generation, the upgraded version Chromecast 2nd Generation was launched on 29th September 2015. The device consists of RAM 512 MB and a storage capacity of 256 MB. It comes in three different colors – Black, Coral, and Lemonade. Chromecast second generation was able to display 1080p videos at 30fps and 720p videos at 60fps. After gaining popularity and hitting the market, the device was discontinued on October 10, 2018. But, you can still buy this device from e-commerce websites.
| Specifications | Chromecast 2nd Generation |
|---|---|
| Ports and Connectors | Ethernet, HDMI, and Micro-USB |
| RAM | 512 MB |
| Storage | 256 MB. |
| Weight | 39.1 g or 1.38 oz |
| Dimensions | 2.04 in × 2.04 in × 0.53 in |
| Chipset | Marvell Armada 1500 Mini Plus 88DE3006 SoC |
| Processor | ARM Cortex-A7 MPCore |
| Wireless Standard | 802.11ac (2.4 GHz/5 GHz bands) |
| Output Video Resolution | 1080p |
| Color | Black, Coral, Lemonade |
| Price | 35$ |
| Release Date | September 29, 2015 |
Chromecast Audio
As the name implies, this device allows you to cast audio from your phone, tablet, and PC to your home speaker. This device looks like a carrom puck, and it is small in size compared to the previous devices. It comes with flash storage of 256 MB and RAM of 256 MB. Chromecast Audio comes with a 3.5 mm analog audio cable that allows you to connect to the speaker or TV. It is one of the successful devices in the Chromecast family. Chromecast Audio is officially discontinued on 11th January 2019.
| Specifications | Chromecast Audio |
|---|---|
| Ports and Connectors | Micro-USB and 3.5 mm Audio jack port. |
| RAM | 256 MB. |
| Storage | 256 MB. |
| Weight | 30.7 g or 1.08 oz |
| Dimensions | 2.04 in × 2.04 in × 0.53 in |
| Chipset | Marvell Armada 1500 Mini Plus 88DE3006 |
| Processor | ARM Cortex-A7 MPCore |
| Wireless Standard | 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz /5 GHz) |
| Audio DAC | AKM AK4430 192 kHz 24-Bit DAC |
| Color | Black |
| Price | 35$ |
| Release Date | September 29, 2015 |
Chromecast Ultra
Chromecast Ultra is an upgraded version of the previous Chromecast 2nd generation. Compared to the previous models, Chromecast Ultra loads videos 1.8 times faster and smoothly plays the 4K and HDR content at ease. It is the costliest and biggest Chromecast device. This device is available only in black color. Google discontinued the sales of this device in September 30, 2020. But, you can purchase this device from e-commerce websites.
| Specifications | Chromecast Ultra |
|---|---|
| Ports and Connectors | Micro-USB, HDMI, and Ethernet |
| RAM | 1 GB. |
| Weight | 47 g or 1.66 oz |
| Dimensions | 2.29 in × 2.29 in × 0.54 in |
| Chipset | Marvell Armada 1500 Mini Plus |
| Processor | ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Wireless Standard | 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz) |
| Maximum Video Resolution | 4K and 1080p |
| Color | Black |
| Price | $69 |
| Release Date | November 6, 2016 |
Chromecast 3rd Generation
The Chromecast third generation is an HD streaming player that allows you to stream videos at 1080p quality with 60fps. This device is available in two different colors – Chalk and Charcoal. A short HDMI cable is attached to one end of the device, and the other end has a micro USB port. It also has a reset button near the USB port. It is the cheapest Chromecast device in the Chromecast community.
| Specifications | Chromecast 3rd Generation |
|---|---|
| Ports & Connectors | Micro-USB, HDMI, and Ethernet. |
| Weight | 39.69 g |
| Dimensions | 2.04 in x 0.54 in x 2.04 inches |
| Wireless Standard | 802.11ac (2.4 GHz/5 GHz) |
| Video Resolution | 1080p at 60fps |
| Color | Chalk, and Charcoal |
| Price | $29.99 |
| Release Date | October 10, 2018 |
Chromecast with Google TV
Chromecast with Google TV is the most advanced version of Chromecast launched in the year 2020. This device runs on an Android TV operating system and is equipped with an interface named Google TV. Google TV has an intuitive UI and Google Play Store support. So, you can install various apps and games in addition to casting. It comes with a Chromecast voice remote to control and navigate. It is available in three colors, namely Snow, Sunrise, and Sky.
| Specifications | Chromecast with Google TV |
|---|---|
| Processor | Quad-core Amlogic |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Operating System | Android |
| Storage Space | 8 GB |
| Video Formats | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ |
| Audio Formats | Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos |
| Remote | Chromecast Voice Remote |
| Weight | 62 grams |
| Dimensions | 6.4 in x 2.4 in x 0.5 inches |
| Ports and Connectors | HDMI, USB-C |
| Price | $49.99 |
| Release Date | September 30, 2020 |
Which One is Best to Buy?
There are only three types of Chromecast devices available in the market. They are Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast 3rd Generation, and Chromecast with Google TV. When you compare these three, Chromecast with Google TV is the best streaming player as it is affordable and has many in-built features. Apart from casting, you can use Chromecast with Google TV to install your favorite apps from the Play Store. You can also sideload apps on Google TV. If you are planning to buy a Google Chromecast, then we would suggest you buy the latest version Chromecast with Google TV device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chromecast with Google TV is the best streaming device in the Chromecast family.
You can buy Chromecast devices from the online e-commerce store, Google Store, or nearby electronic store.
With a Chromecast device, you can only cast the content from your device to the TV. But, the Google TV device allows you to install apps as well as cast content from your device.
Yes. By enabling Guest mode, you can use Chromecast without Wi-Fi.