Chromecast With Google TV Successor Could Be A Budget Device

A recent report revealed the existence of a new Chromecast with Google TV device with the codename Boreal. Although it was hard to tell if this would be a more powerful offering, we were inclined to go with this theory, given the criticisms of the original model. But a new report claims otherwise, suggesting that the successor to Chromecast with Google TV could actually be a budget offering.

The information comes courtesy of Protocol (via XDA), revealing some interesting details about its hardware in the process. We’re learning that this new model will target older televisions that may not have some of the modern capabilities.

This low-cost Chromecast with Google TV will reportedly feature the Amlogic S805X2 CPU

It is further claimed that the resolution of this new device will be restricted to 1080p. As for the name of this product, it’s likely to be known as “Chromecast HD with Google TV.”

Using this moniker makes sense, given that Google has started adding a 4K badge for the Chromecast with Google TV. On the hardware side of things, Protocol claims the new device features the Amlogic S805X2 CPU and the Mali-G31 GPU.

Notably, this chip supports hardware decoding of the AV1 video codec, a feature that’s missing on the existing Chromecast with Google TV. The new low-cost dongle will also pack up to 2GB of RAM, as per the report. While there’s no information on the default storage supported by this new low-cost offering, we’re hoping there will be more than just one option. But at the same time, it’s not feasible for Google to offer additional storage variants due to cost-related concerns.

This cheaper alternative to Chromecast with Google TV appears to target rival offerings from the likes of Roku and Amazon. While Google’s offering already costs under $50, there’s a bigger market for devices that fluctuate in the $20 price range. It’s currently unclear when Google will launch this new dongle.

The Chromecast with Google TV launched towards the end of 2020. While it was undoubtedly one of the best first-party streaming dongles available in the market, the competition was only getting bigger. The device has sold for as low as $39 on multiple occasions, despite debuting for $49.