Who needs chromecast? I bought this $ 20 Google TV box instead

A few weeks ago, Google Still pulled Chromecast with Google TV from sales in many countries. The move was not exactly a surprise, given that Google TV -Stream is the company’s current equivalent to Chromecast. Priced at $ 100, but it leaves a noticeable gap in the affordable streaming market that Google’s hardware once dominated. Fortunately, a handful of competitors have gone in to fill that void, and I bought the $ 20 ONN 4K Google TV flow box last year to find out if it can hold a candle for chromecast. Surprisingly, it does – and then some.

Onn is Walmart’s store brand, which can immediately raise red flags in your mind, but keep me to me, and I want to explain why this may be the best Google TV streaming box you can buy for $ 20.

Walmart sells three-on-branded Google TV streaming capacity, from $ 15 to $ 49. The cheapest comes in a stick-based form factor and does not support solutions higher than 1080p. For just $ 5 more, however, you can get the Onn 4K streaming box with much better specifications across the line. In fact, it is practically on par with the now disposed of Chromecast with Google TV 4K in almost all calculations.

Onn 4K may look quite unpretentious on the surface, but we cannot be picky at this price point. Don’t expect a variety of playful colors like chromecast, this is just a small black box with a gate on each side. But it doesn’t matter since I’ve hidden it behind the TV anyway. In addition, onn 4K packs a lot of strokes where it counts.

Although driven by a slightly older soc, Onn 4K can play all the latest audio and video formats – including the AV1 code. In other words, you don’t have to buy a new streaming box in a couple of years when YouTube and other streaming services make the transition to more efficient video formats. Unlike others cheap Android TV-based streaming boxesThis has all the certifications needed for 4K playback in Netflix and other apps.

The less than ideal soc also does not make it known while surfing the interface. I have used cheap Google TV boxes that can take a few seconds to start apps or Google Assistant, but Onn 4K has stayed responsive for six months I have owned it so far. I noticed some decline while navigating in the Twitch app, especially with a livestream game, but it was a rare exception instead of the norm. I did not try games or emulation, but it is safe to assume that you should watch Nvidia Shield or Google TV streaks if there is a priority.

To give you an idea of ​​Onn 4K’s performance, the YouTube app feels faster to navigate than the recent flagship LG OLED TV’s built-in equivalent. It can play 4K videos at 2x speed without hiccups as well. And I had no trouble streaming big movies from my local Plex server, including larger files in the range of 30 to 35 GB.

Game streaming via Steam Link worked well enough without disconnections or frame drops. However, the lack of Wi-Fi 6 or Ethernet makes ONN 4K less than ideal for the relevant use case.

$ 20 ONN 4K exceeds Google’s much more expensive streaming capacity in one key area for me: the physical remote control. In particular, this is the first flow box I have owned that includes an infrared blast as a setback practical in case your TV or audio bar does not support HDMI-based control.

My bedroom TV is ten years old and does not support HDMI CEC, so I have always had to rely on their own remote control to control power, volume and entrance. But Onn 4K’s infrared blasts eliminate the problem, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the database even includes infrared control codes for my obscure TV brand.

ONN 4K supports HDMI CEC as well, so you don’t have to use infrared if you don’t want to, but it’s a cool value increase anyway. Not to mention, infrared is especially valuable if you need a chromecast-like device to connect to hotel TVs. They usually do not support HDMI-CEC either.

The remote control itself is a joy to use, except forced inclusion of dedicated buttons for Netflix, Disney Plus and Paramount Plus. However, this irritation is easily solved with a button as redistributing if you want to open another app instead. On a positive note, the remote control has received frequent firmware updates. The same goes for the streaming box itself – although it is still on Android TV 12, it has received the security level in September 2024 so far. Google TV updates are also independent, and I was recently met by a drop banner in December.

While the Onn 4K is almost perfect for my needs, it has a few minor disadvantages. The first limitation you can predict is 8 GB of built -in storage. This SPCE is the same as Chromecast with Google TV, which once attracted a reputation for rapidly running out of space. However, there seems to no longer be a problem these days, as I still have 3 GB available storage on my personal Onn 4K box. And it is with the most popular apps such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, Plex, YouTube and Apple TV Plus already installed, along with a pair of games -streaming apps as well.

ONN 4K also sacrifices support for fancy formats such as Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos. If you have a TV or audio equipment that can benefit from these formats, it may be an appointment. On the back there are only a limited number of movies and TV series available in these formats. Not to mention, ONN 4K regularly supports the HDR10 content.

If you are a power user, you also cannot like the fact that Onn 4K does not have an USB or Ethernet port. The streaming box is also limited to Wi-Fi 5, so I have had to limit my bit rate while game streaming. These are very small nitpicks for this price range, and most will not notice the lack of these features.

Finally, a warning if you live outside the United States: I’m not sure how Walmart manages to sell Onn 4K at such a throwing price, but it’s probably a loss leader designed to decorate the brand and make you act there more often. Surprisingly, the dealer began to lock the device so you can no longer activate Onn 4K from outside the USA-out of a VPN anyway. Given the excellent value proposal, Walmart has probably realized that the streaming box has become a popular export and wants to cut down the practice.

That being said, the ONN 4K does not enforce any regional restrictions after activation, so you just need to set it up in the United States initially. I have used it over several countries in recent months without having any problems.

Although the list of disadvantages may seem long, these are just minor irritations and were not enough to brush me against more premium options, especially Onn’s own 4K Pro box. Surprisingly, Walmart has disturbed this market segment – the closest competitor is Amazon’s four TV stick, which costs $ 5 more and just supports a maximum 1080p screen resolution. After using the latter, I feel quite slow in comparison with Onn 4K.

If you are willing to use more than twice as much but we reviewed $ 50 onn 4k pro Favorable too. It has a faster SOC, an extra gigabyt RAM, support for Dolby formats, three times as much storage and dedicated gates for Ethernet and USB stations. The pro model also doubles as a smart speaker with a built-in speaker and microphone, which you may find valuable. But for a bedroom -TV or older set, I think the $ 20 model is all you need.

Overall, Onn 4K is a fantastic product from an unexpected store brand that I can fully recommend anyone looking for a Chromecast option in 2025 and beyond.