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Apple TV 4K vs. Google TV Streamer Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared

ChrisA said:
I think both devices can store content on external devices. Google has a USB port for adding memory and with Apple you can export a library that lives on a Mac. So you can have Terrabytes of local content on either of them
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I wish I could download content directly to the Apple TV. My use case would be hooking it up to the VES in our minivan on trips. Currently the work around is to AirPlay from another device.
 
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victorvictoria said:
Please tell us what hotels have smart TVs and AppleTV connections! And what is an AppleTV connection?
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As good as any in the Intercontinental Hotel Group, and also in the Small Leadiing Hotels of the world group, W group, you name it. Maybe it’s just Europe that is a bit more modern. You can connect to the public WiFi and still have it unique to your room, and even on multiple screens, but not connect to the room next door. It works well, fantastic system and you can watch all you own streaming services that you have already.
 
Shanghaichica said:
You could buy your Apple devices one by one. You don’t have to buy them all at once.

I think the google streamer should be a bit cheaper, when you compare it to the chromecast, chromecast with google TV or fire TV stick it’s expensive. Still a good choice for someone heavily invested in a google/android set up.
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Or I could purchase products other than Apple. I've been known to waffle.
I can't agree the GTV Streamer is over priced. I don't have a Roku Ultra, so I can't compare. The RAM and storage with the Google product is probably higher than the Roku.
I am only invested in Android.
I have a 2021 ATV with the 64 GB max storage and a 2019 iPad 7 with 32 GB storage.
I cannot have Apple News or the plus version without an Apple device. That really stinks. When my Apple products quit being useful, I probably won't replace them.
I don't need a Mac mini. A Chromebox is all I probably need.
My old Android tablet is my go-to device.
 
jimimac71 said:
Or I could purchase products other than Apple. I've been known to waffle.
I can't agree the GTV Streamer is over priced. I don't have a Roku Ultra, so I can't compare. The RAM and storage with the Google product is probably higher than the Roku.
I am only invested in Android.
I have a 2021 ATV with the 64 GB max storage and a 2019 iPad 7 with 32 GB storage.
I cannot have Apple News or the plus version without an Apple device. That really stinks. When my Apple products quit being useful, I probably won't replace them.
I don't need a Mac mini. A Chromebox is all I probably need.
My old Android tablet is my go-to device.
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Why are you here?
 
victorvictoria said:
Why are you here?
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Gee, your user name is my favorite movie.
I enjoy reading about Apple stuff and normally hang out in the "Alternatives to iOS" section. Is it a crime to disagree?
I'm an iPad and ATV user and have owned 2 iMacs.
I read Car Talk in the newspaper even though I haven't driven a car since 1995.
People here seem pleasant.
Years ago, that other site treated MS users like dirt, including all that Kool-Aid BS.
Funny how some agree with me, maybe a bit more than those who disagree.
 
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I just read where the Roku Ultra is $10 off right now.
When it is really on sale, to make room for a replacement maybe, it can be $30 off.
Apple doesn't put product on sale, only refurbished.
Amazon is the place for Apple products at a discount.
Removing Ethernet on ATV is about as lame as removing it from iMac.
Then again, Amazon Prime is the same thing. You want all of a service, that is going to be extra.
Some large companies are just never satisfied.
 
BMox81 said:
As entrenched as my family is within the Apple ecosystem, we're equally entrenched in the Google side of things with the Google Home products we have. As such, I'll be picking one up (when available in the UK) so we can see our Nest Doorbell/Cameras.

Looking forward to it.
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I will NEVER have Google, Amazon, Facebook, etc "devices" in my home. These companies thrive on collecting as much personal information about you as they can, and will regularly break laws/rules to get it.
 
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BMox81 said:
As entrenched as my family is within the Apple ecosystem, we're equally entrenched in the Google side of things with the Google Home products we have. As such, I'll be picking one up (when available in the UK) so we can see our Nest Doorbell/Cameras.

Looking forward to it.
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I place value on my and my families right to privacy.
The cost to go Google is way too high.
 
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Piggie said:
I have the current latest Google TV dongle, and I'll admit, it's vastly better/faster than the default UI on my Sony TV.
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ALL of these devices are better than the default UI on EVERY TV. The TVs include low-end hardware that barely functions even when new.
 
MarkMS said:
Simple to choose:

Don’t wants ads shoved down your throat?
Get Apple TV

You just adore ads and want it all crammed down your throat?
Get Google Streamer


Cheers from a disgruntled nvidia shield owner
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You can replace the launcher on the Shield with something else without ads, like Projectivy, or Wolf Launcher. Can't do that on an Apple TV. Also you can load older versions of apps when a developer puts out a bad update that breaks things.

gco212 said:
Who on earth made this chart? It's so bad, it's laughable. I mean, for what I guess is the video formats category, they include SDR, h.264, and Dolby Vision. Those aren't the same type of things. SDR is a resolution, not a format or codec.
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SDR is a luminosity format. It has nothing to do with the number of pixel in an image (resolution). I do agree that was a bad chart because the terminology wasn't consistent between the two. It was a copy-paste low-effort job. Also one device seems to support more formats by having things listed more piecemeal compared to the other.
 
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My major gripe is the Apple TV box doesn't allow access to a documents directory for permanent file storage. Apps like emulators have to use system caches that could be arbitrarily flushed. Kinda makes keeping a rom set painful.

If the Apple TV allowed eternal storage it would be the perfect solution.
 
SeaFox said:
You can replace the launcher on the Shield with something else without ads, like Projectivy, or Wolf Launcher. Can't do that on an Apple TV. Also you can load older versions of apps when a developer puts out a bad update that breaks things.


SDR is a luminosity format. It has nothing to do with the number of pixel in an image (resolution). I do agree that was a bad chart because the terminology wasn't consistent between the two. It was a copy-paste low-effort job. Also one device seems to support more formats by having things listed more piecemeal compared to the other.
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Absolutely correct, I misread/misinterpreted Standard Definition. As you state, the principle stands even if I was as sloppy as the sloppy chart. 😛
 
Heat_Fan89 said:
That is might concern as well. However every Android site have said that Google has fixed that problem. Perhaps out of the box in 2024 everything will be snappy but what about in 2-3 years? Is it going to lag like the Chromecast? I don't have that answer.

My ATV 4th Gen (2015) was great for the first 2-3 years and after a few updates it started slowing down a bit in certain places but nowhere as bad as the Chromecast.
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I still have a 4th Gen Apple TV that I use in the garage and it’s as fast as ever. I hate people who think “updates slow things down” that can’t be further from the truth.
 
Getabeard80 said:
I still have a 4th Gen Apple TV that I use in the garage and it’s as fast as ever. I hate people who think “updates slow things down” that can’t be further from the truth.
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Me too. Apple TV HD. Still run just as fast like new. I will eventually upgrade whenever I eventually get 4K TV.
 
It seems fine for adding smart features to an older dumb TV. As an external box, I'm not sure it's worth giving up an HDMI port for on a TV that already has that functionality.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
This is where I usually objectively write "competition is good" but at least that head-to-head list doesn't seem to show much real competition. I don't play the Apple fan game- that's just pure objective opinion. I've now looked at it a few times and I'm not seeing the standout features except newer, color/shape difference, and one I do really miss from earlier AppleTVs.

I guess if someone is deeply in the Google services ecosystem and NOT so much in Apples... which is much of the rationale for the vice-versa argument for Apple's puck.

The ONE standout feature that I wish the many "pucks" in my home had too is a standardized port (or internal M.2 slot or two) and a revival of AppleTV 1s option to sync media. THAT was a great Jobsian-era feature... when AppleTV was an iPod for your television instead of a rental/sell/subscription-pushing device that we buy. 😉

If- like this one- it was available only as port, those happy to stream everything wouldn't be paying anything extra. But those who would love to see a sync option revival could attach whatever amount of storage we would like and sync our libraries onto it. I still really miss that benefit all these many generations later.
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It's really the user experience with streamers that matter (almost no on games on them). Google TV is vastly superior to TVOS when it comes to content curation, recommendations, navigation... and most people use Google services (Photos, News, maps, etc.).

I know lots of folks here die on the privacy sword, but Google just does a better job and then there's Google Assistant VS. Siri. The latter will actually work 9 times out of 10, the former 1 or 2 out of 10. Having voice search and queries that work make a huge difference. Plus you can ask it anything and get an answer and have it on screen, unlike Siri that chokes.
 
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jimimac71 said:
Gee, your user name is my favorite movie.
I enjoy reading about Apple stuff and normally hang out in the "Alternatives to iOS" section. Is it a crime to disagree?
I'm an iPad and ATV user and have owned 2 iMacs.
I read Car Talk in the newspaper even though I haven't driven a car since 1995.
People here seem pleasant.
Years ago, that other site treated MS users like dirt, including all that Kool-Aid BS.
Funny how some agree with me, maybe a bit more than those who disagree.
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Point taken. Still believe your time could be better spent on something other than criticizing Apple on an Apple forum.
 
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