Google's Chromecast gets a new look
And that's it.
Since its debut in 2013, Google's Chromecast has been the little streaming engine that could. It was cheap, at just $35, and gave consumers an easy way to stream video on older TVs. Now with its third-generation Chromecast (which was thoroughly leaked weeks ago), Google isn't changing the formula much. It's still $35, and it still relies on your phone as a remote control. While we initially thought the addition of 5GHz WiFi was new, it turns out that was also on the 2015 model. So really, this is just a slight design refresh, with matte cases instead of glossy ones.
Since the new Chromecast is still limited to 1080p, though, it leaves room on the market for the 4K Chromecast Ultra. But now that both Roku and Amazon have 4K-equipped streaming boxes for $40 and $50, respectively, we're waiting for the Ultra to fall in line price-wise. The new device will be available starting tomorrow.
Update 12:30 PM ET: It turns out the second-generation Chromecast also supported 5GHz WiFi. We've updated the post to reflect that.
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