A Full Review Of Chromecast 2, A Competent And Affordable Streaming Device

Chromecast 2 is the second generation of Google's dongle that turns ordinary TVs into smart. The device, which has gained many fans, may be a good option for those who want to enjoy the benefits of a Smart TV without paying a price expensive for it.

The device is already available on the market, with millions of units being already sold in the last two years. With Google Chromecast 2, apps like Globo Play, Netflix, YouTube, Google+, Spotify can be accessed, as well as any sites or applications that are available in Google Cast.

Installation

Installing Chromecast 2 is fairly straightforward and intuitive, but can take a while depending on the Wi-Fi connection you use. Like Chromecast, your device needs to be connected to a power or USB cable, and then to the HDMI input of the TVs. The user then needs to change the TV's input to HDMI and download the Google Cast app. Then, just set up the Wi-Fi network to the gadget through a mobile phone, PC, MacBook or tablet, which will function as a remote control.

How it works?

The device can mirror various types of content on your television such as movies, videos, games, even portrait or sports, through applications. In addition, the user can access any site through the Google Com Chromecast Setup browser and mirror it on the TV.

What has changed?

The design of Chormecast 2 has changed radically. Now, the device is in disk format, unlike the previous version, which is in a format similar to a pen drive. The device is available in the colors red, black and lime green, as well as have also won the Chromecast Setup TV logo.

The device, just 39g, now comes with flexible HDMI extender coupled to it, making installation on televisions attached to the walls become easier. In addition, there were also changes in Google Cast, which now has more applications that are already supported by categories, such as games, music, and movies.

Another important point to be mentioned in the new version of the streaming device was the enhancement of the Wi-Fi connection. Now the gadget supports 2.4 and 5 GHz dual-band and 802.11ac and also has three new separate antennas, which promise more stable connections even on low Wi-Fi networks, although in practice such changes have not had much effect.

Performance

When tested on a Wi-Fi network with a latency rate of 54.1 ms, that is, with connection oscillation, Chromecast 2 presented a frightening difficulty in loading Netflix, for example, being necessary to wait about ten minutes to connect to the app. The loading time of the videos was so long that it made the waiting impossible, as the image barely stabilized and reloaded immediately.

In contrast, when tested on YouTube, Spotify and Netflix on a Wi-Fi network with a latency considered normal (21ms), the device did not show blockages and performed satisfactorily to Activate Chromecast 

It's worth remembering that Chromecast 2 does not support 4K images and only transmits Blu-Ray-quality Full HD (1080) images, fulfilling paper well, which may appeal to ordinary users who are not that picky about quality.

Worth it?

Currently, Smart TVs are for sale in Brazil from R $ 1,300, in online stores, depending on the brand and model. Therefore, investing in Google's dongle, which basically performs the same functions, becomes an economy for both those who already have a common TV and do not want to invest in a new one for now.

However, it is worth remembering that if the user has a Wi-Fi connection that fluctuates a lot, the purchase of the device is not a good option to watch streaming content. In this case, buying a Smart TV can be a better investment, taking into account that to have a media center, the user will need, in addition to buying the device, also exchange the Internet package and thus spend more for it.