Chromecast ultra vs Apple TV. Which one has access to more content?
If you want to access streaming services, you’ll need a streaming box. The problem is there are so many streaming boxes and sticks which makes it very tricky to choose. The Chromecast ultra and Apple TV will allow you to stream hundreds of movies and TV shows on your HDTV.
With a plethora of streaming devices in the market to choose from and with 4Kbecoming more popular, you’ll need to invest in a device that can support 4K video. While Apple TV 4K is a set-top box, the Chromecast ultra takes the dangle approach. This means the Apple TV 4K is more powerful but it’s also more expensive.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Chromecast ultra and Apple TV?
Streaming device |
Chromecast ultra |
Apple TV |
Remote |
Yes |
No |
Voice control |
Using Siri |
No |
Interface |
Uses a remote and TV screen interface |
Uses a smartphone as the interface |
Design |
A round disc with an HDMI cable |
A small set-top box |
Chromecast ultra vs Apple TV. How do they differ?
Interface
Chromecast Ultra is a very unique streaming device because it’s the only one that doesn’t have an interface. Instead, you use your smartphone as the interface which will help you find content through your streaming apps like Netflix, HBO, Showtime, and many more. Once you find what you want to watch, you just click the cast button at the corner of the app and the content will be sent to your Chromecast so you can view it on your TV. The Apple TV unlike Chromecast ultra is more like a computer where you can store your apps and you can interact with your TV’s interface using a remote. It has a very polished interface and since it has physical space for storage, you can download your favorite streaming apps in the App Store, but you’ll need to enter your password in all apps.
Apple TV has a more polished interface that gives you more options for interaction with your device.
Content
With Apple TV most of the apps you’ll find in the App store on your iOS devices contains 4K content from Netflix, Amazon Video, HBO, YouTube TV, Showtime, and many more. However, YouTube can only be streamed in HD. On the other hand, Chromecast ultra can stream most of the major services on your phone provided the app has a cast button and the only 4K content options are from Netflix, Vudu, and YouTube. You can also mirror your PC’s Chrome browser so you can send any content to your TV.
Apple TV has a larger 4K streaming content available and physical storage for all your apps.
Remote
Unlike Apple TV that has a small remote that is slippery which makes it difficult to hold it properly, Chromecast ultra doesn’t come with a remote. The Apple TV remote is made of glass and has a trackpad, it’s difficult to tell which side is the front or back and it doesn’t work well from a distance. However, you can still use your iPhone as a remote using the remote app. For Chromecast ultra, you can use your phone as the remote which will allow you to control your volume, but you can’t use your phone to switch off your TV. You can use the Google Home app or from the app, you’re casting from like Netflix.
Apple TV comes with a remote although it’s a small one.
Speed
Apple TV uses the A10X Fusion chip which allows it to zip through menus at top speeds, while Chromecast ultra’s internet speed is determined by your smartphone’s speed. If you have reliable and high-speed internet, it can take 7-15 seconds to load a video to your TV. It also takes a long time and many steps to skip through episodes.
Apple TV is a faster streaming device that doesn’t rely on your internet to stream on your TV.
Chromecast ultra vs Apple TV – A comparison review
Chromecast ultra
Chromecast Ultra is a device that supports the latest formats for video streaming to your TV and the ability to cast in 4K ultra HD with an excellent high dynamic range (HDR). This streaming device is a round disc that has a micro-USB power port attached to a short HDMI cable that you plug into your TV. The power cable is fused directly with the wall adapter that charges the device and the Ethernet port connects ultra directly to your router. This provides a wired network option and Ethernet connectivity is important for 4K media streaming that requires a lot of bandwidth and HDR 4K video streaming is even more demanding. It’s very easy to set up, just plug it into the HDMI port at the back of your TV and connect the power, but you need a TV that supports 4K ultra HD and HDR for you to view such content.
The best thing about Chromecast ultra that makes it stand out is its ability to cast content from your phone, tablet, or laptop and load it on your TV. It’s very easy to set up this device. All you need is to download the Google Home app from Google play store or your phone’s app store, then letting it download the latest firmware. Netflix and YouTube are the biggest players in 4K ultra HD and Google play will also provide ultra HD content. Chromecast Ultra also supports audio got from Spotify and Google Play.
Pros
- You can phone cast without using wifi
- Setup is very easy
- Makes it easy to stream videos from your phone to your TV
- Supports HDR and Dolby vision
Cons
- Unreliable internet connection
Apple TV
Apple TV is a small set-top box that runs Apple’s tvOS. It works very well with other Apple devices and uses the Airplay feature that allows you to easily put content in your computer or phone onto your TV screen. It runs apps very fast, has excellent hardware, and supports both HDR and Dolby vision which gives you quality picture resolution just like on a 4K display. Its remote has sleek controls, more updated apps, better-looking menus, superior voice search and control, and integration of movies anywhere from iTunes, and greater access to purchased movies and TV shows from services like Amazon and Vudu.
The Apple TV has all the major video streaming apps you could want from Netflix, Spotify, Pandora, Fox, HBO, ABC, Hulu, CBS, Crackle, Starz, iTunes, the Apple TV app and many more. With Apple TV you can use Siri to search for any piece of content you want using voice command or text. This device allows you to control your smart home devices that run on the Apple Homekit protocol. With a super-fast internet connection, the Apple TV will stream content quickly and smoothly with less buffering to give you a picture resolution of 1080p HD in a few seconds.
Pros
- It delivers high-quality video content
- Very easy to put your phone apps to your TV screen
- It’s extremely fast with no buffering
- More reliable connectivity
Cons
- The remote isn’t well designed
Conclusion
The Chromecast ultra and Apple TV are great 4K streaming devices. With Chromecast, you can control your content from the streaming apps on your phone, while Apple TV has a remote with an intuitive interface that allows you to organize your content.
So which one is better Chromecast or Apple TV?
Apple TV is a better streaming device because it supports content up to and including 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos audio. You can also use it as a standalone or combine it with your iPhone to stream content directly from your device to your TV.
FAQ
Is Netflix free on Chromecast ultra?
Chromecast no longer has free Netflix because the demand was too high.
Is there a monthly fee for using Chromecast?
There’s no subscription fee for using Chromecast, but you have to pay to access services like Hulu and Netflix.
