Google’s revealing a wide product portfolio today, but the Chromecast Ultra might be the most unassuming sleeper hit of the bunch. The newest member of the Chromecast family supports 4K resolution video streaming, and yet still doesn’t break the bank at $69.
It’s still a plastic puck, like it’s predecessor, with an integrated HDMI output in a short, flexible cable and a micro-USB port for power. The device also has HDR powers, meaning with newer TV sets that support it it’ll support an image designed to show you brighter, more vibrant scenes across varying lighting conditions for an overall more vivid picture.
Chromecast Ultra supports casting from all the same apps and sources that the existing Chromecast supports, including Android, iOS devices (support depending) and Chrome on the desktop. Even at double the price, it’s worth considering if you’re in the market for a Chromecast and don’t yet have any need for 4K – that’s still about half the price of the entry-level current generation Apple TV, which maxes out at 1080p.
Chromecast Ultra is 1.8x faster to load and launch content, Google says, and it also has an Ethernet port integrated into the power adapter for reliable wired connection. It ships in November.
