Walmart’s onn 4K Google TV streaming box is the first streaming device that has surprised me in a while. how? By offering 4K Ultra HD streaming for just $20. That’s cheaper than we’ve ever seen a 4K Fire Stick, or any of Roku’s competitors, even when they’re on sale. “Where’s the catch?” I wonder.
I was wary, of course, not just because of its price, but because of onn and Walmart’s past with 4K streaming. The 2021 onn Android TV UHD had two terrible problems: its remote control was constantly loose, and its on-screen language was constantly changing. Fortunately, I can report that none of those streamers are here, and our Google TV 4K streaming box review will show why it’s one of the best streaming devices out there — if you can find it.
Google TV 4K Streaming Box Review: Price and Availability
in $19.99 (Before any sale discounts), Walmart has found the ground for 4K streaming when it comes to the 4K Google TV streaming box.
Google TV 4K streaming box
price: $19.99
video: up to 4k
HDR: Yes, no Dolby Vision
Delivery: 2.4 / 5 GHz 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac MIMO
far: Included, Google Home app support
Ecosystem Compatibility: google assistant
That’s $5 less than the Fire TV Stick 4K was ever (MSRP $49.99, down to $24.99), and $4 less than the lowest-priced Roku Express 4K Plus (MSRP $39.99, down to $24). The Chromecast 4K with Google TV ($49.99, lowest sale price $29.99) is up north, too.
This cheapness is the best feature of this 4K Google TV streaming box, because I often forgot I was streaming on a budget device.
We first saw the 4K Google TV streaming box on sale in early May 2023, but it’s been out of stock since then.
Google TV 4K streaming box review: Design
A streaming box on Google TV 4K on the web shouldn’t necessarily look as weird as it sounds. Much like the Chromecast with Google TV, it’s a disk with a wire sticking out from each side. But unlike this streaming device, it’s not meant to stay out of sight behind the TV — because its plugs are detachable.
Alternatively, you can place your Google 4K TV on a surface, whether it’s flat if you can find the space (I can’t) or hidden out of sight and out of mind. If only Walmart could ditch the short HDMI cord dongle for the 4K Chromecast, I’d never consider a cheap black plastic enclosure for the Google 4K TV streaming box.
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You have an HDMI port with a reset button on one side, and a micro USB for power on the other. This is aesthetically very similar to the Roku Express 4K Plus, but it even puts all of its ports on the same side.
Google’s Chromecast with Google TV and Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K are better for having the decency to realize that no one really wants to look at their streaming device. They stay out of sight, out of mind, and you’ll be glad you did.
Google TV 4K Live Box Review: Remote
Fortunately, the biggest bug from the previous onn box has been fixed. The remote control for the 4K Google TV remote remains in pairing mode all the time. Yes, “unpair randomly” is how low the floor is with this device.
However, I’m not surprised that this remote control looks cheap. It even has a sticker attached to the back to explain how to re-pair the remote. Considering how much help people need with Roku remotes not working, I wasn’t shocked.
But at $20, I really don’t expect much in the way of a remote—and I can appreciate how this remote has just about every button you could ask for.
The only annoying flaw with the remote that I found is the Google Assistant button, which doesn’t always activate Assistant.
It packs the standard navigation buttons, plus dedicated ones for power, volume, mute, back, home, live, settings, enter key, Google Assistant, user profile and – for some reason – channels. In fact, there are far too many buttons, except for one missing.
I love the play/pause button (offered by the Fire TV and Roku remote) which is also missing on the regular Chromecast with Google TV remote. The center/select button works in the middle of the navigation dial, I just want something more explicitly related to play and pause – not something that could accidentally open up the menu navigation too.
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The only annoying flaw with the remote that I found is the Google Assistant button, which doesn’t always activate Assistant. This issue pops up for me in the app search window of the Google TV interface, the one place I’d never want to type a full app name using an on-screen keyboard.
Oh, and if you love using the Google Home app’s built-in remote control? You’ll find that the Google TV 4K streaming box has an inconsistent interface, and the navigation menu often doesn’t show up. Within a couple of minutes, I saw the “Full remote not available” error and the option to bring up said remote. This pattern happens frequently, and doesn’t always give you the option of remote control.
Google TV 4K Streaming Box Review: Performance
Plugging in a $19.99 4K streaming device creates a moment of doubt. Will this thing work? Cause a small fire? Make me wait for full news cycles to take effect?
None of the above, in fact. It just… works. A little slower than I like, but I’m used to fine streaming devices, like the Roku Ultra and Apple TV 4K. But when I compare the load times of the Google 4K streaming box on Google TV to the Chromecast 4K with Google TV — the most similar of all devices — I’m casually pleased.
There is an occasional stutter or stutter while clicking menus, but that’s easily accepted at this price point.
There is nothing worse or particularly noticeable. This may be an indictment of the Chromecast, but the Fire TV Stick 4K and Roku Express 4K Plus are all in the same territory in load times.
This could also be due to the Google TV OS being light enough to run well enough on a quad-core Cortex-A35 CPU, Mali-G31 MP2 GPU and 2GB of RAM. There is an occasional stutter or stutter while clicking menus, but that’s easily accepted at this price point.
Google TV 4K Live Box Review: The Software
Onn’s Google TV 4K streaming box, as its name indicates, runs on the same operating system as Chromecast with Google TV. This gets you some perks and some downgrades, but it’s a solid operating system for such an affordable device.
This is partly due to the standards. Access more than 10,000 apps on the Google TV 4K streaming box, so you get the best streaming services. Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, Prime Video, all of them.
I only found rare occasions when Google TV didn’t have an app that I wanted to use, and in this case — for the jujitsu streaming service NJPW World — I could easily cast the feed from my laptop to my TV.
For the interface and the main screen? The Google TV home screen is very similar to what you get on Fire TV: a collection of promotional content including ads, a description of Your Top Picks, your apps, a section that collects shows and movies you haven’t finished, and more curated content.
Next, you have a live section, where you find linear programming. Not only does it offer over 800 free ad-supported channels from Tubi, Plex, and Haystack News, but YouTube TV, Sling, and Philo subscribers can also integrate these services.
Oh, and the Google TV screensavers are nice, but slow things down a bit by suggesting podcasts and making weird Google Assistant prompts.
I might prefer the Roku Express 4K Plus’s more austere interface, but that’s largely a case of “your mileage may vary,” as some might prefer Google TV’s interface that’s full of recommendations. I just want a network of apps.
Google TV 4K Live Box Review: Video Quality
Relying on the Google TV 4K streaming box for all of my TV-watching needs for the past weeks has given me a realization. A better streaming device might be better, but if it works? Well, that’s all that matters.
While watching the NBA Playoffs with Hulu + Live TV, I saw no drop in performance, nor did I notice any glitches when I re-watched Missing on Netflix. The latter is just as important as any 4K resolution, as much of the movie requires you to read the text on the screen, and it’s all rendered crisp.
If you don’t know what Dolby Vision is, and want to spend $20 on a 4K streaming device? You don’t need Dolby Vision.
The only huge downgrade to this device’s audio and video quality is its lack of Dolby Vision (which the Fire TV Stick 4K and Chromecast with Google TV 4K have), a video standard for better colors and true blacks. In my daily use, though? I couldn’t tell the difference. It supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) content for better contrast, though there’s no idiosyncrasy about HDR10.
That included when I watched the breakfast sandwich scene from Birds of Prey on a Google TV streaming box in 4K, and couldn’t see anything different in the orange of American cheese, the red of hot sauce and the yellow of an egg yolk. In short: If you don’t know what Dolby Vision is, and want to spend $20 on a 4K streaming device? You don’t need Dolby Vision.
Google TV 4K Live box review: Verdict
Walmart’s onn brand took two years off, and it’s back ready to play with the budget streaming hardware giants. Bugs from the past? crushed. A price point that would make even Amazon blush? check. As our Google TV 4K streaming box review showed, this is a serious contender.
If you want a device with a sleeker design, though? The 4K Chromecast with Google TV is what I would go for, especially since its remote app never fails as onn does. It also packs Dolby Vision. Do you want a cleaner interface? Go with the Roku Express 4K Plus.
But for the cheapest 4K streaming device, and one with a decent experience at that? You want a onn 4K Google TV streaming box. The only trick is to find it in the inventory.
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