Plugs straight into HDMI on the TV and it's handy to have if you don't have plain tv service.

Google's Chromecast Ultra is a slick and simple way to serve up tons of 4K Ultra HD content in glistening HDR.

Simple and affordable 4K streaming; Widest HDR support available; Intuitive interface and setup; Supports YouTube HDR; Dual-band Wi-Fi and Ethernet for strong connection

Cross platform search still mediocre; No Amazon video

Google steps into the world of 4K streaming with the Chromecast Ultra. Just like the regular Chromecast , this little HDMI dongle lets you watch streaming content on your TV from services like Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube, but it supports 4K video in HDR .

Ethernet port for reliable 4K streaming; Relatively inexpensive for a 4K media streamer

Requires a smartphone, tablet, or PC; Almost twice the price of the 1080p Chromecast

Google's premium Chromecast quadruples the pixels for double the money, but lacks the bells and whistles of other high-end steaming devices.

Google Cast technology fundamentally works well; Low entry price for 4K HDR streaming; Ethernet and speed boost are welcome improvements

Short on convenience features like private listening; captive portal; and consistent playback controls; Google Home app needs streamlining and easier...

In "Up the Long Ladder," an otherwise very forgettable episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, a guest star informs Mr. Worf that "Every moment of pleasure in life has to be purchased by an equal amount of pain." Nowhere is this adage truer than in streaming media players.

Easy to use; Inexpensive; Beautiful 4K HDR streams

Fewer channels than competitors; Lingering bugs; Inelegant design

The Chromecast Ultra does exactly what it promises to do: reliably stream 4K HDR video to compatible TVs. But the marginal increase in quality, coupled with a dearth of 4K content, means the device is hardly a must-buy.

More than years ago Google introduced us to the Chromecast . It ended up dominating the world because of its small form factor, simple setup, and bargain-level price. A refreshed model came about in 2015, and that's still available today.

Google released a new version of the Chromecast streaming device called Google Chromecast Ultra. They added support for 4K video and wired networking, but they

If I had known I had to cast everything from my phone I would have just bought another Roku. I am using it for youtubetv and their app is very clunky on the chromecast and MUCH bettter on Roku. FireTV would be even better if they weren't in a feud with google and youtubetv worked on it.

More stable I would say than the original chromecast. I had some intention to buy this for better picture and 4K ability but this actually has a better connection to my wifi than the original chromecast 2nd gen. For all of those who keep loosing signal this could be the answer.