The Google TV Streamer Now Costs $150. Most People Should Buy Something Else

Nothing about the Google TV Streamer changed on August 31 except the number on the price tag. The box, which launched in 2024 at $99.99, now costs $149.99 at the Google Store and Best Buy. Same 4GB of RAM, same 32GB of storage, same remote. Fifty percent more money.

Google’s explanation was a single sentence. “Due to rising component costs, we are adjusting the U.S. pricing of select Google Nest cameras, doorbells and Google TV streamer 4K, effective August 31,” the company told 9to5Google. Android Authority points to memory prices, the same RAM squeeze that has pushed up the cost of phones and watches this year.

I understand why it happened. I just don’t think most people should pay it.

What $149.99 gets you now

The Streamer was always more than a nice Google TV box. It doubles as a smart home hub, with a Thread border router and Matter support built in, plus an Ethernet port and a remote you can make beep when it vanishes into the couch. It’s the most polished Google TV hardware you can buy, and Google has kept adding Google Home features to it through 2026.

At $99.99, that made it an easy recommendation. At $149.99, it’s up against streamers that cost less than half as much for the part most people actually use: Netflix, YouTube and live TV.

The $60 alternative

Walmart’s 2026 onn 4K Pro runs the same Google TV software for $60. It’s a step down on paper, but not much of one where it counts.

You lose a gigabyte of RAM, and the onn’s Ethernet port tops out at 100Mbps, which is still plenty for 4K streaming. You keep Wi-Fi 6 and Dolby Vision and get USB-C power. The one real downgrade 9to5Google flagged is the rear USB-A port dropping from USB 3.0 to USB 2.0, which only matters if you play big local video files off a drive.

One discrepancy worth knowing: 9to5Google lists 32GB of storage on the new onn box, while Android Authority describes it as having half the Streamer’s storage. We’re going with 9to5Google’s spec breakdown, but if you sideload a lot of apps, check the box before you buy.

Who should still buy Google’s box

• You’re building out Google Home and want a Thread border router in the living room without buying a separate hub.
• You want the snappiest Google TV experience and plan to keep the box for years. The extra RAM helps as streaming apps get heavier.
• You can still find it at the old price. Android Authority reported that Amazon and Walmart were still selling remaining stock at $99.99 after the hike. That won’t last, and it may already be gone, but it’s worth a quick look.

The bigger worry

The Streamer wasn’t the only victim. The same day, Google raised prices on several Nest cameras and doorbells by $20 to $30, according to Android Headlines. The wired third-gen Nest Doorbell, for example, went from $179.99 to $199.99. The Google Home Speaker, Nest thermostats and Nest Hub were spared.

When a company raises the price of two-year-old hardware without touching the spec sheet, it’s a signal that memory costs are going to keep leaking into gadget prices. The good news for Google TV fans is that the platform isn’t tied to Google’s own box. The software is the same on a $60 onn, and that’s where I’d put my money today.

Sources: 9to5Google, Android Authority, Android Headlines, 9to5Google (onn 4K Pro). Photo by Jonas Leupe on Unsplash.