I attempted utilizing the Google TV Streamer for gaming, and it was terrible

The Google TV Streamer is among the greatest and most stunning Google merchandise launched this yr. It’s Google’s first non-Chromecast streaming product (the Nexus Q doesn’t rely), and it incorporates options you don’t discover in lots of different streamers, together with entry to Google Dwelling controls and dealing as a Thread border router. Throughout my Google TV Streamer overview, I fell in love with how speedy, easy, and highly effective the gadget is.

One factor the streamer doesn’t explicitly do is function as a gaming machine. Nonetheless, it runs on the Android TV platform, which means it no less than has the potential of each on-device gaming and sport streaming too. This, in fact, begets the query: Is the Google TV Streamer any good for gaming?

The headline of this text offers away the reply. Let me break down my expertise with utilizing the Google TV Streamer for gaming so you’ll be able to see how unhealthy issues actually are.

To get issues began, I grabbed my trusty 8bitdo SN30 Professional Plus controller, particularly as a result of it could possibly function in three totally different modes: D-input (a legacy enter protocol that works very nicely in Android), X-input (mimicking an Xbox controller), and Change (mimicking a Nintendo Change Professional controller). Theoretically, the Google TV Streamer ought to help all three modes since Android has natively supported all three enter protocols since Android 10. In observe, although, that was not the case.

I began first in Change mode as a result of the SN30 Professional Plus’ face buttons are within the Japanese configuration (A on the best, B on the underside, and so forth.). Nonetheless, I couldn’t get the controller to attach reliably on this mode. The streamer noticed the controller as an obtainable connection choice however refused to connect with it. In order that was a bust.

Subsequent, I attempted the X-input mode. This related OK, however the Google TV software program didn’t acknowledge it as an obtainable controller. That is complicated, so let me elaborate. I might join the controller to the underlying Android TV working system simply advantageous, however when you pulled up video games inside the Google TV pores and skin (which exists on prime of Android TV, much like Samsung’s One UI on Galaxy smartphones), it wouldn’t let me play them as a result of it stated there was no controller related. In order that was a bust, too.

In the end, switching to D-input was the one mode that each related to Android TV and was acknowledged inside Google TV. As such, should you do wish to attempt to use the Google TV Streamer as a gaming gadget, I extremely suggest making certain you could have a controller that helps D-input. The SN30 Professional Plus is an older controller that isn’t made anymore, however the newer 8bitdo Professional 2 ($49 at Amazon) gives the identical performance and is available in a number of enjoyable colours, so I’d suggest that.

With my controller related, I might use it to navigate across the Google TV interface rather than the Google TV Streamer’s Bluetooth distant. Straight away, I observed one thing was amiss as utilizing the controller to maneuver round was noticeably slower and jankier than utilizing the distant. I famous that as a doable drawback for gaming and moved on.

First, I wanted some Android video games to play. While you open the Play Retailer on the Google TV Streamer, there’s a bit known as “Video games” that provides you a curated number of titles that work nicely with Android TV. Nonetheless, the listing of video games right here is small, they usually aren’t organized very nicely. For instance, you’ll be able to’t simply discover free Android video games, nor can you discover video games which can be paid however priced at a sure degree. After getting pissed off with this, I simply used my cellphone. I discovered that Asphalt 8 is free and has Android TV help, so I put in it by utilizing the drop-down menu subsequent to the “Set up” button to push it to the Google TV Streamer.

Inside a couple of minutes, I had the sport up and working. It instantly labored with my controller — no configuration wanted. Nonetheless, the body charges had been uneven. That is almost definitely because of the MediaTek MT8696 SoC powering the {hardware}, which isn’t a high-end piece of equipment. Regardless, it labored.

What didn’t work (or, no less than, didn’t work nicely) was my controller. As I feared, there was notable latency between once I hit the button and when my automotive reacted to it. I made a decision I ought to strive one other, much less resource-intensive sport to see if there was a distinction there, and landed on Double Dragon Trilogy. Sadly, this sport had the identical drawback: I’d hit the button for punching, and my character would throw the punch with a substantial delay. This drawback made fast-paced video games like Double Dragon and Asphalt 8 troublesome to take pleasure in.

Fortunately, different sport genres aren’t affected fairly as a lot by this challenge, akin to JRPGs just like the incredible Last Fantasy III. Nonetheless, you might as a substitute choose to emulate the unique NES model of that sport, too, which brings us to the following trial.

Let me begin by explaining one thing that got here up a number of instances throughout my preliminary overview of the Google TV Streamer. There’s a solitary USB-C port on the gadget, and Google instructed us that it was solely used for delivering energy to the streamer. After the overview embargo lifted, although, folks stated that this lone USB-C port might be used for storage, too, should you join a powered USB-C hub to it. We did our personal testing with this, and it seems that is kind of true, kind of not. Sure, some powered USB-C hubs will work, however some gained’t, and there doesn’t look like any rhyme or purpose as to which of them work and which of them don’t. Additionally, for the Google TV Streamer to see your related storage, it have to be formatted in exFAT, not NTFS, which isn’t perfect. In different phrases, though customers can add expandable storage to the streamer, it is extremely clear that Google had zero curiosity in making it straightforward.

I point out this right here as a result of getting your sport ROMs onto the Google TV Streamer so you’ll be able to play them in an emulation app isn’t straightforward with out expandable storage. Even should you use an Android TV-supported net browser to obtain ROMs to the streamer itself, Google eliminated the native file explorer inside the Android TV working system. This occurred again with the launch of Android TV 12, and I’m at a loss to elucidate why. Regardless, the dearth of a local file explorer causes issues because the emulators are on the lookout for your ROMs within the system however can’t discover them as a result of, nicely, there is no such thing as a file explorer. Even putting in a file explorer from the Play Retailer doesn’t repair this.

In the long run, my workaround was to open the ROM immediately. The Android system then requested me which app to make use of to open it, and the one emulator I put in that appeared on this listing was Snes9x EX+. This allowed me to fireside up Tremendous Mario World with out challenge. It seemed nice on the massive display screen, particularly once I switched on a CRT overlay to make it look extra like it could have again within the 90s.

Nonetheless, do not forget that controller latency drawback? Hoo boy, it was even worse right here. Getting Mario to leap once I wished him to was principally unattainable, making the all time platforming sport a frustratingly unplayable expertise.

I attempted different emulators, too, however some don’t help installations on Android TV units (Dolphin, for instance), whereas others merely wouldn’t open a ROM due to the file explorer drawback (Lemuroid, for instance).

At this level, I used to be too pissed off to proceed. Even when I might hack collectively a technique to get a big selection of emulators and ROMs working nicely sufficient on the Google TV Streamer, the controller latency would stay. The entire time I used to be doing this, I assumed to myself that if I hooked just about any of the greatest Android telephones to the TV, I’d have a greater emulation system than this.

The one factor left now was to strive streaming some video games.

My most popular technique to sport is on PC, so I’ve a fairly first rate rig for that. Due to this, I opted to run Moonlight for this sport streaming check. Should you’re not conscious of Moonlight, it’s a tremendous free and open-source service that lets you play your PC video games from anyplace, assuming these video games are put in on a related PC. Its setup process is a bit convoluted, however when you get it going, it really works nice.

I obtained this all arrange on the Google TV Streamer and, surprisingly, discovered that this was the very best gaming expertise I’ve had to date. I streamed Horizon Forbidden West, and the visuals, gameplay, and sound high quality had been all nice. There was some slight latency with the controller, nevertheless it wasn’t practically as unhealthy as all the opposite video games I had tried up so far. Even in a fast-paced sport like HFW, the latency was brief sufficient that I might take pleasure in myself. If I needed to guess, streaming video from my PC left the streamer free to course of my button presses a bit faster than when working Android video games or emulating even previous titles like Tremendous Mario World.

After a irritating afternoon making an attempt to get the Google TV Streamer to be a gaming machine, I gave up. It’s clear that this gadget just isn’t going to be anybody’s most popular technique to take pleasure in video games on their tv. Until you’ll be able to reside with the controller latency points whereas concurrently accepting that emulation is basically not an choice, this isn’t the gaming gadget you’re on the lookout for.

Truthfully, the best different could be to make use of your cellphone. A number of Android telephones, notably newer flagship fashions, help DisplayPort, so that you simply want a USB-C-to-HDMI cable, and growth: your cellphone is now a gaming console of types. This lets you play an enormous vary of video games — native, emulated, or streamed — with stable body charges and broad controller help.

In fact, utilizing your cellphone won’t ever prime the comfort of a streaming gadget completely connected to your tv. If that’s what you need, then your subsequent greatest wager could be to put money into the dearer NVIDIA Defend TV Professional ($199 at Amazon). You’ll have a greater expertise throughout the board with this, thanks to raised controller help, a way more highly effective processor, and a number of USB ports for immediately attaching storage.

I wish to shut this out by saying I nonetheless assume the Google TV Streamer is superb — simply not for gaming. As an ordinary media streamer with some specialised good house methods, you’ll be able to’t do a lot better than this, particularly for the $100 worth. Perhaps if Google launches a follow-up in a number of years, it is going to be higher for gaming. Till then, seize this to look at films and TV, however skip it for video games.