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

The Google TV Streamer is without doubt one of the finest 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 assessment, I fell in love with how speedy, easy, and highly effective the machine is.

One factor the streamer doesn’t explicitly do is function as a gaming machine. Nevertheless, it runs on the Android TV platform, which means it at the least has the aptitude of each on-device gaming and sport streaming too. This, after all, 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 may 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 may function in three completely different modes: D-input (a legacy enter protocol that works very effectively 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 follow, 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 fitting, B on the underside, and many others.). Nevertheless, 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 linked OK, however the Google TV software program didn’t acknowledge it as an obtainable controller. That is complicated, so let me elaborate. I may join the controller to the underlying Android TV working system simply tremendous, 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 mentioned there was no controller linked. In order that was a bust, too.

In the end, switching to D-input was the one mode that each linked to Android TV and was acknowledged inside Google TV. As such, in case you do wish to attempt to use the Google TV Streamer as a gaming machine, I extremely suggest guaranteeing 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 numerous enjoyable colours, so I might suggest that.

With my controller linked, I may use it to navigate across the Google TV interface instead of 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. If you open the Play Retailer on the Google TV Streamer, there’s a bit referred to as “Video games” that offers you a curated number of titles that work effectively with Android TV. Nevertheless, the record of video games right here is small, and so they aren’t organized very effectively. For instance, you may’t simply discover free Android video games, nor can you discover video games which are paid however priced at a sure stage. After getting pissed off with this, I simply used my telephone. I discovered that Asphalt 8 is free and has Android TV help, so I put in it through the use of 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. Nevertheless, the body charges had been uneven. That is almost definitely as a result of MediaTek MT8696 SoC powering the {hardware}, which isn’t a high-end piece of equipment. Regardless, it labored.

What didn’t work (or, at the least, didn’t work effectively) was my controller. As I feared, there was notable latency between after I hit the button and when my automobile 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 get pleasure from.

Fortunately, different sport genres aren’t affected fairly as a lot by this challenge, comparable to JRPGs just like the improbable Ultimate Fantasy III. Nevertheless, you could possibly as an alternative decide 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 just a few occasions throughout my preliminary assessment of the Google TV Streamer. There’s a solitary USB-C port on the machine, and Google advised us that it was solely used for delivering energy to the streamer. After the assessment embargo lifted, although, people mentioned that this lone USB-C port may very well be used for storage, too, in case you join a powered USB-C hub to it. We did our personal testing with this, and it seems that is form of true, form of not. Sure, some powered USB-C hubs will work, however some gained’t, and there doesn’t look like any rhyme or motive as to which of them work and which of them don’t. Additionally, for the Google TV Streamer to see your linked storage, it should be formatted in exFAT, not NTFS, which isn’t supreme. In different phrases, though customers can add expandable storage to the streamer, it is vitally 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 may play them in an emulation app isn’t straightforward with out expandable storage. Even in case you use an Android TV-supported internet 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 in search of your ROMs within the system however can’t discover them as a result of, effectively, there isn’t 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 straight. 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 record was Snes9x EX+. This allowed me to fireplace up Tremendous Mario World with out challenge. It appeared nice on the massive display screen, particularly after I switched on a CRT overlay to make it look extra like it could have again within the 90s.

Nevertheless, do not forget that controller latency drawback? Hoo boy, it was even worse right here. Getting Mario to leap after I wished him to was principally not possible, 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 may hack collectively a method to get a big selection of emulators and ROMs working effectively sufficient on the Google TV Streamer, the controller latency would stay. The entire time I used to be doing this, I believed to myself that if I hooked just about any of the finest Android telephones to the TV, I might have a greater emulation system than this.

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

My most well-liked method 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 take a look at. In the event you’re not conscious of Moonlight, it’s a tremendous free and open-source service that permits you to play your PC video games from wherever, assuming these video games are put in on a linked PC. Its setup process is a bit convoluted, however when you get it going, it really works nice.

I received this all arrange on the Google TV Streamer and, surprisingly, discovered that this was one of the best gaming expertise I’ve had so far. 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 up to now. Even in a fast-paced sport like HFW, the latency was quick sufficient that I may get pleasure from 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 outdated 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 machine just isn’t going to be anybody’s most well-liked method to get pleasure from video games on their tv. Except you may dwell with the controller latency points whereas concurrently accepting that emulation is basically not an choice, this isn’t the gaming machine you’re in search of.

Truthfully, the simplest various can be to make use of your telephone. A whole lot of Android telephones, significantly newer flagship fashions, help DisplayPort, so that you simply want a USB-C-to-HDMI cable, and increase: your telephone is now a gaming console of types. This lets you play an enormous vary of video games — native, emulated, or streamed — with strong body charges and broad controller help.

After all, utilizing your telephone won’t ever prime the comfort of a streaming machine completely hooked up to your tv. If that’s what you need, then your subsequent finest guess can 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 higher controller help, a way more highly effective processor, and a number of USB ports for straight attaching storage.

I wish to shut this out by saying I nonetheless suppose the Google TV Streamer is superb — simply not for gaming. As a typical media streamer with some specialised sensible dwelling methods, you may’t do a lot better than this, particularly for the $100 worth. Perhaps if Google launches a follow-up in just a few years, it will likely be higher for gaming. Till then, seize this to observe motion pictures and TV, however skip it for video games.