Google’s Chromecast has launched in the UK today offering the ability to stream BBC iPlayer and Netflix to your TV with a little help from your phone or tablet. At just £30, the HDMI dongle is a super-cheap alternative to a PVR recorder. It’s much like Sky’s Now TV box, which costs even less at £10 but requires a monthly subscription for you to receive Sky TV.

Given the choice, which streaming device should you purchase? We compared the Google Chromecast and Sky Now TV box to find out.

Google Chromecast vs Sky Now TV box – design

Despite both offering a similar service based around streaming TV content, the Google Chromecast and Now TV box share a markedly different design aesthetic. The Chromecast is a black USB dongle that plugs into the back of your TV via its HDMI slot and costs £30. It needs to be plugged into the mains but, otherwise, that’s it.

The Now TV box is a more traditional set-top box, that connects to your TV, again via HDMI, and also requires a power cable. It comes with a mini remote control and is said by Sky to be “smaller than a beer mat”. So while the Chromecast can be kept out of sight, the £10 Sky TV box needs to be tucked away with your Blu-ray player, games console and the like.

Both the Chromecast and the Now TV box need a wi-fi connection – and a decent one at that – to stream content.

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Google Chromecast vs Sky Now TV box – three key features

Different prices, different content Before you buy either a Chromecast or Now TV box you’ll want to know what you get for your money. For £30, the Chromecast allows you to select content on your phone using apps like YouTube or Netflix; this content is then streamed from the cloud to your TV.

The Sky Now TV box costs £10 to buy, but to get any use out of it beyond streaming BBC iPlayer and Sky News you’ll have to pay £9.99 for a day’s worth of Sky Sports or £15 a month for Sky Movies.

If you already own a PlayStation, Xbox, YouView box or Roku box, the option to view Sky content, Netflix and YouTube on your TV will already be available to you. If not, this could be a cheap way to access streaming content.

App power Sky’s Now TV works like any other set-top box with a remote control. Google’s Chromecast works with compatible apps for the iPhone and iPad, as well as Android phones. As you can also stream any Google Chrome browser tab from your Windows PC or Mac to the Chromecast (meaning it’s iPlayer and ITV Player compatible), Chromecast will work with your computer too.

Music, social networking and more As well as working with TV and movies, Google’s Chromecast can also stream music with through Google Music. In contrast, Sky’s Now TV box is more UK-friendly with an app for Spotify, as well as Facebook and Flickr.

Which? expert verdict – ‘Sky’s Now TV box has the edge’

I’m pretty well embedded in the Google ecosystem but can’t claim to have been won over by its Chromecast. With BBC iPlayer, YouTube and other video streaming apps widely available through Smart TVs, tablets and games consoles, its real unique selling point is the ability to mirror what’s on your phone onto your TV. This means you can use your Android handset as a remote control for Netflix or Google Play Music.

It’s a nice touch, but something I’d want to pay £30 for. Especially as you can’t yet stream web pages from your mobile to your TV. If you can stand the extra cabling in your living room, hooking up a HDMI cable to your laptop is a cheaper alternative.

For me, Sky’s Now TV box is a more attractive proposition. Costing just £10, it’s incredibly cheap. Since the Now TV app is exclusive to LG-made TVs, its the kind of impulse buy you could justify purely for the purpose of watching a couple of Premier League matches a season. As a Southampton fan who doesn’t get to watch his team on TV much, that’s a pretty attractive proposition. Rob Leedham, writer

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