The Google TV Streamer still supports external storage

Ben Schoon | Aug 7 2024 - 1:30 pm PT

While the new Google TV Streamer is a far more capable device compared to the Chromecast with Google TV it replaces, you can still expand on its storage through an external drive, Google has confirmed.

The Google TV Streamer is, by all definitions, a high-end streaming device. It has a much more powerful set of specs including 4GB of RAM and a better chip, as well as having 32GB of onboard storage. That’s a huge upgrade over the mere 8GB that wasn’t enough on the Chromecast when it debuted four years ago, even more so in 2024.

But Google’s device is also entering a space where expectations are higher, and customers start to include those who want to do more than just stream movies with the set-top box.

As such, as the 32GB of onboard storage might not be enough for everyone.

There’s no way to expand that using the device itself, though. Unlike an Nvidia Shield TV for example, the Google TV Streamer only has two usable ports – a USB-C port designed for power, and an Ethernet port. Using the latter, though, you can still expand on the Google TV Streamer’s storage.

Like the Chromecast, Google confirmed to 9to5Google that, yes, the Google TV Streamer can use USB-C for both power and external storage. By plugging in a dongle that has additional USB ports, you can also plug in a flash drive or other form of external storage to boost what the Streamer can access. This isn’t always the most user-friendly process, but there are apps on Google TV which can help you access media from other devices. External peripherals such as game controllers, a mouse, and more should also work through a connected USB-C dongle.

This doesn’t come as a huge surprise, but we’re glad to hear it’s the case. With Nvidia having left the Shield TV without an update for about five years now, the Google TV Streamer paired with a USB-C dongle could fill the gap for a lot of users who are overdue for an upgrade.