I’m sick of Google TV. It’s time for a Windows streaming stick

At this point, I’ve tried and tested almost every major streaming platform. I’ve used Google TV on Xiaomi’s TV Box S, I own an Apple TV 4K (which I mostly keep in my mom and dad’s room), and I’ve spent time with Roku and Samsung’s Tizen-based One UI for smart TVs.

That said, at home I use a Sony TV and a Samsung smart TV with a Xiaomi TV Box S plugged in, so most of my usage still revolves around Android TV and Google TV. It’s not like Google’s platforms are bad or missing key features compared to something like Apple TV or even Amazon Fire TV, but the overall experience just hasn’t been great for me.

And the more I’ve used alternatives, sometimes without even meaning to, the more I’ve realized something pretty simple: Google TV just isn’t for me, and the alternative I’ve landed on is a bit unconventional — but it might actually be the better replacement.

Look, I’m not against Google TV or anything. In fact, I think it offers one of the best app ecosystems among streaming platforms, with plenty of perks, like smartphone control and access to free live channels.

But I’m not the first, and definitely not the last, to say that the overall experience on Google TV feels jittery and not very optimized. As my colleague Joe Maring noted, the platform is overloaded with ads (the sponsored content you see as soon as you turn it on). On top of that, issues like missing apps and audio glitches made him switch from a Google TV Streamer to an Apple TV 4K.

And it’s not just about hardware either. Sure, performance can be better on more powerful devices, but most of the issues people run into with Google TV come down to the software experience. And honestly, it doesn’t feel like Google is doing enough to improve it. If anything, platform updates have slowed significantly, with major updates arriving only every couple of years.

Compare that to something like an Apple TV 4K, and the difference is pretty obvious. Everything feels smoother, more consistent, and more focused on getting you into apps quickly instead of keeping you stuck on a cluttered home screen. And that’s exactly what makes Android TV feel frustrating to use at times.

The easiest solution, you might think, is to just switch to an Apple TV, right? But it’s not that simple. One thing I really appreciate about Android TV is how open it is, and that’s something the Apple TV just doesn’t offer. It’s also not very easy to control with an Android phone unless you’re relying on third-party apps, which are usually filled with ads.

So I started thinking about alternatives that could give me the same openness and flexibility, but with a smoother, more reliable experience. Ideally, a replacement for Android TV should feel familiar enough that I don’t have to relearn everything, and it shouldn’t miss out on the major apps or services I use regularly.

And that’s exactly what led me to something I had used occasionally before, but never really considered as a full-time streaming setup.

Over the past few months, I have had to connect my Windows laptop to my TV multiple times, and it made me realize it’s one of the best streaming experiences I’ve had. And since then, I’ve been wondering why we don’t really have a proper Windows-based streaming device yet.

Most streaming services work incredibly well on Windows, especially through browsers like Chrome or Edge. And it’s not like you’re missing out on apps either. Platforms like Apple TV, Disney Plus, Netflix, and even Spotify are easily accessible on Windows, either through apps or the browser.

And for the services that don’t have dedicated apps, their websites are usually well optimized for desktop use, so you can still access everything without any major compromises. Plus, you still retain that openness that you get with Android TV.

There are also smaller things that make a surprisingly big difference. For example, whenever I’m streaming a live sports match on my phone compared to my desktop, the phone is almost always a few seconds behind. That’s mostly because these services use different servers for mobile apps and desktop platforms. Mobile apps are often optimized for heavy traffic, which can introduce a slight delay.

On the desktop, though, the stream feels much closer to real-time, almost like watching a live TV broadcast. And that’s something that would instantly make me switch to a proper Windows-based streaming device, since you’re getting a truly live feed rather than something a few seconds behind.

And then there’s the added advantage of a full desktop experience. If you need to take a meeting or run a presentation, you don’t have to rely on casting or workarounds. You can just do it directly on the device connected to your TV. It’d essentially turn into a multi-purpose box rather than just a streaming device, and that’s something most platforms still haven’t been able to offer.

The main argument against a Windows-based streaming device is obvious. Windows is notorious for requiring fairly powerful hardware to run smoothly, so how would it work in a small streaming box? I think there are a couple of ways Microsoft could approach this.

For starters, ARM-based processors have come a long way. Snapdragon chips are now good enough for lightweight, media-focused use cases. Sure, they may not fully match x64 systems yet, but for a streaming device, they should be more than capable, similar to how something like an Apple TV 4K runs on an ARM chip. Plus, Windows 11 on ARM is in a much better place now, both in terms of performance and app compatibility. Even Chrome now runs natively on Windows ARM, which is a big deal for a streaming-focused setup.

Then there’s the UI side of things, which is where it gets really interesting. With the upcoming Windows 11 update, Microsoft is rolling out an Xbox Mode that brings a console-like interface to all Windows devices (not just gaming handhelds).

This Xbox Mode offers a simplified, controller-friendly interface that focuses on easier access to apps, games, and your library, without the traditional Windows desktop. And that’s exactly the kind of experience a streaming device needs.

I’m not saying gaming needs to be the focus here, but Microsoft could easily take that same concept, tweak it for media consumption, and turn it into a proper streaming platform. Keep things simple, focus on apps and browsers, and avoid pushing users into a full desktop experience on a TV. Pair that with a remote-friendly interface, and it could fix a lot of the issues people currently have with streaming devices.

On paper, this sounds like something I’d actually want to use. But at the same time, there are no real signs that Microsoft is actively working on a Windows-based streaming device right now. The company clearly has the capability to build something like this — and I really hope it eventually does — because it could finally be the alternative that makes me move away from Google TV for good.