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Well, I don't think Chromecast Built In is the same thing as being a Smart TV; there is a difference. The capabilities are similar: both connect to your WiFi to stream content. The way you control them is different. A Smart TV has a user interface you interact with using the remote, to select different streaming services and content. With the Chromecast, you use a separate device to navigate. I prefer the Chromecast approach. I find Smart TVs to be super annoying, because you use remote buttons to move around and select what option you want, like Netflix, and then you use those buttons to pick the content. If you have to search for something, or update a password, it's maddening. You have to use arrows to pick letters from an array, which takes a lot longer than it would with a phone or computer. If a Smart TV came with a remote that was more like a small tablet, instead of the same primitive remotes that have been around for decades, this would be less of an issue. Smart TVs have the advantage of being a complete, stand-alone system, whereas a Chromecast requires an additional device (smart phone, tablet, computer) to operate. So in my case, my phone doesn't have this capability so I have to use my laptop to watch TV, which has potential limitations. However, I prefer the Chromecast option because of its broader potential compatibility. If a new streaming service pops up in a few months, I can stream it from my computer and cast it to my TV. If they have an App, and they choose to make it Chromecast compatible, I can stream it through the Chromecast. The Smart TV would not have any option to bring in a streaming service that wasn't around when you bought the TV. With a technology like this that is evolving so rapidly, it is more beneficial in the long run to have compatibility than to have a "complete" solution that is static. Only limitation is Amazon Prime, which is not compatible with Chromecast, because it is a competitor to the Amazon Fire Stick. You can still play Amazon shows on a PC and mirror the video, but the quality is not the same, and you cannot cast an Amazon show to Chromecast through the app. The Smart TVs I've seen can play Amazon video directly.
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