Walmart just doubled the price of its cheapest Google TV stick, and you already know why

What you need to know

• Walmart has doubled the price of its cheapest Onn FHD Streaming Stick with Google TV, from $15 to $30.
• Logged-in Walmart users still see the old price, but anyone not signed in is already seeing the higher tag.
• Rising AI infrastructure demand is pushing up memory component costs, which is trickling down to budget devices.

Walmart makes some of the most affordable Google TV sticks under its Onn brand. But if you were planning to grab the company's cheapest streaming stick, you'll now have to pay double what it originally cost.

Walmart introduced the Onn FHD Streaming Stick with Google TV back in 2023 for just $15. The smart stick then pushed the price up to $20, but now, as spotted by 9to5Google, Walmart has bumped the Onn FHD Streaming Stick all the way up to $30.

As spotted by the publication, logged-in users are still seeing the original $15 price tag, but anyone not signed into a Walmart account is now seeing the $30 price. A similar thing happened with the mid-tier 4K Plus model first, so it's likely only a matter of time before the base variant sees a permanent increase as well.

The move comes shortly after Apple raised prices on several of its devices, including the Apple TV. Walmart hasn't made any official statement, but the likely reason is the same one driving price increases across the industry: AI.

The push to build out AI data centers is driving up demand for memory components, which are also used in consumer tech hardware, and that's pushing component costs higher across the board. Since budget products already carry thin margins, it's natural for companies to pass those increased costs on to customers, and that appears to be exactly what's happening with Onn.

It's not the first time Walmart has raised prices on its streaming sticks, either. The Onn 4K Pro already costs $60, which is $10 more than the previous generation, while the Onn 4K Plus went from $30 to $40. Now the company's most affordable option is taking the same hit.