I appreciated the second-generation Apple TV 4K, however I hardly ever really useful it to anybody besides Apple die-hards. Sure, it has a great distant, but it surely was costly in comparison with streaming gadgets from its peers, like Google, Amazon, and Roku. It didn’t carry out considerably higher both.

With the 2022 revision, there are lastly sufficient causes to choose the Apple TV 4K over the pack, even when it’s nonetheless pricier than the competitors. Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, a USB-C port on the distant, and respectable gaming efficiency make this a worthy addition to any lounge, and one that can possible outlast the clunky OS inside your smart TV.

What’s New?

Visually, not a lot has modified between generations of Apple TV 4K, although once you maintain them collectively, you’ll discover the predecessor is each barely bigger and heavier than the newer mannequin. This change in weight is so dramatic it makes you ponder whether the following iteration might simply be a dongle or streaming stick as an alternative of just a little black field. 

This field is compact sufficient to put anyplace you might have a tiny little bit of room, and a rubbery backside means it received’t slip on in any other case slippery surfaces. The again has an HDMI 2.1 port, a spot for the ability cable, and an Ethernet port—that’s should you pay the additional $20 Apple upcharges for additional inner storage and the Ethernet connector. The Wi-Fi-only mannequin comes with half the storage (64 GB) for $129. 

The included distant is the way you’ll interface with the Apple TV 4K, and it’s probably the most nicely constructed within the enterprise. It feels just like the iPod Nano of previous, milled out of a chunk of aluminum with comfortable contact buttons and a glossy drag-and-move pad within the center that allows you to glide round menus just like the trackpad on a laptop computer. It seems the identical because the older model, besides this time it comes with a extra common USB-C port for recharging as an alternative of Apple’s proprietary Lightning cable. Call it a victory for anybody that hates muddle and utilizing totally different cables to recharge gadgets.

Inside the brand new Apple TV 4K is the place you’ll discover the most important change: An enormous improve in chip expertise with the A15 Bionic—the identical that powers the iPhone 13—making the streaming field able to supporting HDR10+ (its predecessor maxed out at HDR10). That means higher colours from supported content material, and extra future-proofing as media will get higher and brighter down the road. This can also be a giant differentiator over cheaper streaming sticks as you’ll rarely expertise any stutters or lag transferring via the menus.

I additionally like that you just get 128 GB of inner storage. Who is aware of how massive cell video games will turn into down the road, but it surely’s good to know I’ve loads of room to put in time-wasters from Apple Arcade (Apple gives three months free of charge once you purchase the Apple TV 4K). It’s way over what you’ll discover on the likes of the Chromecast with Google TV.

Stream On

Picture high quality is best than ever because of the brand new A15 chip, however in any other case, you’ll get the identical consumer expertise everybody has been having fun with on Apple’s streaming gadget for years. That consists of each app beneath the solar, straightforward menu navigation, and the flexibility to make use of saved passwords out of your Apple keychain to log in to all of your streaming apps.