The Apple TV’s home screen is still a basic grid of apps. That’s largely because tvOS is very polished at this point, and it doesn’t cheapen the viewing experience with in-your-face ads or sponsored content. But the differences are often marginal the 2017 Apple TV 4K still holds up well today in terms of performance. Navigating through menus and Siri voice searches both come with an extra dash of speed, and apps seem to load faster than before. The tvOS software experience is identical between this Apple TV 4K and its predecessor. But it’s still checking off the essentials like Dolby Vision, Atmos, and HDR10. However, the 2021 Apple TV 4K still doesn’t support bitstream audio passthrough, so the company hasn’t addressed all the wants of home theater enthusiasts. Apple has mostly resolved an issue with raised blacks in Dolby Vision content, according to HDTVTest’s Vincent Teoh. There have also been more subtle technical improvements that aren’t being advertised, but it’s the type of stuff video nerds will notice. The company is sticking with the traditional set-top box form factor even as many competitors have moved to more discreet HDMI dongles that are usually hidden from view behind the TV.

I wish Apple would have done away with the glossy, dust-magnet sides, but we’re not so lucky. It’s still the same nondescript black box that calls little attention to itself on a TV stand. On the outside, the Apple TV 4K is impossible to distinguish from its predecessor. It’s an improvement, but not some game-changer for Apple’s set-top box.īuy for $179.00 from Apple Buy for $179.99 from Best Buy Buy for $179.99 from Target But the A12 is far from Apple’s latest and greatest silicon it first appeared in the iPhone XS line in 2018 and is still currently used in the entry-level iPad and iPad Mini. The biggest internal change in the latest model is an upgraded chipset: Apple has moved on from the A10X Fusion to the A12 Bionic. (A gigabit ethernet jack remains on the back for wired connectivity.) Apple has also built in support for Thread, the smart home networking protocol that will eventually be widely supported across the industry - even if it’s good for relatively little right now. It now has Wi-Fi 6 for speedier, more robust wireless performance. Those who have long sung the Apple TV’s praises will find more to like with this updated hardware. The biggest improvement is undoubtedly the redesigned second-generation Siri Remote that comes bundled with the new Apple TV 4K - but you can buy that separately for $59. It looks identical to Apple’s first 4K streaming box introduced back in 2017, and the day-to-day experience of using it doesn’t feel dramatically better when compared to that device. It’s easy to be underwhelmed by the new Apple TV 4K.

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