The third-generation Apple TV 4K arrived so long ago that it is almost eligible to enter kindergarten, and rumors of an update have been around for almost as long. But apart from making predictable Apple plays like “put a better processor in it,” the company had to do something different to make this high-priced new box worthwhile. Here are the surprising ways that the Apple TV 4K 4th Gen is different from the existing Apple TV 4K 3rd Gen.
1. Specs
The new Apple TV 4K has an updated A19 chip, which Apple says is 50% faster than the existing A15 processor. This should translate into a zippier experience opening streaming apps, and navigation should be pretty much lag-free. In addition, the new version boasts twice the graphics performance of its predecessor, which makes it especially handy for gamers.
I play a lot of family games on my TV, and most of them are stored on a PC and streamed over Steam Link. Having the benefit of boosted graphics performance means that I could push those sliders further toward 11 for my games of Pummel Party and Golf with Friends. The TV 4K has the same 128GB of storage space as the previous flagship, while the boost to Wi-Fi 7 could mean better throughput with a compatible router.
2. Siri
Siri AI was one of the main focuses of the recent Experience event, and the ways in which the HomeView (and Apple TV 4K 4th gen) would take advantage of the assistant’s new capabilities. Even though the third gen appears to be getting the same abilities, the upgraded processor will also help speed things along.
What’s really striking about the newer box, however, is that it has three onboard far-field microphones for conversing with Siri. Until now, you needed a separate Siri-based smart speaker to control your Apple TV by voice. Yes, you could use the remote, but having mics on the box means you can also say, “Hey Siri, where is my remote?”
3. Remote control
Speaking of which, Apple upgraded the clicker, which now includes Find My with Precision Finding, bringing it up to date with Roku’s existing “Find My Remote” feature. While Roku’s remote is the one that does the listening, taking that responsibility away from it means the Apple version may last longer between charges.
Which box does this remote belong to? The answer may surprise you!Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
Apart from that upgrade, it’s difficult to tell which Apple remote you have, as it appears identical to the last one, though we haven’t put the two side by side. This is nevertheless a familiar-looking remote with a traditional microphone button, which is also used for calling upon Siri.
Price (not an improvement)
The Logitech Revue came with a keyboard instead of voice control
Remember the Logitech Revue? You can bet Logitech does. The pricey Google TV box failed spectacularly. It had many problems, including a first-gen operating system, but it also had a shockingly high price of $250. “We expected everybody to line up for Christmas and buy these boxes [at] $300 … that was a big mistake,” Logitech’s CEO Guerrino De Luca said at the time.
But here we are again with Apple slapping a $299 price on the new Apple TV 4K. Having a $300 streamer is a big change from just a few months ago, when the company had a $129 Apple TV in the lineup. Then, the box experienced a whopping price increase — the 64GB version increased by $70 and the 128GB a full $100. Until just now, these were the most expensive streaming boxes that you could buy. But at $300, the only thing that’s more expensive than the new Apple TV 4K is dedicated music streamers (but they usually include a screen and come with optimized audio quality).
Should you get the Apple TV 4K 4th gen?
In a world now full of $30 streaming devices, do people really want to buy an Apple box that costs 10 times that? Sure, everything that I’ve written above is why you might want to, but ultimately, if you just want to “stream stuff,” then it’s not worth buying the new Apple TV.
For home cinema hobbyists and gamers, though, the Apple TV 4K 4th gen could be the new device to beat for its promised combination of power, ease of use and integrated smart features. I won’t know for sure until I get my hands on one for testing when it’s released in November.
Senior editor Ty Pendlebury has been reviewing TVs and home entertainment for CNET since 2006. He has a cat named after one of the best TVs ever made.
See full bio