Aging hardware boosted by a best in class ecosystem
The Apple TV has been around in one form or another since 2007. The first Apple TV was introduced as a physical, rotating 40 GB hard drive that was attached to an old version of iTunes. It wasn’t until much later that the Apple TV turned into a real streaming box. During that time, the industry was full of sticks, boxes, and other HDMI-enabled devices that could be used to stream Internet content to your TV. Here is Android Authority Apple TV 4K rating.
See also: The best media streaming devices you can buy
What is the Apple TV 4K?
Recognition: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
- Apple TV 4K (32 GB): $ 179 / £ 179 / € 199 / Rs. 17,430
- Apple TV 4K (64 GB): $ 199 / £ 199 / € 219 / Rs. 19,480
The Apple TV 4K has been around since 2017. Apple fans wait (in) patiently for the company to overhaul the hardware. Until Apple makes it, the iPhone manufacturer is offering the Apple TV 4K. There’s also the Apple TV HD for $ 149, which is functionally identical but has an inferior processor and doesn’t support 4K and various HDR formats.
This basic black box requires an Apple iTunes account and allows access to the majority of online streaming services through the outdated user interface. It includes the expected features for a top-notch streaming box, i.e. 4K, HDR and Dolby Vision video, as well as Dolby Atmos sound. One thing that sets it apart from other devices is access to Apple’s popular App Store and the Apple Arcade service. Is that enough to make us recommend the Apple TV 4K?
What is good?
Recognition: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
The picture and sound are first class. The only HDMI connection connects the Apple TV 4K to your device and offers the best picture and sound quality for supported content. I thought the picture was a little sharper than what my eyes could tell from the Amazon Fire TV Cube 4K.
The integration of the Apple ecosystem is top notch.
Siri works remarkably well. By tapping the microphone button on the remote, you can ask Siri to play Raiders of the Lost Ark, search for Harrison Ford movies, or do almost any other search you want. Siri might not be all that impressive on iPhones, but in the basic language of finding TV content, it gets the job done in a short amount of time. If there’s one thing Apple knows how to be, it’s video content.
Recognition: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
The integration of the Apple ecosystem is top notch. Did you know that you can send the sound from the Apple TV 4K to two pairs of Apple AirPods for quiet watching at night? Or do you connect multiple HomePods for (up to) 7.1 surround sound? Or do you seamlessly transfer 4K HDR videos captured from your iPhone 12 to Apple TV? Plus, your iPhone or iPad can act as a keyboard when it’s time to enter those pesky usernames and passwords on the account. Not every streaming box can do these things.
Most recently apps and games. No other streaming box has access to so much Apps and games. The breadth of content available in the App Store and Apple Arcade is very impressive. The Apple TV 4K has access to apps and games that other streaming boxes simply can’t.
What’s not so good?
Recognition: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
The remote is fussy. It’s one of those things that you either love or hate. I fall into the latter camp. Rather than relying on a traditional D-pad when navigating menus, the Apple TV remote has a trackpad for gestures and finer controls. The learning curve is steep and easy to overdo if you move your thumb back and forth.
The remote control is fussy and has a steep learning curve.
HDMI is the only media connection you get. Granted, this is what every other streaming box does, but older versions of Apple TV included optical sound that you could plug into your home theater receiver. I am missing some of those old ports. There is an ethernet port that you recommend if you can, but that’s it.
Recognition: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
Apple’s tvOS software is close by and not for everyone. Granted, none of the streaming boxes on the market offer a truly fantastic experience, but the Apple TV 4K is the only one that blows away. There’s just so much between iTunes, the Apple TV Plus app, your own apps, and games. It can be overwhelming when all you want to do is watch Netflix. I think that’s what Siri is for.
Apple TV 4K review: should I buy it?
Recognition: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
The Apple TV 4K is harder to sell than other streaming boxes for a number of reasons. First, the cost. It costs $ 180 for the 32GB version and $ 200 for the 64GB version. That is almost twice as much as the Amazon Fire TV Cube, which offers almost all content and basic functions. It’s also more expensive than the Nvidia Shield TV – the best Android TV box (or tube in this case) money can buy. In addition, this is Apple TV four times the cost of an average streaming stick – even for 4K-capable sticks.
The Apple TV 4K is tough to sell to anyone outside of the Apple ecosystem. For those who stuck in this, there are still things that appeal to this aging media streamer.
Second, the Apple TV 4K is getting older. The device released in 2017 is sure to be ready for an update over the next 12 months. Third, you can get your Apple TV Plus content on competing streaming devices like Fire TV, Xbox, PlayStation, and various smart TVs.
The only real advantages of the Apple TV 4K itself are the connection to Apple’s existing hardware ecosystem and the large selection of exclusive apps and games. If that’s what you are looking for, Apple TV 4K is your only choice. Even four years on, it’s still a perfect device for existing Apple users, but it’s in desperate need of an update.
Apple TV 4K One of the best set-top boxes for streaming media
The Apple TV 4K box lets you stream movies and TV shows from Apple TV Plus and a variety of other streaming video services, as well as your iTunes movie and TV library, games, and more.
