Sure it was...A12 (vs A10x), Thread (vs no Thread), HDMI 2.1 (vs 2.0), WIFI-6 (vs WIFI-5), High Frame Rate (60fps) support, ARC and eARC...and a redesigned Siri Remote for good measure. A tremendous upgrade, IMO.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Hands-On With the New Apple TV 4K
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Yup...
While I don't like it, I totally understand the argument for removing wall chargers from new devices, but charging cable, especially Apple cables, they are more consumable than durable.
Never should have been removed, and personally think it had more to do with padding their margin than environmental concerns.
Same in our house. Original Apple TV 4K going nonstop all day. Either shows movies, youtube, music, or screensaver. Full Blu-ray iso via infuse etc. We hammer it, works like a workhorse. A 1080p version on day and night in our bedroom that is the HomeKit device. Still also streams and works like a champ.
I agree only in part that this upgrade is disappointing because I dislike the nickel and dime tactic of breaking out the Ethernet. What used to be included is now charged a premium.
Aside from that though it seems a modest but solid upgrade. Really what else can they do. It supports hdr, sorta supports full audio passthrough (with a workaround), what else is there. My tv is true 120hz so a true 120 output would be great where they could match frame rate without the tv going blank for a second. But that’s about it 🤷🏻♂️
The differences between the A12 and A10 a minimal, the A12 has slightly better CPU, but the A10X actually has better GPU performance. Still the same RAM and same storage.
The 33% increase in RAM alone in the new ATV4K3 would probably have a much more noticeable difference in performance than the performance difference between the A12 and A10X ATVs. Add the A15 CPU and GPU performance, and I see it as a more significant upgrade compared going from the A10X to the A12 ATVs.
These are nice, but basically small spec bumps, not really anything "tremendous", imo.
Not sure how many streaming services even offer 60fps HDR streams, is it just YouTube?. If it is just YouTube, IIRC, the 2021 didn't even do HDR until YouTube updated their app recently.
I would consider this more of a subjective statement, as I personally do not like the redesigned Siri Remote, and really hate the Siri button location.
Objectively, the redesigned Siri Remote is missing sensors that the original Siri Remote had, and can no longer be used on some apps.
How is it a premium when it's being sold for $30 less than the previous model? Just think differently that APPLE released a lower-cost AppleTV
Not sure about Netflix and HBO Max, but on the iPadOS Apple TV app all series have the 4K logo, so they are 4K on iPad. I think most streaming apps support 4K on iPad now. On the iPadOS Prime Video app it says that streaming on best quality is 5.8 GB/hour = 12.9 Mbits/second, I suppose it's 4K. I think Disney+ on iPad is 4K as well.
I agree with you, streaming on Apple TV with an IR remote is more convenient, but you can't download for offline watching. And you can't play Microsoft Flight Simulator and Forza Horizon 5 on an Apple TV.
And you can't use YouTube on a browser, simply because the Apple TV doesn't have a browser. What would I need YT on a browser? Because I watch lots of video tutorials on YT, and I have to pause the video all the time to carefully read what's written on the video. Try to pause a video on the tvOS YT app see what happens, compare it to the same YT video paused on a browser.
And controlling a video on my iPad is not much unconvenient at all, I use a bluetooth keyboard for that, I just have to click on the keyboard's space bar and <--- and ---> keys to play/pause and jump back/forward.
Last edited:
Because the ATV4K is a much more capable/upgradable digital streaming receiver, also provides a higher bit rate with iTunes movies playback and MoviesAnywhere I noticed then the AppleTV+ app.
Also I literally see the apps get updates all the time as tVOS gets updates. Back when Roku was failing to have renewed contracts with sVoD hosts, the ATV4K was the only box that had all the major services available without interruptions.
There is a lot more to the ATV than the Apple TV app. Actually, I don't even use the Apple TV app, at all.
I just replaced my Roku Ultra with a 2022 Apple TV. It’s WAAAAY snappier, with apps loading noticeably faster. I also think the audio is louder and much clearer than the Roku Ultra as well. While the Roku had a pretty good picture, I think the Apple TV has a slightly better picture, also. I haven’t tried any games yet, but that‘s a plus, also.
Upgraded 2 ATV today from the '17 4K versions. Overall performance is noticeably improved particularly BT when using the 13 Mini iPhone as a remote. 1 connected to an LG C9 OLED 4K and the other to a 1080P Bose VideoWave III TV via ethernet cables.
One thing I have not seen mentioned in all the threads is what purpose does the improved Neural Engine provide vs the previous CPUs?
One thing I have not seen mentioned in all the threads is what purpose does the improved Neural Engine provide vs the previous CPUs?
Last edited:
Apple needs to stop using crap delivery companies. My Apple TV that I ordered on Apple.com day 1 was supposed to be delivered today by 8pm. Their “Deliver It” tracking website has no update…
Apple in October introduced an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, which is available as of today. We picked one up to take a look at the new features and to determine whether it's worth the upgrade for MacRumors readers who already have an Apple TV 4K.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The third-generation Apple TV 4K looks a lot like the second-generation model, but it is a bit thinner and lighter. It's not so thin that you're going to notice a major difference, but if they're side-by-side, you can tell.
As for feature set, there's a much faster A15 chip that offers up to a 50 percent improvement in CPU performance and up to a 30 percent improvement in GPU performance compared to the A12 chip in the prior model. Whether you'll be able to notice that speed difference depends on what you do on your Apple TV.
If you play graphics intensive games, you may see a good deal of improvement, but it should speed up animations, app load times, and more across the tvOS operating system. The updated models also include 4GB RAM instead of 3GB, and base storage starts at 64GB with a 128GB option available as an upgrade.
Apple has also added HDR10+ support, which joins HDR10 and Dolby Vision. So if you have a TV that supports HDR10+, you may want to upgrade. As for the Siri Remote, it's the same, but it does charge over USB-C instead of Lightning now.
So is it worth upgrading? It depends. If you just use your Apple TV 4K for watching shows and the performance is fine, it's probably not worth shelling out extra money. If you can take advantage of the features like HDR10+ or the speed improvements, it's a good upgrade. If you have an older model like the Apple TV HD, it's definitely worth checking out the new model.
There are two variants, and pricing is lower than it has been in recent years. Apple is charging $129 for the 64GB version, and $149 for the 128GB model, which also comes with Thread and a built-in Ethernet port. If you need Ethernet, you should pay the extra $20, and you should also go ahead and get the better model if you have a smart home setup for the Thread integration.
What do you think of the Apple TV 4K? Let us know in the comments below.
Article Link: Hands-On With the New Apple TV 4K
Well, I don’t have a USB-C to USB-C cable in my home so I would’ve appreciated Apple putting one in the box and not forcing me to shell out for one (20 bucks if I get an Apple version). I wonder if they’ll do the same with next year’s iPhone 15 and 15 Pro since we all have a USB-C cable in the house?
Well, there are some people like myself who have a ton of USB-A to Lightning cables filling up one of my drawers, two USB-C to Lightning cables for my 12 Pro and NO USB-C to USB-C cables. I just took it for granted that based on years and years of purchasing electronics, that the appropriate cable would be waiting for me in the box. Maybe next year’s iPhone 15 and 15 Pro are next in line to lose the cable, just in time for going all USB-C? Everyone will be fine because everyone has one.
I would rather Apple not even bundle the charging cable altogether with the next iphone.
All this week, and last week!! Same with a friends house, seems to update/complete sign-in…then doesn’t change the notifications 😵
I never used the one home screen option until a month ago and boy did it screw up my 2 Apple TV’s. Very annoyed. Ended up wiping both Apple TVs and setting them both up as new individually, lesson learned. ⚠️
Check out the Infuse app as well. It’s quite nice imo. I use it play .ISO’s from my usb thumb drive attached to my router and also my windows machine.
Worked fine for me. I laid my phone right next to the AppleTV and it worked the first time.
I have a lot of Apple products and only got a USB-C to USB-C cable with my MacBook. Only people with iPad Pro or a relatively new iPad Air have these cables. I would say that most people in the ecosystem do not have these cables.
You’re free to do whatever you want but your set up costs over $1000 and comes with several caveats that just don’t exist with a $150 Apple TV.
I also have game consoles though so I’m not trying to play Forza on my Apple TV.