Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
It's nice and all, but I really don't understand why the Apple TV needs to be updated.

I have an Apple TV 4K 1st-gen from 2017 and responsiveness/performance has never been an issue at all. I'm constantly updated to the latest tvOS; still works as well as the day I got it. I'm sure the 4K 2nd and 3rd gen would perform even better but I don't see how much quality of life improvement there could be.

What are people doing on their Apple TV that would require constant upgrading? I mean, for iPhones and Macs, I get it. Just don't get it for Apple TV. Somebody illuminate?
 
It's nice and all, but I really don't understand why the Apple TV needs to be updated.

I have an Apple TV 4K 1st-gen from 2017 and responsiveness/performance has never been an issue at all. I'm constantly updated to the latest tvOS; still works as well as the day I got it. I'm sure the 4K 2nd and 3rd gen would perform even better but I don't see how much quality of life improvement there could be.

What are people doing on their Apple TV that would require constant upgrading? I mean, for iPhones and Macs, I get it. Just don't get it for Apple TV. Somebody illuminate?
I'm considering upgrading just because of the remote. The 2017's remote just sucks, but I'm not sure I want to pay 1/3rd of the cost of a new Apple TV 4K including remote just to get a remote.

So...for $20 more, you get Ethernet, Thread support, 4Gb RAM and 128Gb of Storage...seems like a no brainer in this case
The lower end model likely also has 4 GB RAM.

BTW, here in Canada, the 128 GB model only costs US$14.50 more than the 64 GB model, due to the fact it's only $20 more here too, but in CAD. 🤔
 
It's nice and all, but I really don't understand why the Apple TV needs to be updated.

I have an Apple TV 4K 1st-gen from 2017 and responsiveness/performance has never been an issue at all. I'm constantly updated to the latest tvOS; still works as well as the day I got it. I'm sure the 4K 2nd and 3rd gen would perform even better but I don't see how much quality of life improvement there could be.

What are people doing on their Apple TV that would require constant upgrading? I mean, for iPhones and Macs, I get it. Just don't get it for Apple TV. Somebody illuminate?

Only those ****** Apple Arcade games. That’s it.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: fredn
I bought the 128 version to replace my Roku Ultra that’s had audio sync and Dolby Vision issues since I bought it. With all these weird upgrades it makes sense why the thing still costs $100+. The new Fire TV Cube costs $139.00 and it isn’t as beefy as the Apple TV (although it’s still got 2 GB memory and 16 GB storage, it’s a lesser machine than the Apple TV). The only thing it does have over Apple TV is an Alexa speaker, but that’s not enough of a come on, IMO. A Roku Ultra is only around $100 with 2 GB memory and 4 GB of storage. I’m not even mentioning the CPU as neither the Fire TV Cube nor the Roku Ultra have CPUs that come close to an A15 Bionic in Apple TV.

My point with this is that the Apple TV is now priced much more competitively with high end streaming boxes. IMO, if you’re looking for a high end box, it’s a no-brainer. You get a very beefy machine starting at $129 vs. a $139 Fire TV Cube and a $100 Roku Ultra. Even $149.00 is pretty good, IMO, and is the one to get. (IMO, the Cube and Ultra are the closest to what Apple is offering for the price)

If you’re not looking for high end streamers, then get a Roku or Fire TV. I have a number of smaller Roku Express boxes I bought to use on extra TVs around the house. They’re fantastic. Otherwise, the new 2022 Apple TV is much more competitive than in the past for what it offers at the given price.
 
Last edited:
I also think the beefier Apple TV is so it can work with Apple’s rumored VR headsets. Imagine being able to connect to Apple TV while what your are looking at shows on the TV at the same time.
 
NOw there is no reason that a $150 basic apple desktop can't exist. As these ATV specs more than capable of running iPad OS at the very least.

It has video out, BT, A15 chip, ethernet, wifi, 4gb ram, 128gb storage for $150.
 
is no reason that a $150 basic apple desktop can't exist. As these ATV specs more than capable of running iPad OS at the very least.

It has video out, BT, A15 chip, ethernet, wifi, 4gb ram, 128gb storage for $150.
I bought a 2014 Mac mini with 8 GB RAM for $145 last year. ;) Cost me about $40 to add an NVMe SSD. Runs Monterey beautifully.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Allen_Wentz
I bought a 2014 Mac mini with 8 GB RAM for $145 last year. ;) Cost me about $40 to add an NVMe SSD. Runs Monterey beautifully.
yeah and for $150 you could have had a faster/cheaper/more efficient/smaller Mac er I mean ATV.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kalafalas
Strange, i thought A14 had 6gb of ram…..
A14 was available with either 4GB of RAM (iPhone 12, 12 Mini, iPad Air 4 and now iPad 10) or 6 GB of RAM (iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max). A15 was also available with either 4 or 6 GB of RAM so it was kind of expected that any device getting the A15 would have at least 4 GB.
 
I really don't understand Apple's approach in the TV space. Now that they have their own streaming service, and with the options for rentals, purchases, etc. why aren' they providing a dirt-cheap loss leader streaming device in order to sell more Apple TV services?
You don't need Apple TV for Apple TV+ services. You just need the app, which is free, and is actually included on many TVs now.

One of the reasons I never bought one for my Sony TV (which runs Android TV) is because its OS isn't horrible, and it includes Prime, Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+. I have a 2017 Apple TV+ for my LG OLED though, and for my older Sony TV (which runs an older version of Android TV, but quite slowly).
 
Maybe this device can finally load large media libraries on Apple’s own hardware? (works fine on non-Apple TVs)

one can dream...
 
  • Like
Reactions: HobeSoundDarryl
Exactly. I run the Apple TV+ app on all of my Fire Sticks. And when I'm using the fire stick, there's no notable advantage to be using an Apple TV Box.
Ironically, I don't watch much Apple TV+ on my Apple TV. I watch way more Netflix, Prime, and Disney+. I do like Apple TV's interface though, and I like Infuse.

BTW, there was a reference to the Disney+ interface in a Marvel show, but it seemed to be mimicking the Apple TV version of it.
 
If there is an internet outage then recordings will be stored on the Apple TV until service is restored. Depending on the number of cameras and the duration of the outage, it could be much more than a couple of hundred of megabytes.
That's not correct. The only thing that takes place on the Apple TV is event processing. When your internet connection goes down, the Apple TV does NOT store the video locally until service is restored.

Try it yourself. Disconnect your internet connection and you'll see the video is lost from the time the connection goes down, until the connection is restored.

The HomePod and HomePod mini can also act as a HomeKit hub, and yet, they don't have local storage to cache video in such a situation, as you suggest.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mystery hill
Lack of media? It's a media consumption device for watching movies and videos.
Exactly. There's no movie content in 4K 120fps. There are a couple video games that support it but they require the latest generation consoles.

Even the GeForce NOW only recently added support for 12fps at 1440p, though there's really no video content out there for it.

The latest iPhone 14 Pro Max only supports shooting 4K video at 60fps.
 
NOw there is no reason that a $150 basic apple desktop can't exist. As these ATV specs more than capable of running iPad OS at the very least.

It has video out, BT, A15 chip, ethernet, wifi, 4gb ram, 128gb storage for $150.
$150 including a $60 remote. It is now basically a Mac Mini. The DTK had the A12Z SoC. A15 is much faster, pretty much an M1 light. It goes to show how overpriced Macs are.
 
$150 including a $60 remote. It is now basically a Mac Mini. The DTK had the A12Z SoC. A15 is much faster, pretty much an M1 light. It goes to show how overpriced Macs are.
Doh. HOw could I forget about the remote.

IT's an even cheaper basic computer if you subtract that out. Yeah the Mac Mini m1 looks so expensive in comparison. You can literally buy 4 ATVs for the price of an M1 Mac Mini and have a $100 leftover and 4 remotes in the drawer.

NO reason Apple can't release a much much cheaper Mac Mini lite. Maybe they will to some degree. Now I expect the next Mini to be much smaller.
 
Last edited:
Or just get the previous version because this is overkill for a TV interface device.
Unless something changes, there really is no reason to get more power in this device.
I'd say it's more for future proofing. Eventually the older devices will be deprecated and lose support. More Storage and RAM definitely helps with new features in the future.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.