The Apple TV might not be the most obvious Apple device to consider – but with a series of minor upgrades in recent years, when should you consider buying a new one?
As for its set-top box offerings, Apple now only sells the Apple TV 4K (third generation). The company launched its first modern Apple TV that runs tvOS, the Apple TV HD, in 2015. Since then, it has launched three new versions, each adding several new features and improvements over its predecessor, with some models offering upgrades. higher level than others. .
With a lower starting price of $129 and only one model year to choose from, new Apple TV buyers no longer face the same conundrum as in recent years, when Apple offered multiple Apple TVs of different generations. Even then, new Apple TV customers may be able to get an older model pre-owned or from a third-party retailer, so it will be important to weigh up exactly what has been added with each new model.
Check out the detailed breakdown below for every new feature, change, and improvement added with each Apple TV model over its direct predecessor:
Apple TV HD (2015)
- Apple A8 chip (1.5 GHz, 2 cores)
- 2 GB of memory
- Active cooling with internal fan
- Logo “tv”
- 1.4 inch height
- Weight of 425 grams
- Support for resolution up to 1080p
- DTS support
- Audio output support with 7.1 surround sound channels
- HDMI 1.4 port
- 10/100 Ethernet port
- WiFi 5
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 32 GB or 64 GB of storage
- First-generation Siri remote included
Apple TV 4K (first generation, 2017)
- A10X Fusion chip (2.38 GHz, 6 cores)
- 3 GB of memory, 50% more
- Support for resolution up to 2160p (4K)
- Support for SDR, HDR10 and Dolby Vision
- Audio output support with 7.1.4 channels of surround sound with Dolby Atmos
- HDMI 2.0a socket
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- First-generation Siri remote (white ring around Menu button) included
Apple TV 4K (second generation, 2021)
- A12 Bionic chip (2.49 GHz, 6 cores)
- Support for high frame rate HDR content up to 60 fps
- ARC and eARC support
- HDMI 2.1 socket
- WiFi 6
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Thread support
- Second-generation Siri remote (Lightning charging port) included, featuring a complete redesign with a circular touchpad
Apple TV 4K (third generation, 2022)
- A15 Bionic chip (3.23 GHz, 6 cores), 50% faster CPU performance and 30% faster GPU performance
- 4 GB of memory, 33% more
- Passive cooling with fanless design
- The “” logo replaces the “tv” logo
- 1.2 inch height
- 208/214 gram weight, 50% reduction
- HDR10+ support
- Gigabit Ethernet port only available with 128 GB model
- Thread support available with 128GB model only
- 64 GB or 128 GB of storage
- Second-generation Siri remote control (USB-C charging port) included
Unlike many other Apple devices, the Apple TV offers many specific technical features that not all users can take advantage of due to dependency on specifications of other connected hardware such as TVs and speakers. As such, this should be the primary criteria you use to determine if you should upgrade to a new Apple TV.
In other words, if you don’t see features like high frame rate content, improved HDMI port specs, more advanced HDR formats, and Thread support as worthwhile upgrades, it is unlikely to be worth buying a new model. Home theater enthusiasts, audiophiles, and gamers who can use features like Dolby Atmos support, Gigabit Ethernet, and ARC and eARC support will benefit more from the upgrade.
If you don’t have a 4K HDR TV, chances are you won’t gain much by upgrading to the latest model, but it might still be worth it if you can enjoy better performance and more storage. If you have the first-generation Apple TV 4K, it’s only going to be worth upgrading if you want features like high frame rate HDR, Thread support, and more power. for games.
Unless you specifically want HDR10+ support or 128GB of storage, there’s no reason to upgrade from the second-generation Apple TV 4K to the third-generation Apple TV 4K.
It’s important to note that the latest version of the Siri remote, the second-generation model with a USB-C charging port, is available from Apple separately for $59. It works with all of the Apple TV models above, so the Siri remote shouldn’t be a major factor in the upgrade decision.
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