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The caller exemplary costs $299 and comes with 128GB of storage. ‌Siri‌ AI is besides coming to the third-generation model, and the caller distant tin beryllium purchased separately for existing devices. Apple says the adjunct volition beryllium disposable successful beta with tvOS 27.2 connected second-generation and aboriginal ‌Apple TV‌ 4K models, including conversational amusement searches, follow-up questions, and idiosyncratic discourse done a compatible paired device.
The caller model's distinctive hardware payment is nonstop dependable input done the box's microphones; entree to the dependable adjunct itself is shared. Whether you should upgrade truthful comes down to which hardware changes you volition really use.
Configurations, Connectivity, and Price
The differences successful configurations, connectivity, and pricing betwixt the third- and fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K are arsenic follows:
| 64GB model: Wi-Fi only
128GB model: Wi-Fi and Ethernet |
Single 128GB configuration with Wi-Fi and Ethernet |
| Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) |
| Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 6 |
| Gigabit Ethernet connected the 128GB exemplary only | Gigabit Ethernet arsenic standard |
| Thread networking connected the 128GB exemplary only | Thread networking arsenic standard |
| Original U.S. motorboat prices: $129 for 64GB; $149 for 128GB | U.S. motorboat price: $299 for 128GB |
| Final prices earlier replacement: $199 for 64GB; $249 for 128GB | $299 for 128GB |
| Now discontinued | Available to pre-order |
| Released November 4, 2022 | Available November 13, 2026 |
Apple raised the older model's prices successful June 2026, truthful comparing the caller exemplary exclusively with its predecessor's archetypal motorboat pricing misses an intervening increase. Against the last terms of the equivalent 128GB model, the caller ‌Apple TV‌ costs $50 more. Against the erstwhile entry-level configuration, it costs $100 much and includes doubly the storage, Ethernet, and Thread connectivity.
A15 Bionic vs. A19
The A19 spot brings a substantially newer spot architecture to the ‌Apple TV‌. Apple says the fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K delivers the pursuing improvements implicit the third-generation model:
- Up to 50% faster CPU performance.
- Up to twice the GPU performance.
The array beneath lists capabilities of 2 spot architectures.
| Made with TSMC's 5nm (N5P) process | Made with TSMC's third-generation 3nm (N3P) process |
| Dynamic Caching | |
| Software-based ray tracing | Hardware-accelerated ray tracing |
| Mesh shading without the newer dedicated hardware acceleration | Hardware-accelerated mesh shading |
| Dedicated Neural Accelerators successful each GPU core | |
| 16-core Neural Engine | Updated 16-core Neural Engine architecture |
| Display motor and representation awesome processor | Updated show motor and representation awesome processor |
| Dedicated AV1 hardware decoder | |
| Up to 4x multisample anti-aliasing | Up to 8x multisample anti-aliasing |
| Maximum 1D, 2D, and cube-map texture dimensions of 16,384 pixels | Maximum 1D, 2D, and cube-map texture dimensions of 32,768 pixels |
| Universal texture compression | |
| MetalFX denoised upscaling capability | |
| Depth bounds testing |
The A19 spot has a substantially amended GPU than the A15 Bionic. Dynamic Caching manages accelerated on-chip GPU representation according to the workload. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading supply much precocious graphics-processing capabilities, portion GPU Neural Accelerators proviso dedicated hardware for instrumentality learning calculations.
While GPU improvements volition beryllium peculiarly utile for gaming, it is unclear conscionable however overmuch the afloat breadth of the spot architecture improvements volition marque a meaningful quality to the ‌Apple TV‌.
Hands-Free Siri and HomePod Audio
The caller microphones and expanded ‌HomePod‌ enactment supply immoderate of the clearest functional differences betwixt the 2 devices:
| No built-in microphone array successful the box; microphone lone successful the ‌Siri‌ Remote | Three built-in far-field microphones with dependable isolation, alongside the microphone successful the ‌Siri‌ Remote |
| ‌Siri‌ dependable input done the distant oregon different compatible device | Direct hands-free activation utilizing "‌Siri‌" oregon "Hey ‌Siri‌," with echo cancellation portion audio is playing |
| ‌HomePod‌ TV audio done a azygous talker oregon stereo pair | Four-speaker ‌HomePod‌ situation dependable utilizing matching beforehand and rear pairs |
| Automatic positioning, timing, and level calibration for the four-speaker setup | |
| Whole Room Audio mode distributes dependable crossed 4 ‌HomePod‌ speakers |
The four-speaker configuration requires HomePod mini 2 oregon second-generation full-sized ‌HomePod‌ speakers. You tin usage 4 matching speakers oregon harvester 2 matching beforehand speakers with a antithetic matching rear pair. For example, 2 full-sized HomePods tin service arsenic the beforehand speakers and 2 ‌HomePod mini 2‌ units arsenic the rear speakers.
First-generation full-sized HomePods and archetypal ‌HomePod‌ mini speakers are excluded from this caller four-speaker configuration. Existing owners should relationship for immoderate talker replacements oregon additions erstwhile considering the outgo of upgrading.
Whole Room Audio serves a antithetic intent from directional location theatre sound, distributing audio much evenly astir the country for music, sports, and more.
Hands-free ‌Siri‌ enactment besides has its ain connection requirements. Apple lists Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, and Swedish, taxable to determination availability.
Siri Remote Differences
The fourth-generation ‌Siri‌ Remote retains the acquainted plan and controls portion making a misplaced distant easier to find:
| Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 6 |
| Nearby uncovering done iPhone, with proximity guidance | Find My with Precision Finding connected a compatible iPhone |
| Bluetooth Channel Sounding for precise determination tracking | |
| Built-in talker for playing a dependable to find the remote | |
| 66 grams | 69.6 grams |
The older distant already supported adjacent uncovering with an iPhone. The caller remote's further benefits are precise determination guidance and an audible alert. Precision Finding uses Bluetooth Channel Sounding, providing precise tracking without requiring a UWB chip.
Precision Finding requires an iPhone 17 oregon later, excluding the iPhone 17e, oregon an iPhone Air oregon iPhone Duo moving the latest software. You tin besides inquire ‌Siri‌ to find the distant done the ‌Apple TV‌'s built-in microphones and person the distant play a sound.
The caller ‌Siri‌ Remote is available separately for $59 and works with the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, each earlier ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, and adjacent the ‌Apple TV‌ HD.
Design, Dimensions, and Weight
Both generations clasp the compact achromatic enclosure and Apple logo. The main disposable changes are the microphone hardware and the repositioned beforehand light.
| 93 mm | 93.24 mm |
| 93 mm | 93.24 mm |
| Wi-Fi: 208g
Wi-Fi + Ethernet: 214g |
217g |
| Positioned toward the right | Positioned successful the center |
| At slightest 90% fiber-based packaging | 100% fiber-based packaging |
The caller container weighs 3 grams much than the erstwhile Ethernet exemplary and 9 grams much than the Wi-Fi-only model. The centered beforehand airy besides indicates erstwhile the built-in microphones are listening for commands.
Should You Upgrade From the Third-Generation Apple TV 4K?
Most third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K owners should support their existing device. For mean streaming done tv speakers, a soundbar, oregon an AV receiver, the caller exemplary does not adhd caller capabilities. The maximum viewing solution and HDR enactment remains the same. ‌Siri‌ AI's availability connected the older hardware further reduces the request to regenerate a moving device.
The strongest crushed to upgrade is simply a planned four-speaker ‌HomePod‌ system. If you already ain 2 second-generation full-sized HomePods and privation dedicated rear speakers, the caller ‌Apple TV‌ enables a circumstantial setup your existing exemplary cannot provide. Include the outgo of further oregon replacement speakers erstwhile judging the upgrade.
Hands-free power is different applicable crushed if you regularly usage ‌Siri‌ and privation to talk straight to the device. It is apt to beryllium much utile erstwhile the ‌Apple TV‌ is straight successful the viewing country than erstwhile it is installed successful a abstracted instrumentality cupboard oregon rack.
AV1 hardware decoding whitethorn warrant the upgrade for a peculiar media room oregon playback workflow. Gaming enthusiasts whitethorn besides worth the newer GPU architecture, but the payment depends connected the games disposable for tvOS and however developers usage the hardware.
If locating the distant is simply a root of frustration, buying the $59 ‌Siri‌ Remote separately costs $240 little than replacing the full ‌Apple TV‌. That acquisition supplies the caller distant features portion retaining your existing device.
Should You Buy the Third- oregon Fourth-Generation Model?
For a caller purchase, the fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K is the stronger prime erstwhile the terms quality is humble oregon you mean to usage its exclusive features. Compared with the older 128GB model's last $249 Apple price, the $50 premium is easier to warrant than the overmuch larger quality suggested by comparing archetypal motorboat prices.
That being said, a discounted third-generation exemplary remains a sensible purchase. The older exemplary is peculiarly appealing erstwhile the redeeming is important and you are not funny successful a four-speaker ‌HomePod‌ dependable system.
If you request Ethernet oregon privation the ‌Apple TV‌ itself to supply Thread networking, take the third-generation 128GB exemplary oregon the fourth-generation model. A sufficiently ample redeeming connected the older 128GB configuration tin outweigh improvements with the latest exemplary that you would seldom use.
Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater
This article, "Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com
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