If you've got a smart TV, you've probably wondered if you actually need an extra TV streaming device for your apps like a Chromecast, Fire TV stick or Roku.
Of course, in an ideal world, the TV would be all you need and newer sets with Roku or the Fire operating system built in are just that, but there are still reasons why the dedicated device levels up your experience. For one, they tend to have a better remote and helpfully bring all your apps and shows into one place. The Apple TV has long been exemplary at this, and the latest iteration of the Apple TV 4K is no exception.
After using Apple's fancy telly box as our main streaming device for two months, we've got to say that much of what we like about the 2022 refresh matches up with what we love about the 2021 variant. This one refines and improves what is already the leading TV streaming device on the market, especially if you own an iPhone.
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And, what's more, is that Apple dropped the price down from £169 to £149 between generations, meaning you're making a saving on a faster, smaller and lighter streamer in 2023.
Apple TV 4K: Price
If you're comparing this to a more basic Roku or Fire TV stick, the cost will feel steep. The Apple TV 4K starts from £149, putting it in the pricey tier, but it's still competitive with its main superpowered Android rival, the Nvidia Shield TV Pro.
It's also notable that Apple dropped the price between generations, making the 2022 version of the Apple TV a better value pick than the previous variant.
Apple TV 4K: Performance
Apple put some serious smarts inside this box. While the previous version ran on the A12 Bionic chip (found in some iPhones and iPads), this is powered by the much newer A15 Bionic chip, the same one fuelling the 6th-generation iPad mini, the iPhone 13 lineup, the iPhone 14 lineup (save for the Pro models) and the 3rd-gen iPhone SE.
It's a chip that offers real speed and efficiency, and one thing you'll immediately notice is how much faster and more responsive the streaming box is compared to the software that comes with most TVs – there's simply no lag or waiting around, and it's fast to use the voice search and fly around the interface with fluidity.
If your TV and content support the highest levels of graphical fidelity, you'll experience them through the Apple TV 4K. It delivers Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG for expansive HDR, and pumps out 4K resolution at 60 frames per second.
Apple TV 4K: Audio
The Apple TV is a very capable companion when it comes to getting the absolute best audio out of your movies and TV, great for working your way through Queen Charlotte on Netflix.
That's because it supports every format you could possibly need, all the way from Dolby Digital 5.1 to Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound and the most immersive Dolby Atmos – you’ll hear Doctor Strange's music note fight in all its glory with a compatible soundbar, or by pairing up either a pair of HomePods or HomePod minis as your virtual surround speakers. This process functions just like a soundbar, passing through all audio from your telly to the smart speakers.
In practice, it's highly impressive, and we were shocked by just how good the auditory experience was through a pair of Apple's big HomePods.
Watching TV but don't want to wake up everyone in the house? Like any Apple device, the TV box pairs to your AirPods through your iCloud account, allowing for a seamless experience when using the headphones with the TV – these also support an incredible "spatial audio" effect on the AirPods 3, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, seriously enhancing your experience when watching The Mandalorian or your umpteenth rewatch of Avengers: Endgame.
Apple TV 4K: Remote control
Apple revamped the remote with the 2021 revision of the Apple TV and has stuck to the same design again. It's a massive upgrade on what we used to get – ditching the full touch surface at the top and adding a mute and a return button.
We like that the Siri button is on the side too, making it easy to launch the voice assistant to search for your favourite shows, skip back a few seconds to a moment you missed, or tweak the volume if using your fingers is just too much effort.
The navigation buttons are swipe-sensitive too, so you can either tap at the keys or brush your thumb up, down, left, and right to slide through the options. We also like that you can use this sleek controller instead of your main TV one. Turn on the TV and Apple box at the same time with the power-on switch and be free of that coffee table full of remotes.
The real upgrade in the 2022 version is that it has finally switched to USB-C for charging. This leaves Apple's AirPods and iPhones as the last products in its lineup desperately clinging onto Lightning charging ports. Fingers crossed this changes this year, we're fans of a single cable for all our charging needs. It's also worth knowing that you can use a remote available within Control Centre on your iPhone too.
One last note – we'd recommend keeping a close eye on the remote. For some reason,Apple charges £59 for a replacement Siri remote. Here's a note for the next one, Apple, can we get Find My built into these things?
Apple TV 4K: Extra features
As you'd expect, Apple really rewards you for being a part of the ecosystem. We've already mentioned the ease of using existing HomePods or AirPods for your audio, but there's also AirPlay for casting your iOS device's screen, photos, videos or music right over to the Apple TV. If you have a newer iPhone, there's a clever colour-balancing feature. Just hold the phone up to your screen and it'll adjust the colour and brightness in real time.
Unsurprisingly, the interface is similar to your iPad or iPhone, so you'll feel right at home flicking between apps and anything you'd watch on your iPhone is ready to be downloaded. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, YouTube and a host of other streaming services will all be at your disposal. And it plays especially well with Apple TV+, which we've been using to watch Ted Lasso, Dickinson, Tetris and more (here's a handy Apple TV+ content list for all the best stuff to watch) – it's seamless to pick up where you left off right from the home screen.
Apple TV 4K: Verdict
Compared to its rivals, there are a huge number of positives for the Apple TV 4K and it's one of the simplest streamers to use by far.
The interface is clean and not cluttered with ads, it's fast and supports all the latest standards for 4K and HDR, and it's super straightforward to download all your favourite apps from the App Store, along with accessing your existing movie collection from iTunes (if you have one) and casting from your phone. We haven't even touched on how it functions as a hub for your smart home devices in HomeKit too. Yes, it's pricey, but it’s worth it.
Pros
- Speedy
- High performance
- Loads of apps
- Simple to use
- Seamless Apple experience
Cons
- Hard to recommend for Android users
- Not worth the upgrade if you have the 2021 version
Apple TV 4K: Other rivals to consider
We think the Apple TV's main Android rival is the Nvidia Shield TV Pro, which packs in all the 4K and HDR goodness along with clever AI upscaling and some serious gaming capabilities through the GeForce Now service.
Google's 4K Chromecast with Google TV is another terrific option for simple setup, a straightforward interface and smart Android integrations, while we'd recommend that committed Alexa users go with the Fire TV Cube, a little fabric-coated box that gives you built-in (and hands-free) access to Alexa, along with 4K resolution and a speedy processor.
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