Apple TV 4K (2022)

Apple’s black box has been given a refresh yet is cheaper than before

Now sporting the same A15 Bionic chip as the iPhone 14, the latest Apple TV 4K comes in two versions: the $129 model ditches the previous gen’s Ethernet port and Thread smart home support, but now comes with 64GB of storage; while the $149 model retains both Ethernet and Thread, and comes with 128GB of storage. Both also come with the redesigned Siri Remote that came with the second–gen Apple TV 4K, only this now has a USB–C charging port instead of Lightning. Both new Apple TV 4K models also now support HDR10+ (the high dynamic range standard available on Samsung TVs) as well as Dolby Vision, regular HDR, and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma), a version of HDR that’s used by many broadcasters.

The new Apple TV 4K has also had a couple of cosmetic changes. The Apple TV logo on the top has been replaced with a regular Apple logo, and the box is also smaller, measuring 3.66 x 1.2 inches instead of 3.9 x 1.4 inches like before — the reason being that the Apple TV 4K no longer needs a fan.

Which model you choose depends on what you want it for. If you want to be able to use your Apple TV 4K as a smart home hub and download a lot of apps and games, then the $149, 128GB Wi–Fi+Ethernet model is the one to pick; and if you don’t, you can save $20 and get the cheaper 64GB Wi–Fi version.

Either way, the Apple TV 4K (2022) is incredibly quick for a media streamer, with the A15 Bionic making light work of everything from menu and app navigation to Apple Arcade gaming (you can even pair the Apple TV with a PS5, Xbox One or SteelSeries Nimbus+ controller if you wish).

And, despite the presence of Apple TV+ on third–party devices from the Roku Streaming Stick to Sony TVs, the Apple TV box is still the best way to experience the Apple TV+ service, and streaming media in general — thanks to support for a huge range of apps and services (including Amazon Prime, YouTube and Disney+) and the speed, design and user–friendliness of the Apple TV interface and tvOS.

Features: A15 Bionic chip, 64GB (Wi–Fi model) or 128GB of storage (Wi–Fi+Ethernet model), Wi–Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 1x HDMI 2.1 port, 1x Gigabit Ethernet port (Wi–Fi+Ethernet model only), Siri Remote.

Price: $129 (64GB/Wi-Fi); $149 (128GB/Wi-Fi + Ethernet)

The Apple TV media streamer is the unsung hero of Apple’s product line– up. The latest version is phenomenal.