Tech After Dark

Apple TV 4K (4th Gen): Best Streamer, Silly Price?

Apple TV 4K 4th gen · $299

Ranked #2 of 3 in Smart home & TVs · 7.0/10

Chapters

  1. Cold open
  2. What it is
  3. What's new
  4. Specs that matter
  5. What reviewers found
  6. The price

Sources

Transcript

Whoa. Look at that little black box. So shiny. I need it in my paws now. It's three hundred dollars, Rocco. Your paws can wait for a sale. This is the new Apple T V 4K, fourth generation. Two ninety-nine, one 128-gig model, for Apple superfans. And this is Tech After Dark. We read four reviews and six more reports. Zero hands touched. Three big things are new, and I want all of them. Number one: hands-free Siri A I!

Just say Siri from the couch. No remote hunting. Three far-field mics listen across the room. And Siri A I helps you find something to watch, conversationally. Number two: a remote you can find! Find My, a little beep, Precision Finding! Finally, justice for every remote lost in the couch cushions. Number three: the new A19 chip. Apple says menus and apps run up to fifty percent faster! Plus an AV1 decoder.

Translation: good-looking video using less of your internet. Okay but what does all that mean for me? Storage: 128 gigs, the only size now. Plenty of room for apps and Arcade games. And the wireless? Tell me the wireless is shiny. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, up from Wi-Fi 6. Steadier streaming on a modern router, better for headphones and controllers. It hears me from the couch? No more getting up. Raccoon dream.

Now the testers. What Hi-Fi? Calls the picture and sound upgrades subtle, and Siri A I occasionally patchy. But their words: the new Apple T V 4K is the best video streamer you can buy. Best streamer! I knew it! Tom's Guide agrees on Siri. Next to Gemini and Alexa plus, it still needs work. But AppleInsider calls Siri A I a huge upgrade, and says the surround sounds great! True. But D R M limits keep Siri A I from some shows.

So it's fast, it's smart, it's shiny. What's the damage? Two ninety-nine, or about fifty a month for six months. Out since November thirteenth. Nova's Catch: that's double what the last 128-gig model launched at. And the cheap model is gone. Double? Oh no. Rivals. Google T V Streamer and Roku Ultra are both 149.99. Half the price. But Roku Ultra's the old hardware, no new chip to match the A19! And the old Apple T V 4K is 249, getting Siri A I in an update.

Just a slower A15 chip and no far-field mics. Verdict! What Hi-Fi? Says it's the best streamer out there. I'm giving it a seven point six. Six point four. Great box, silly price. Wait for a sale. After Dark Score: seven point oh. Second in smart home, between Apple HomeView and Echo Show 16. And if you ever swipe my remote, Rocco, I can Find My it.