Which Apple TV: Apple TV Buying Guide | Macworld

The Apple TV is Apple’s set-top box that enables you to watch films and TV shows on your big-screen telly through a raft of other online services including Apple TV+, Netflix, Amazon Prime and many of the OnDemand channels. Now in its sixth generation, the Apple TV has evolved a lot over the years; there are currently three models to choose from, and a number of buying options for each.

In this feature, we’ll look at the different models of Apple TV and what each one offers – and costs – to help you decide which is the best for you. So before handing your cash over to Apple, let’s take a look at the different Apple TV models.

If you do manage to reach a decision, you can
buy directly from Apple or browse our roundup of the
best Apple deals.

It’s important to note that various TV manufacturers now include the Apple TV app and AirPlay 2 support with their sets, plus Roku and the Amazon Fire include the Apple TV app. So you don’t need to buy an Apple TV in order to watch Apple’s content, or to stream to your TV from your iPad or iPhone. Read more about the
TVs that offer Apple TV app and AirPlay 2.

What Apple TV models are there?

Apple currently sells two types of Apple TV: the fourth-generation Apple TV HD from 2015 (which now ships with the 2021 Siri remote); and the
sixth-generation 2021 Apple TV 4K.

You may also hear these two devices referred to as the fourth- and sixth-gen Apple TVs. Or simply as the Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K.

There could be some confusion though because the fifth generation Apple TV, which launched in 2017, was also called Apple TV 4K. We have a separate comparison of the
Apple TV 4K (2021) vs Apple TV 4K (2017).

You may be wondering which Apple TV you have, or which one to buy, so we will start by running through the different Apple TV versions. 

Apple TV versions

• 1st gen – launched in 2007. AirPort Extreme-like silver and white design (see image below). 40GB or 160GB hard drive. 720p output. Intel processor. Initially worked with a Mac and Front Row software. No longer supported by Apple. Discontinued in 2010.
• 2nd gen – launched in 2010. Smaller black case – today’s Apple TV design is the same. A4 chip. 8GB SSD. Focus on streaming. 720p output. No longer runs YouTube. Discontinued in 2012.
• 3rd gen – launched in 2012. A5 processor. 8GB SSD. 1080p output. No longer runs YouTube. Discontinued in 2016. This model sold for just $99/£79.
• 4th gen (Apple TV HD) – launched in 2015. Introduced tvOS and App Store. A8 processor. 32GB or 64GB SSD. 1080p output. Shipped with touchpad Siri Remote (which has now been discontinued and replaced with the 2021 remote). Still on sale. (Read our
  review of the Apple TV HD.)
• 5th gen (Apple TV 4K) – launched in 2017. A10X Fusion processor. 32GB or 64GB SSD. Supports 2160p output. Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support. Discontinued in 2021. (Read our
  review of the 2017 Apple TV 4K.)
• 6th gen (Apple TV 4K) – launched in 2021. A12 Bionic processor. 32GB or 64GB SSD. High frame rate HDR playback. New Siri Remote.  On sale now. (Read our
  review of the 2021 Apple TV 4K.)

Picture below shows the original Apple TV and today’s Apple TV, the design of which is unchanged from the second generation:

When Apple TV was introduced in 2007 it started life as a device that provided a simple way to sync content from the iTunes library on your Mac to watch on your television screen.

Since then it’s advanced a lot. It now runs
tvOS and includes an App Store with a full suite of apps for streaming and downloading video content – including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, all the On Demand channels (such as iPlayer in the UK) and, of course, Apple TV+. Check out
what’s on Apple TV+ in our guide to the service. The App Store also include games and you can also access Apple Arcade for subscription gaming.

You can also play music from your own Music library and Apple Music (if you subscribe) and you can  stream content directly from your iPhone, iPad or Mac using AirPlay.

Apple TV HD vs 4K (4th gen vs 6th gen)

There are two Apple TV models that currently on sale: the 4th generation and the 6th generation Apple TV: also known as Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K 2021. There was also a Apple TV 4K that launched in 2017, but that is no longer on sale. We’ve included the Apple TV 4K 2017 in the table below so you can see how that compares to the current models. 

As you might have guessed, the biggest difference between the HD and 4K models is support for 4K video, although there are a few other differences too. The Apple TV 4K is also available in two storage options, so you essentially have three models to pick from:

ModelApple TV HD (4th generation)Apple TV 4K (6th generation)Apple TV 4K (5th generation)Year
201520212017Supports 4K?NoYesYesStorage32GB32GB or 64GB32GB or 64GBPicture quality1080p, HD, H.264, MPEG-44K, 2160p, 60fps, HDR10, HEVC Dolby Vision, H.264, MPEG-44K, 2160p, HDR10, HEVC Dolby Vision, H.264, MPEG-4SoundDolby Digital Plus
7.1 surround soundDolby Atmos
360-degree soundDolby Atmos
360-degree soundProcessorA8A12 BionicA10XNetworking10/100BASE-T Ethernet
802.11ac Wi‑Fi
Bluetooth 4.0Gigabit Ethernet
802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6
Thread
Simultaneous dual band
Bluetooth 5.0Gigabit Ethernet
802.11ac Wi‑Fi
Simultaneous dual band
Bluetooth 5.0PortsHDMI 1.4HDMI 2.1HDMI 2.0aPrice£149/$149£169/$179 and £189/$199£179/$179 and £199/$199 
Buy
BuyNot on sale

Processor

As you can see, other than 4K and, in the case of the 2021 model, 60fps. The other difference is the processor: the Apple TV HD has the A8, the 5th generation shipped with the A10X, and the new 4K model has the A12 Bionic. Here’s how those processors compare:

• A8 – launched in 2014, also featured in iPhone 6, iPad mini 4
• A10X – launched in 2017, also featured in iPad Pro (2017)
• A12 Bionic – launched in 2018, also featured in iPhone XS, XS Max and XR, iPad Air (2019) and iPad mini (2019)

As you can see, the A12 Bionic in the new Apple TV 4K is not particularly new. It’s not clear why Apple didn’t use a newer chip, such as the A4 Bionic that features in the iPhone 12 generation, but the A12 should be sufficient for the needs of the Apple TV user.

Remote

Another difference is the remote control that shipped with the different Apple TV models. The 1st gen Apple TV had a white remote, the 2nd and 3rd gen models shipped with a slim aluminium remote, the 4th generation Apple TV launched with the Siri Remote that also shipped with the Apple TV 4K in 2017. The original Siri Remote had a trackpad area at the top and included an accelerometer for game play.

The Siri Remote was then updated again with the 2021 Apple TV 4K, the new aluminium remote now ships with the 4th gen Apple TV HD.

Picture quality

Broadly speaking, both models of Apple TV on the Apple Store right now are similar – and aesthetically, they’re identical. The chief difference between the two models is that the Apple TV 4K supports 4K and HDR content. The key difference between the Apple TV 4K 2021 and the 2017 model is the capability to show 60fps content. 

The powerful A12 Bionic processor and faster networking capabilities (Gigabit Ethernet or 802.11ac WI-Fi) should make sure it runs that content smoothly.

The Apple TV 4K models are able to play films and TV shows at 2160p, while the fourth-generation HS model only offers 1080p. This means you can get more pixels with the 4K model, which results in more detailed images in those films and TV shows (and TVs) that support the format.

Many – though not all – Apple TV apps offer 4K content, and Apple charges the same for 4K films as it does for HD, and offers free, automatic upgrades for anyone who’s already bought HD content that has a 4K version available. However, it’s worth noting that you can only stream 4K content, not download it to watch offline (the files would quickly fill up your storage) – though you can still download HD releases.

In addition to 4K, the Apple TV 4K also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10, which are both different formats of HDR – high dynamic range. Separate and distinct from 4K, HDR delivers richer, more vibrant colours and increased contrast between blacks and white so that you can see more detail in the darker areas of the image. Essentially 4K means more pixels while HDR means that the TV can display millions more colours.

Most 4K content is likely to support HDR – though there may be some exceptions – and some regular HD content will also support one or other of the formats. Obviously to benefit from 4K and HDR you will need a TV that supports it too.

Sound quality

As for audio, the fourth generation Apple TV model supports Dolby 7.1 surround sound, while the 4K devices support Dolby Atmos 360-degree cinema sound.

Dolby Atmos uses object-oriented audio engineering to fire sound in different directions to give you a more immersive audio experience. It creates an effect that means you hear the sound moving around you – assuming that the film you are watching has that effect and that you have the necessary speakers to produce the effect.

Recent films that offer Dolby Atmos include Wonder Woman 1984, Onward, The Invisible Man, Sonic The Hedgehog, Birds of Prey, 1917, Raya and the Last Dragon, Godzilla vs Kong and Top Gun. Apple will update your copy of the film to the Dolby Atmos version if you have already bought it from the iTunes Store.

You can listen to shows playing on your Apple TV via your AirPods – here’s how:
How to pair AirPods with Apple TV.

Networking and Ports

The other major differences between the fourth, fifth and sixth generation models are the addition of components and technologies required to support the delivery of the 4K HDR content.

As we explained above, there are differences in terms of processor used in each model, with each being faster and more capable than the next. The A12 Bionic and the A10X in the 4K models will be more capable than the A8 in the Apple TV HD.

But a smooth, high quality picture, requires more than a fast processor. The networking capabilities are also important, especially for delivering 4K content. The 4K versions of the Apple TV both offer faster Gigabit Ethernet compared to the 10/100BASE-T Ethernet offered by the 4th generation model. This means that if you plug it straight into the network using a cable the 4K Apple TV can support a maximum bandwidth of 1000Mbps (1gigabit a second) while the 100BASE-T means that the 4th generation model can only support 100Mbps.

If you are relying on wireless networking the Apple TV HD (and older 2017 4K model) offer 802.11ac Wi‑F. The newer Apple TV 4K goes a step further offering next generation Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax. Both the old and new 4K models offer simultaneous dual band, which means they can use both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands at the same time and double the available bandwidth, or choose 5GHz over 2.4GHz for a dedicated WiFi network. That should make it less likely that your film will start buffering because of overcrowding and interference on your network.

The other difference is that the 4K Apple TV offers Bluetooth 5.0 while the 4th generation model has Bluetooth 4.0. Bluetooth 5 transmits data faster than Bluetooth 4, it also requires less power. Bluetooth 5 also has a wider range, 200m outside or 40m indoors compared to 50m outdoors and 10m in indoors.

Storage

Storage capacity is another distinction between the HD and 4K models. The question is how much storage do you actually need? While the fourth-gen Apple TV is only available with 32GB, the 4K model can come with either 32GB or 64GB, so you have a decision to make.

At first blush, you might think that the larger storage capacity is worth it to fit all those giant 4K files, but remember that you won’t be able to download any 4K films or TV shows from iTunes. So in fact, if you plan to mainly watch 4K content, you might need less storage than before, because you’ll be sticking to streaming only.

Still, in favour of the larger capacity model, it’s only a £20/$20 price hike for the extra storage, which isn’t too severe – so if you think you’re likely to benefit from having a collection of HD (not 4K) TV shows and films downloaded to watch offline, it won’t exactly break the bank.

Apple TV price

Many years ago Apple sold the Apple TV for £79/$99. Sadly the cheapest Apple TV is now £139/$149 – and that model is six years old.

The newer Apple TV 4K models are even pricier at £169/$179 or £189/$199. Apple did at least reduce the price in the UK by £10 when this model was introduced in April 2021, but it’s still a lot to pay when you consider that there are alternative TV streamers that have a much lower price.

However, from time to time resellers may discount the Apple TV further, in which case you will see the best prices right now below:

The 32GB Apple TV HD is
sold by Apple for £139/$149.