Apple TV 4K (2021) review: Come for the power, stay for the remote
Our Verdict
The new Apple tree Tv 4K (2021) retains the elegant fashion of its predecessor, only packs more than power thanks to the A12 flake. The new Siri Remote is very welcome and much easier to use than the previous version. Still, it's a pricey device compared to other 4K streamers.
For
- New, improved remote
- High frame rate HDR streaming
- Multi-user back up
- Apple Fitness and Apple tree Arcade games
Against
- Expensive
- Not noticeably amend than showtime-gen
Tom's Guide Verdict
The new Apple TV 4K (2021) retains the elegant style of its predecessor, but packs more power thank you to the A12 chip. The new Siri Remote is very welcome and much easier to use than the previous version. Still, it's a pricey device compared to other 4K streamers.
Pros
- +
New, improved remote
- +
Loftier frame charge per unit HDR streaming
- +
Multi-user back up
- +
Apple tree Fettle and Apple Arcade games
Cons
- -
Expensive
- -
Not noticeably meliorate than first-gen
Apple TV 4K (2021): Specs
Price: $179/$199 for 32GB/64GB
Video: Upward to 4K
HDR: Yeah, HDR10 and HDR10+ supported
Connectivity: WiFi 6, Thread, Ethernet
Remote: New Siri voice remote
Ecosystem compatibility: Apple
Processor: A12 Bionic
Later on almost four years, Apple has finally released the new Apple tree Telly 4K (2021). And while information technology'south not that dissimilar from the first gen — that's not necessarily a bad thing: the original was already a great streaming box. As this Apple tree TV 4K (2021) review shows, the new version is great and performs like a dream — yet still may not be worth the upgrade if you already accept the previous model.
On the outside, the Apple tree Goggle box 4K (2021) looks identical to its predecessor. The upgrades are all on the inside, notably replacing the A10X chip with an A12 Bionic. Performance seems a few hairs amend, plus the Apple TV 4K 2nd-gen supports 4K at 60fps with HDR versus 30fps. Not a ton of apps even offer that level of content correct at present, mostly sports and other fast-paced activeness, merely it volition become more than prevalent.
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The all-time thing about the new Apple TV 4K is the redesigned Siri Remote. Many (myself included) hated the former remote and its frustrating touch interface. The new remote retains touch and gestures, but adds actual buttons as well as an intuitive jog wheel that recalls the one-time iPods of yore.
Overall, the new Apple TV 4K is i of the best streaming devices. Again, though, the biggest drawback is the cost.
Apple Tv set 4K (2021) review: Toll and release date
The Apple Television receiver 4K 2d-gen costs $179 for the 32GB model and $199 for the 64GB. It was released May 21 and is bachelor for purchase at the Apple Store or major retailers.
The Apple TV 4K (2021) is, past far, the almost expensive 4K streaming device on the market. Our top pick among the best streaming devices, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, retails at just $49.99 (though you lot can often find information technology with a discount). It's likewise capable of displaying HDR content at 60fps. The same goes for the Fire Boob tube Stick 4K and Chromecast With Google TV, which are the same cost. All three of those devices come with decent remotes, also.
And then, essentially, the Apple tree Idiot box 4K 2021 offers similar features to these competitors at over three times the toll. What you're really paying for is an Apple device that works seamlessly with other Apple tree products (like the iPhone and Apple Lookout) to create a happy Apple atmosphere, as well as the Apple's TVs selection of apps and games.
Apple tree Tv 4K 2021 review: Blueprint
The Apple Television receiver 4K 2nd-gen looks the same every bit the former 1. The dimensions of the sleek black box are similar and it weighs 15 ounces.
On the front is a tiny LED light that indicates the box is on. On the back are the power port, upgraded HDMI port (version two.i) and Ethernet port.
Unlike a dongle such as the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, the Apple Telly 4K 2021 doesn't come with an HDMI cable so you'll accept to supply i yourself. And at 3.nine x three.9 ten 1.4 inches, it's bigger than all of the above dongles, with a taller design than the Roku Ultra (2020).
And since it's a box, not a dongle, the Apple tree Tv 4K 2021 needs to sit on a TV stand or be fastened to a wall. It's certainly likewise heavy to hang off the back of your TV, which something lighter like the Fire TV Stick 4K could do. This is an Apple tree product, though, and so the box is elegant and unobtrusive. Information technology doesn't look out of place or awkward in my television receiver area setup.
Apple TV 4K 2021 review: Performance
As an Apple ecosystem user, I establish the Apple TV 4K 2021 to be a cinch to fix. I just unplugged my first-gen Apple TV and replaced it with the new model. My iPhone connected to it and transferred all of my info to the box, including my Apple ID and even the home screen app layout.
The new Apple TV 4K runs on an A12 Bionic bit, which enables fast and smooth performance. The former Apple TV 4K was already snappier than the Roku Streaming Stick Plus and Burn down Television set Stick 4K. At present, apps open a chip more than quickly than they did on the beginning-gen box. Based on my non-scientific count, apps took around four to six seconds to open on the erstwhile box; on the Apple tree Tv set 4K 2nd-gen, information technology'due south two to three seconds. Siri search also seemed to evangelize results a little faster.
The biggest performance upgrade is that the new Apple tree TV 4K now supports streaming high-frame-rate HDR at 60fps along with Dolby Vision 4K and Dolby Atmos sound. Simply, at the moment, there isn't a lot of content out there that y'all can stream at 60fps. One partner that Apple tree has touted is Red Balderdash TV. So, I downloaded the app on both my onetime box and the new 1 (past the way, on the former it downloaded in about three seconds and the latter, in about a 2nd), and watched the Red Bull Soapbox Race. I could see a existent deviation; the video played more smoothly and crisply on the Apple TV 4K 2021. For what it's worth, I also fired upwardly the Roku Streaming Stick Plus for comparison. The app took well-nigh 10 seconds to download and it too did a great job smoothly streaming the race, as it also supports 60 fps playback.
Siri search and functionality also seem to work a little faster. I asked Siri to open HBO Max and it did in well-nigh a second. Then, I said, "Play Lost," and it delivered me various results, again inside about a 2nd or two. Still, while Siri worked quickly, it didn't e'er requite me what I wanted. For case, I've been rewatching Lost on Hulu and I thought Siri would exist smart plenty to realize that, but the first result took me to IMDBtv on Amazon Prime Video.
Apple tree Television receiver 4K 2021 review: Siri remote
OK, here we go: The all-time part of the Apple tree Television set 4K 2nd-gen is, without a dubiousness, the new Siri remote. Count me among the many haters of the old remote. The new 1 is larger, thicker, heavier and made of aluminum. It feels better in hand and is much more comfortable to employ, and charges via a Lightning cablevision. The new Siri remote sells separately for $59 — and is thankfully uniform with the Apple TV 4K (2017) and Apple TV Hard disk .
The new remote replaces the overly-sensitive trackpad with an intuitive clickpad and jog wheel. I swear, you lot could only look at the old trackpad and suddenly your program would pause or rewind randomly. The new clickpad still works with touch gestures, similar swiping, just also has actual buttons. Fifty-fifty in my few days of testing, I began to mix and match — I'd start to gesture downward to curlicue rapidly through Netflix rows, so press buttons to become more than slowly and examine the options.
I really like the jog wheel functionality, which reminds me of onetime-school iPods. Once I paused a program, I could swipe my thumb effectually the wheel to fast-forward and rewind with more speed and greater precision.
The Siri remote also has buttons for Ability, TV/Home, Dorsum, Play/Pause, Mute and Book, while the Siri push rests on the side. Dorsum replaces the Bill of fare push on the old remote and is more logical for navigating through apps to render to the home screen. Nonetheless, the Tv set/Home push button doesn't render you to the actual home screen; information technology takes you to the Apple TV app. And sometimes, you're then deep within an app yous have to click the back push button a dozen times. Instead, I establish the easiest style to get back to the home screen, with all the apps, was to use the Siri button.
The one knock against the remote is that it doesn't piece of work with Apple'southward Discover My technology establish in its iPhones and AirTag trackers. And so, while the slightly larger form-factor makes it easier to locate amidst the couch cushions, there'southward no style to ping it when information technology goes missing (and it will go missing).
Apple Tv 4K 2021 review: Video and audio quality
The second-gen Apple TV 4K supports 4K HDR10+ and Dolby Vision video. The new box upgraded to HDMI ii.1, which supports the new high frame charge per unit playback. In comparison, both the Chromecast and the Fire Tv Stick 4K support HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, while the Roku Streaming Stick Plus lacks Dolby Vision (only the top-tier Roku Ultra has it). All three competitors play at 60fps.
On the audio side, the Apple TV 4k 2021 supports Dolby Atmos and adds eARC, which means your TV or game panel sound can play through HomePod speakers. Of the Apple Goggle box's competitors, simply the Chromecast features Dolby Atmos, while the Roku and Fire Tv set sticks support pass-through audio.
I streamed multiple shows and movies from Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and Apple Television set Plus. Everything looked great, though not any better than on the kickoff-gen box, including Zack Snyder'due south action-packed Regular army of the Dead, the colorful costumes and landscapes of Shadow and Bone and the bright green pitch and muted tones of Ted Lasso.
Apple Boob tube 4K 2021 review: Features and tvOS
The Apple tree TV 4K 2021 features a few new features that are neat to have, though many are still on the previous version of the streaming box. Screen calibration, which came with tvOS 14.5, lets you use an iPhone to adjust the color balance, effulgence and contrast of your TV brandish.
Here'southward how information technology works. You lot go into the Apple Boob tube settings, then video and audio, then calibration. Then, you lot can agree up your iPhone's front-facing photographic camera and it volition make adjustments for. However, I went through the process and information technology just told me that my TV didn't need to be calibrated — the same will go for anyone using Dolby Vision, which has a custom video profile.
The new model also offers audio sharing, which basically acts like a headphone splitter. At present, y'all can pair two AirPods to the box for dual private listening. Our Streaming editor has found that watching Telly with the AirPods Pro is a great fit, in office due to their noise canceling.
And the most recent tvOS finally introduced multi-user support. If there are several adults with their own Apple IDs living in the household, they tin access their personalized apps, music and videos.
Everything else y'all wait from an Apple product is all there. I don't game nor have an Apple Spotter, but you tin pair a controller to play Apple Arcade or a lookout man to piece of work out with Apple Fitness. Airplay from my iPhone worked seamlessly, as did screen mirroring from my MacBook Air. And you could employ the Apple TV 4K as a HomeKit hub, since information technology supports Thread.
Where the Apple tree TV has always stood out from its streaming competitors is the tvOS and its svelte, refined look. The home screen is any apps you choose and whichever order y'all want. The Roku Bone is similar in its simplicity. While tvOS comes preloaded with Apple's own apps, like Arcade and Fettle, information technology doesn't blare out their beingness like Fire TV's OS trumpets Amazon content. Chromecast's Google TV interface is very clean, but tvOS is just so slick and gorgeous that information technology's just a pleasure to await at.
Apple TV 4K (2021) review: Verdict
A friend recently asked me if they should purchase the new Apple TV. She has the first-gen Apple tree Television set 4K, and has a gift carte du jour to use upwardly. My honest answer was, "No. Just buy the new remote."
As this Apple tree TV 4K (2021) review has shown, this is a lightning fast, powerful streaming device that would be a great purchase for someone looking to upgrade to 4K from an older player. But the beginning-gen Apple TV 4K is still very proficient and the new model doesn't provide a huge upgrade. The A12 fleck does seem to perform faster, but not past a huge amount.
The best upgrade comes in the new Siri remote, which y'all tin can purchase separately for much cheaper. The lack of whatsoever other big change — and its hefty cost — are the biggest dings against the Apple TV (2021). Yous could buy multiple 4K streaming devices for the same cost from Roku, Burn down TV and Google. You're paying for the brand name and the ease of integration into an already-existing Apple ecosystem, equally Apple Arcade, Fettle and other features aren't on those more-affordable devices
And that's not nothing; I personally already endemic the starting time Apple tree TV 4K for that deep integration. Simply that model still functions at such a high level that I don't feel an urgent demand to lay downwards near $200 to upgrade. Not when I can get the best feature, the new Siri remote, for so much less. Only if you're considering an Apple Tv set or yous're finally making the spring to 4K, the new Apple Boob tube is worth the splurge.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/apple-tv-4k-2021
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