Apple TV 4K 2022: A Buyer's Guide for Upgraders

The Apple TV isn't the most obvious Apple device to upgrade to, but with a series of minor improvements in recent years, when should you buy a new one?

The Apple TV 4K is the only set-top box that the company sells. The Apple TV HD was the first modern Apple TV that ran tvOS. Since then, it has launched three new versions, each adding several new features and improvements over its predecessor, with some models offering more significant upgrade than others.

When Apple offered multiple Apple TVs from different generations, new Apple TV buyers had to choose between them, but with a lower starting price and only one model year to choose from, they don't have to do that anymore. First-time Apple TV customers may be able to get an older model second-hand or from a third-party retailer, so it's important to weigh up what was added with each new model.

You can see the breakdown for each new feature, change, and improvement that was added with each Apple TV model.

Apple TV HD (2015)

• Apple A8 chip (1.5 GHz, 2-core)
• 2GB memory
• Active cooling with internal fan
• "tv" logo
• Height of 1.4 inches
• Weight of 425 grams
• Support for up to 1080p resolution
• Support for SDR
• Support for audio output with 7.1 surround sound channels
• HDMI 1.4 port
• 10/100 Ethernet port
• Wi-Fi 5
• Bluetooth 4.0
• 32GB or 64GB of storage
• First-generation Siri Remote included

Apple TV 4K (First-Generation, 2017)

• A10X Fusion chip (2.38 GHz, 6-core)
• 3GB memory, 50 percent more
• Support for up to 2160p (4K) resolution
• Support for SDR, HDR10, and Dolby Vision
• Support for audio output with 7.1.4 surround sound channels with Dolby Atmos
• HDMI 2.0a port
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• First-generation ‌Siri‌ Remote (white ring around Menu button) included

Apple TV 4K (Second-Generation, 2021)

• A12 Bionic chip (2.49 GHz, 6-core)
• Support for high-framerate HDR content up to 60 fps
• ARC and eARC support
• HDMI 2.1 port
• Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5.0
• Thread support
• Second-generation ‌Siri‌ Remote (Lightning charging port) included, featuring complete redesign with circular clickpad

Apple TV 4K (Third-Generation, 2022)

• A15 Bionic chip (3.23 GHz, 6-core), 50 percent faster CPU performance and 30 percent faster GPU performance
• 4GB memory, 33 percent more
• Passive cooling with fanless design
• "" logo replaces "tv" logo
• Height of 1.2 inches
• Weight of 208/214 grams, 50 percent reduction
• Support for HDR10+
• Gigabit Ethernet port available with 128GB model only
• Thread support available with 128GB model only
• 64GB or 128GB storage
• Second-generation ‌Siri‌ Remote (USB-C charging port) included

Unlike other Apple devices, the Apple TV offers a lot of specific technical features that not all users can take advantage of due to reliance on the specifications of other connected hardware. If you want to upgrade to a new Apple TV, you should use this as the main criteria.

If you don't see features like high-frame-rate content, improved HDMI port specifications, more advanced HDR formats, and Thread support, it's unlikely that you'll want to buy a new model. Home cinema enthusiasts, audiophiles, and gaming enthusiasts that can use features such as Dolby Atmos support, are more likely to upgrade.

If you can take advantage of better performance and more storage, it may still be worth it to upgrade to the latest model if you don't have a 4KHDR TV. If you want features like high frame rate, Thread support, and more power for gaming, you should upgrade to the first-gen Apple TV 4K.

It's not a good idea to upgrade from the second-generation Apple TV 4K to the third-generation Apple TV 4K unless you have specific requirements.

It's important to note that the second-gen version of the Siri Remote is only available from Apple for $59. The Apple TV models that it works with should not be a factor in deciding to upgrade.