Apple TV 4K launched almost a year ago with support for Ultra HD and HDR content (both Dolby Vision & HDR10). It brings several new features aside from 4K including updated Siri remote, live sports and news, among others. All these streaming devices offer access to streaming media content from various online services.
Apple TV 4K is the Apple TV 5th-generation and it features A10x chip, 3GB RAM, HDMI 2.0a, Bluetooth 5.0, Gigabit Ethernet and simultaneous dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz).
Apple TV 4K – First-class streaming
You can listen to over 30 million songs with Apple Music, including your complete music collection or you can see your entire library of photos, videos, and shared content from your iPhone right there on your TV.
In the latest tvOS features and the Siri Remote with Touch, and there’s never been a better time to be a TV.
The Apple TV 4K itself is a black box measuring a little under 4” square and slightly under 1.5” high. The remote is 1.5” wide by almost 5” long with a depth of roughly .25” inch. The power cord is a standard cord and not one of those ugly wall wart types that most everything seems to run on nowadays.
The box itself has a glossy finish on two sides and the front, with a matte finish and a glossy black Apple TV logo embossed upon the top of the box. A single LED indicator light is featured on the front of the box, which lights up when in use and goes dark when asleep.
The back of the unit includes connections for HDMI (2.0a), gigabit ethernet, and the power cord. It also includes 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless connections. The Apple TV 4K is powered by Apple’s A10X Fusion chip, which provides the same processing power as found on Apple’s elite iPad Pro.
Apple TV 4K makes your movies and series even better.
The videos have an incredible wealth of detail in images that seem to come to life. You can enjoy all the content of iTunes and use apps from the App Store. Apple TV 4K offers even faster performance for games and apps with the A10X Fusion chip.
Apple TV 4K from different retailers:
Price comparision
What lead to Apple TV 4K’s success?
Bring the magic of the cinema straight to your living room with the new Apple TV 4K.
Apple Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue
WHAT EXPERTS LIKED
WHAT EXPERTS DIDN’T LIKE
Key Feature
- 4K High Dynamic Range (Dolby Vision and HDR10) for stunning picture quality
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound
- A10X Fusion chip for ultra-fast graphics and performance
- Search with your voice using the Siri Remote
- View photos and videos from your iPhone and iPad on your TV
- Netflix, iTunes, Stan, tenplay, 9Now and thousands more apps in the App Store*
*Subscription may be required to access some content. Not all content is available in 4K HDR. 4K resolution requires 4K-capable TV.
Specification:
Size
- Height: 1.4 inches (35 mm)
- Width: 3.9 inches (98 mm)
- Depth: 3.9 inches (98 mm)
- Weight: 15 ounces (425 g)
Capacity
- 32GB $179
- 64GB $199
Siri Remote
- Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
- IR transmitter
- Accelerometer and three-axis gyro
- Lightning connector for charging
- Rechargeable battery providing months of battery life on a single charge (with typical daily usage)
Ports
- HDMI 2.0
- 802.11ac Wi‑Fi with MIMO; simultaneous dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Bluetooth 5.0 wireless
- technology IR receiver
- Built‑in power supply
What’s In The Box?
- Apple TV 4K
- Siri Remote
- Power cord
- Lightning to USB Cable
- Documentation
What you need:
- A high-definition or 4K TV with HDMI
- An HDMI cable to connect Apple TV to your TV
- Access to your home network
- An Apple ID
Apple does not provide an HDMI cable with the Apple TV 4K. The company sells Belkin’s Ultra High-Speed 4K HDMI Cable for $29.95. Belkin’s HDMI cable is 6.5 feet long and supports Dolby Vision, up to 4096 x 2160 resolution, and bandwidth up to 48 Gbps.
How to set up the Apple TV 4K
First, make sure your TV has an HDMI port. Unpack the Roku Streaming Stick+ and follow the steps. You can also watch the video below from Roku explaining the procedure.
- Plug the HDMI cable to the HDMI port on your Apple TV and connect to your TV’s HDMI port on the back or side of your TV.
- Note the HDMI port’s number., because if your TV has more then one HDMI ports you will have to select it. If you plan to stream movies and TV shows in 4K UHD or HDR, remember to select an HDMI 2.0 port that supports HDCP 2.2.
- Plugin the Apple TV’s power cord to a power source.
- Now use your TV remote and turn on your TV, then press the Source (depends on your TV it could be Input, or Video instead) button on the remote and select the HDMI port into which the Apple TV is plugged in.
- Follow the screen to set your Internet connection, single sign-on, and other setup items.
Not all content is available in 4K or 4K HDR. 4K resolution requires a 4K-compatible TV. To use Dolby Atmos features, you need a Dolby Atmos compatible audio system. The quality of the reproduction depends on the hardware and the internet connection.
A great overview of Love What You Do. If you like the video don’t forget to subscribe to their channel.
Of course if your TV doesn’t support 4K you may not see all the benefits of using it. 4K TVs are really affordable and the price is down to $500 average for a good 4K TV.
Apple TV 4K competition streaming devices comparison
| Xfinity Flex | Roku Express+ | Roku Streaming Stick+ | Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K | Apple TV 4K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free with Xfinity internet plan | $40 | $50 | $49.99 | $179 |
| Video quality | 4K HDR, 1080p HD | 1080p HD | 4K Ultra HD, HDR, 1080p HD | 4K HDR, HLG, Dolby Vision, 1080p HD | Dolby Vision, 4K HDR, HDR 10, 1080p HD |
| Voice remote |  | | | | |
| Wi-Fi standards | N/A | 802.11 b/g/n single-band | 802.11ac dual-band | 802.11ac | 802.11ac dual-band |
| Ethernet port |  | | | | |
| Headphone jack | | | | | |
| Storage | N/A | 512 MB | 1 GB | 8 GB | 32 GB |
At the Glance…
Apple TV 4K is a very powerful, yet highly power-efficient small box. It now supports 4K resolution and more importantly two HDR formats (HDR10 and Dolby Vision). The app store offers thousands of apps and games, and no other TV platform can match the quality and consistency of apps.
If your TV support 4K and want to watch 4K content, this Roku Streaming Stick+ is the most affordable low end Roku so far as you may concern.
Photo: Amazon