Apple TV 4K review: excellent streaming, steep price

The new Apple TV 4K looks much like the 2022 model, with the same size, finish, ports and HDR support. Inside, it gets an A19 chip, first used in the iPhone 17, and 128GB of storage as standard. Apple has dropped the less expensive 64GB option. The aluminum remote remains visually unchanged, but now works with Find My, which can locate it in the app or make it play a sound. The box also has far-field microphones for hands-free Siri requests.

Siri can use personal context when Apple Intelligence is enabled on a nearby iPhone or iPad on the same network. In testing, it sometimes found a show mentioned in a text message and opened it on the TV. But results were inconsistent: it sometimes surfaced an older recommendation instead, failed to recognize the reviewer’s voice, or mistook a request to play the F1 Brazilian Grand Prix for a song. Siri also handled straightforward requests well, including starting “The Empire Strikes Back” without needing a streaming service named. Overall, the reviewer found the feature useful when it worked, but still unreliable.

The strongest addition is home-theater surround sound. The Apple TV 4K can connect four HomePods, provided the front speakers match each other and the rear pair match. The reviewer tested two second-generation HomePods up front and two HomePod mini 2 speakers behind. Setup took a few minutes, though the speakers and TV box must be assigned to the same Apple Home and configured by the same user.

The system delivered clear dialogue, convincing sound placement and substantial bass for a compact setup. Surround effects in films including “Ready Player One” and “The Phantom Menace” moved around the room, although Dolby Atmos height effects were less convincing. The reviewer’s complete setup cost $1,300. For buyers starting from scratch, the article points to a Sonos Beam Ultra with two Era 100 speakers as an alternative, citing its flexibility and stronger Atmos performance.

At $300, the Apple TV 4K costs several times as much as competing streamers. Its fast interface, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, Find My remote and reduced reliance on ads are advantages, as is Apple’s privacy policy. But the reviewer says the new features do not fully justify the price, particularly while Siri remains inconsistent. Buyers who already own newer HomePods may find more value in the upgrade; most others may be better served by a cheaper Google Streamer, Fire TV Stick or Roku Stick.