Apple TV 4K (2022) Review, YES! but no

The 3rd generation Apple TV 4K (and 5th generation Apple TV device) is an exciting contender for the belt in the best heavyweight streaming device category. It exists in 2 versions: 64GB Wi-Fi only and 128GB w/ ethernet. I acquired the latter, and here’s my opinion about it without pulling my punches. And I’m done now with the boxing analogies.

First Impressions and Design

The device maintains Apple’s tradition of a minimalist design and sleek black finish. It is slightly smaller and twice lighter than its predecessor, but if you upgrade, don’t expect to be surprised by a new design; it hasn’t changed much since the second generation in 2010.

The remote fits nicely in the hand, has a nice aluminum finish, and is a perfect weight. If you are familiar with Apple products, they rarely disappoint on premium products; the remote is no exception. Out of the box, the remote is too sensitive to my taste; it reminds me of the nightmare of the first Shield remote. The sensitivity is adjustable, but it turned out to be already on the best of 3 options (ie. “medium”); it will probably take some time to get used to it.

It is charging through USB-C (yay!) and has no backlight (meh).

Setting up the remote to control the soundbar was not as easy as it was on Shield on Fire TV. Like the competition, I expected to enter the brand, and it would automagically control it via IR. For some reason, Apple has more of a hacker approach: you need to press the soundbar remote buttons so the Apple TV can capture and replicate the signal. Ok, why not… but, I had not used my soundbar remote in a very long time. I had to find it (not an easy task!) and find a CR2032 battery to complete the setup. Slightly annoying considering it was evitable, but it worked.

So much power! But why?

Powered by the A15 Bionic chip, the same found in the iPhone 14, the new Apple TV 4K showcases exceptional speed and responsiveness. Navigating through the OS is a breeze, probably the best I’ve seen of all streaming devices: Multitasking and app switching are fluid, and apps load instantly with no signs of stutter or lag.

It looks to me like the UI is 4K, which is not the case for any of the other top-tier competitor’s devices (Shield, Fire TV Cube, Roku Ultra), and that explains a lot about the perceived quality.

Another major change compared to the previous version is the storage; regardless of the version you pick, 64GB or 128GB is more than enough. SSD, of course.

Note: If you ever wonder how much storage is left on your Apple TV 4k, you can’t. Your only option is for you to buy a third-party app that does only that for $2.99. Lovely.

The additional RAM, now at 4GB, most likely contributes to the seamless experience and should ensure a longer lifespan.

Read Also: All Apple TV specs (everymac)

It’s the most powerful device on the market, leading me to the question: why so much power??? if it can not run a Plex Server or games (except the Apple Arcade ones). For the hardware and quality, it’s a great price but feels somehow wasted.

The user interface has a straightforward grid layout but confused me because of the overly heavy promotion of Apple’s services like Apple TV+ and very limited customization to show other mainstream streaming platforms’ recommendations. Also, if you’re unfamiliar with previous versions of the device and don’t feel like reading manuals, you’re on your own to figure out how to find the App store or the settings menu. It easily took me three full minutes… which is a very long time on such a small UI.

Chances are you already have an Apple ID, and as usual, Apple will import your preferences, connect to the Wi-Fi, and sync your iCloud.

Sound and Picture Quality

The Apple TV 4K impresses with its picture quality, it supports a wide range (if not all?) HDR formats: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG. In my tests, mostly with DV UHD and on my TCL6 series, the picture was sharp, the colors vivid, and the details in both bright and dark scenes were well-preserved thanks to deep contrasts.

I haven’t extensively tested the sound formats as I’m not equipped for them and am overly confused by the different audio technologies. Reading through different subreddits, audiophiles don’t seem to be disappointed at the exception of the missing audio passthrough (for lossless audio).

Read Also: It’s a shame that Fire TV Cube now has DTS, DTS-HD, and Dolby True HD audio passthrough yet the Apple TV doesn’t (reddit)

Gaming and SmartHome

I would be a shame to waste such a powerful processor and not install the Steam Link. It’s available in the App Store (it has a very low rating of 3.2, but no obvious reason to explain it). You can also play through Apple Arcade if you don’t have a gaming PC to stream from but the quality or selection doesn’t compete with dedicated gaming devices. Apple TV supports third-party controllers (really, Apple? You changed! I like it).

There are no (official) apps for Xbox Game Pass or Playstation plus on Apple TV.

I’m less enthusiastic about the smart-home abilities because I could never connect my Philips Hue bridge to the Apple ecosystem. If I ever succeed, I’ll update the review but the Apple TV is, on paper, able to control your smart devices via Voice commands.