The Apple TV 4K (4th gen) has a more powerful processor, support for full surround sound, and now has a lost remote finder. But it's the most expensive streaming device by far, and Siri still falls well short of Gemini and Alexa+ when it comes to finding what you want to watch.
Can create a 4-channel surround system with HomePod speakers
Siri not as good as Alexa+ or Gemini for surfacing content
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
The best streaming devices generally don’t get updated all that frequently; there’s not too much that changes year-to-year. It’s been four years since Apple released its last device, but now it’s back with the Apple TV 4K (4th gen).
This fourth-gen streamer has the company’s newest A19 processor — the same as in the iPhone 17 — which means it’s not only faster, but has access to the new-and-improved Siri, which in theory should mean that it’s easier for you to find shows to watch. And, you can also create a fully immersive surround-sound setup using HomePod smart speakers. But, the Apple TV 4K also comes with an exorbitantly high $299.
Yes, it’s a nicer setup all around, but it’s hard to justify the price if you’re not in the Apple ecosystem.
At $299, the Apple TV 4K (4th generation) is by far the most expensive streaming device, and is a big jump in price over the 2022 model, whose most expensive variant cost $149 when it was first released (Apple jacked up the price to $249 earlier in 2026). Apple’s just offering one version this time, with 128GB of storage.
Among the best streaming devices, the next most expensive gadget is the Amazon Fire TV Cube, which costs $199 regularly.
Should you upgrade? Here are the major differences; for ease of comparison, I’m only including the 128GB version of the 2022 model.
Aside from the specs, the 2026 model supports up to four HomePod devices, whereas the 2022 model only supports two. In addition, the newer model has three mics, and its more powerful processor supports the newer, more advanced Siri.
The 4th-generation Apple TV 4K and its remote look identical to the previous model — a small black cube with ports on the back for HDMI, Ethernet, and power. One minor change is that the status LED is now in the middle, not that it’s all that noticeable.
Setup was a cinch; once I plugged in the Apple TV 4K, all I had to do was bring my iPhone near the device, and I was good to go within minutes. The Apple TV 4K even remembered all my installed apps from my previous Apple TV device. However, I did have to re-login to every app. If you have a lot of streaming services, this can get a bit tedious, no matter how easy they make it with QR codes.
One of the nicest upgrades is the new FindMy built into the remote; Apple’s remotes have long been easy to lose in the couch. You can use any iPhone to help locate the device and even have it play a little tone, but if you have an iPhone with Bluetooth 6 (the iPhone 17 or later), you can get super-precise location tracking.
I tried this with both an iPhone 14 Pro and an iPhone Air; with the 14 Pro, FindMy knew when I was close, but told me to look around. With the Air, the phone started buzzing more urgently the closer I got, and even gave me distance estimates. Finally, when I was within a few inches, it said “here.”
One thing that’s still missing from Apple’s…
