Long term test Apple TV 4K

Don’t stream it’s over

Can a spec bump and a new remote persuade Stuff that Apple’s TV box still has a future? To find out, we spent a fortnight watchingfilms on work time…

from R3 200 / istore.co.za

DAY 01

It’s been four years since Apple first introduced a 4K TV box. That’s so far back its own TV+ streaming service didn’t exist at the time – and nowadays TV+is baked into many TV’s own smart platforms.

You might think that makes this latest version of the Apple TV 4K even less of a must-buy, especially given the most exciting thing about it is the new remote control. We’re talking about an incremental upgrade in a world of affordable Roku sticks and

Chromecasts… but this still promises to be one of the best all-round video streamers.

It’s not tall, so it slips into our entertainment unit with ease, and an HDMI 2.1 socket means 4K HDR content at 60fps – a jump from 30fps – only there’s no HDMI cable with it and we need a new one to support the higher framerate.Bugger.

This remote, then. We liked the old one, with its clicky trackpad and coin-thin build, but it was also maddeningly easy to lose, and not always intuitive. Unwrapping the new Siri Remote, it’s immediately chunkier and heavier – and has an actual power button, which is universal for your TV and home cinema setup too. You get a mute button, while the Siri button moves to the side. But it still charges via Lightning, not USB-C, which is a shame.

There’s still a touch-sensitive centre button for navigating tvOS but now it’s surrounded by an iPod-like directional click-wheel that anyone can get the hang of. Disabling the touchpad functionality is possible too. Oh, this is a nice touch: the wheel can scroll through videos,

slowing down or speeding up at the whim of your thumb.

Time for a bit of late-night viewing, but the lack of remote backlighting makes jabbing the wrong button a little too easy, and there’s no input button for switching to a different HDMI source on your TV.

We’ve noticed you can’t use the Siri Remote as an Apple Arcade game controller like you could its forerunner either, but was anyone doing that anyway? It’s worth noting the remote can be bought separately if you want to upgrade an existing box.

The new Colour Balance feature uses an iPhone’s sensors to match your TV’s picture to ‘industry standards’

The Apple TV app offers a fine curated selection of shows across various services… but not Netflix.

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Donut of Truth™

01 Comes with the excellent new Siri Remote 02 There’s a great selection of apps 03 The 4K picture quality isn’t in question 04 Not the biggest chipset upgrade, though 05 Netflix is here, but not via Apple’s app 06 Not much 60fps HDR content to watch

Tech specs

HDR formats Dolby Vision, HEVC, HDR10, HLG OS tvOS 14.6 Processor A12 Bionic Connectivity Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, HDMI 2.1, USB, Lightning, IR, Ethernet Storage 32/64GB Dimensions 98x98x35mm, 425g (box); 136x35x9.3mm, 63g (remote)

DAY 02

Diving into some specs, the A12 Bionic chipset is an upgrade, but also iPhone XS-old. Apple claims improved graphics performance; that’s questionable, but it is zippy and Wi-Fi 6 gives connectivity a noticeable boost.

We’ve sourced a new HDMI lead, but there’s not much 60fps HDR content and Apple has pointed us towards the Red Bull TV app for review purposes. HDMI 2.1 does mean 120fps 4K support, and even 8K 60fps footage, but content seems way off.

DAY 04

Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Dolby Atmos are a big tick. Apple’s new Spatial Audio upgrade also works, and when tvOS 15 arrives later this year you’ll get Atmos content with virtual surround sound and dynamic head-tracking on AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.

Ah, that’s interesting: this box supports Thread, the low-power mesh network designed to make it easier for your smart home devices to interact with one another. It’s a significant step for gadgets to function without a hub… but this one will only talk to HomeKit-enabled products. Double bugger.

DAY 08

Having properly gorged on content, we can confirm picture quality is superb across the board, whether you’re watching action or animation. The new Colour Balance feature uses an iPhone’s sensors to match your TV’s picture to ‘industry standards’; the calibrated image seems too warm to begin with, but after a while we prefer it.

All the apps are here, of course: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV+, all with 4K HDR and Dolby Vision. You’ll also find support for loads of other apps, if you’re the sort to VPN your media. Apple Music comes with on-screen lyrics, plus there’s Apple Arcade.

DAY 14

We’ve rather enjoyed our fortnight with the new Apple TV 4K, but it’s pricey – and baked-in smart TV interfaces have caught up.

Still, if you’re a big Apple user you won’t find a more convenient media hub. All our iTunes files sit alongside a full house of apps and Apple Arcade games, and you can ping anything not there from your iPhone via AirPlay. The 4K streaming is as good as anything out there, while the new remote makes aimless flickery more fun.