It is easy to think about the Apple TV 4K as a streaming machine, and certainly that is what it’s for probably the most half. Nonetheless, it is significantly costlier than most streaming units, and plenty of may not see the purpose in spending round Rs. 15,000 when competing units (and even your tv’s personal working system) can do plenty of the identical issues for a lot much less. Nonetheless, the Apple TV 4K can be far more than that, making it a singular product that sits in a distinct segment class of its personal.
The lately launched Apple TV 4K (third Gen) is extra highly effective, extra succesful, and higher geared up than its predecessor in some ways, whereas curiously priced a bit decrease than earlier than at Rs. 14,900 onwards. Is that this machine aimed solely at Apple followers, or can anybody profit from having an Apple TV 4K? Discover out on this evaluate.
The gross sales package deal incorporates an influence cable for the Apple TV 4K (third Gen), however you may want to purchase a superb HDMI cable individually
Apple TV 4K (third Gen) design and specs
The Apple TV 4K (third Gen) is a bit smaller and lighter than the previous-generation mannequin. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless significantly bigger and heavier than most different merchandise on this basic product section. It retains the table-top kind issue, though delicate design adjustments are seen, such because the Apple TV emblem on the highest being changed by a smaller and easier Apple model emblem. Notably, the price of entry is decrease than earlier than, however the non-4K mannequin has been discontinued.
As earlier than, the Apple TV 4K (third Gen) is out there in solely a single color choice – black, with a silver distant. Nonetheless, there are actually two variants of the machine; the Rs. 14,900 variant has 64GB of inner storage and solely Wi-Fi for Web connectivity, whereas the Rs. 16,900 variant (the evaluate unit despatched to me) has 128GB of storage and an RJ45 Ethernet port for wired connectivity, along with Wi-Fi.
That is additionally the one distinction in design between the 2 variants, with the Ethernet port lining up on the again alongside the HDMI port and energy socket. Included within the field together with the machine are an influence cable and the distant, however nothing else; you may should buy an HDMI cable to hook up with your TV and an Ethernet cable (if wanted) individually.
The Apple TV Distant (third Gen) has a USB Kind-C port for charging
When it comes to specs, the Apple TV 4K (third Gen) helps HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5. The machine is powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic processor, notably additionally used within the iPhone 13 series, in addition to the essential iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus fashions, amongst different units.
The Apple TV 4K (third Gen) can stream at as much as Extremely-HD (3840×2160) decision, with assist for Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR10+, and HDR10 codecs. Dolby Atmos audio is supported as effectively, and the machine runs on Apple’s iOS-based tvOS platform.
Apple TV 4K (third Gen) distant and options
The distant of the Apple TV 4K (third Gen) is sort of spectacular, due to its aluminium casing and mixture of bodily buttons and touch-sensitive clickpad for navigation. Not like most different streaming units’ remotes, which use disposable and replaceable batteries, the Apple TV distant (third Gen) has a built-in, non-replaceable battery that must be charged.
Curiously, the distant itself is essentially the identical as that of the earlier era, save for one huge change – it has a USB Kind-C port for charging (no charging cable is supplied within the field, although). Whereas the distant appears to be like and feels nice, it is also pretty inclined to scuffs and dents, so you may have to be cautious dealing with it.
The distant has buttons for navigation and choice, quantity adjustment, and playback, in addition to invoking Apple’s Siri voice assistant. The ‘TV’ button on the distant is customisable, and could be set to both open the Apple TV app or go to the house display on the tvOS interface.
HDMI CEC lets you management linked units utilizing a single distant. Apple’s tvOS software program platform (model 16.1.1 on the time of this evaluate) helps quite a few apps and providers optimised to be used on a tv display. Moreover, tvOS additionally offers you entry to Apple Arcade, the corporate’s glorious subscription-based gaming service.
Apple’s tvOS 16 interface is simple to get round, however typically feels a bit oversimplified
Apple TV 4K (third Gen) efficiency
Apple’s tvOS platform is essentially environment friendly, and I skilled fast loading occasions, with quick and hassle-free navigation. There was no noticeable lag in any respect throughout my time with the Apple TV 4K (third Gen). The working system will really feel acquainted to anybody who has expertise with iOS, with most modifications designed round making it appropriate for the massive display and navigation utilizing the distant.
That mentioned, tvOS does at occasions really feel oversimplified, with sure components inside apps showing a bit under-equipped as in comparison with Android TV or Amazon’s Fireplace TV interface. This could be a good factor, as with the easy-to-navigate grid on the house display and content material previews on the prime, however there are additionally some drawbacks similar to restricted subtitle alternatives in some apps, occasional HDR format compatibility points with sure streaming providers, and unreliable content-level assist for Dolby Atmos on the Netflix app on tvOS.
Most apps which can be related on tvOS – main streaming providers, Apple Arcade video games, and the like – are effectively put-together and work as anticipated. There are some mainstream apps that have not been up to date shortly (Tinder, for instance), however these aren’t actually related and also you most likely would not even need to use them on a tv display you probably have a smartphone or pill useful.
As with different Apple ecosystem units, you’ll be able to shortly and effortlessly join any AirPods or HomePod audio system it’s a must to the Apple TV 4K. One other fascinating characteristic is dynamic wallpapers – the machine downloads high-quality, high-resolution scenic clips as backgrounds for the tvOS interface. All of those had been fairly good to take a look at, however the downloads are expectedly data-intensive.
A serious differentiator for the Apple TV machine is entry to Apple Arcade and different fashionable video games which were optimised for tvOS. A appropriate sport controller is critical to have the ability to play plenty of the video games on the Apple TV 4K, though many others could be performed utilizing the Apple TV distant itself. The expertise was higher on the massive display for a lot of video games, making the Apple TV 4K (third Gen) a really succesful ‘micro-console’ of types, and that is the place the highly effective A15 processor is useful.
Siri on the Apple TV 4K (third Gen) is reasonably underwhelming, at the least in comparison with its capabilities on different Apple platforms similar to iOS and CarPlay. I wasn’t in a position to play particular content material on streaming providers other than YouTube, Apple Music, and the Apple TV app, though I used to be at the least in a position to open apps already put in on the machine and navigate across the App Retailer with voice instructions.
Coming to the core capabilities of audio and video streaming, the Apple TV 4K (third Gen) is notably higher when it comes to stream stability and high quality than units operating on different platforms, significantly on slower Web connections. Buffering was minimal, and the image and sound had been noticeably higher on the Apple TV 4K on a cellular information connection. Even with a a lot quicker and extra steady Wi-Fi connection, sure streaming providers similar to Apple TV+ and Netflix did look a bit higher utilizing this machine than on the default Android TV platform on the Xiaomi Smart TV X50.
Verdict
The Apple TV 4K (third Gen) may appear to be simply one other streaming machine – and a very costly one, at that – however there’s a lot to this gadget than most first impressions recommend. It does, in fact, carry out its core capabilities effectively sufficient for probably the most half, though tvOS often feels prefer it wants an overhaul. There’s loads of storage, helpful connectivity choices, and Apple’s highly-regarded ecosystem to sweeten the deal, significantly if you have already got different Apple {hardware} and subscriptions to its key providers.
Though undeniably costly for a streaming machine, the Apple TV 4K is highly effective and succesful sufficient to be thought-about a micro-console, and it could actually convey lots of the capabilities of your iPhone or iPad to your a lot bigger TV display. With this in thoughts, and for those who’re already on the Apple bandwagon, the Apple TV 4K (third Gen) is price shopping for.
Worth: Rs. 14,900 onwards
Scores:
Design and specs: 9
Options: 9
VFM: 7
Efficiency: 9
General: 9
Professionals:
- Excellent design and construct high quality
- Elective Ethernet connectivity
- Highly effective SoC, glorious specs
- HDR10+ now supported, along with Dolby Imaginative and prescient
- Nice for gaming
- A number of Apple ecosystem advantages
Cons:
- tvOS generally feels oversimplified, nonetheless has some minor drawbacks
- Siri feels under-equipped on this machine
- Nonetheless considerably costly regardless of the worth drop
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