Apple TV 4K (2021)
Almost four years since the launch of its predecessor, there’s finally a new Apple TV 4K. Not that it’s obvious from the design – and you'd have to examine the specs of both models closely to spot any differences there, too. In other words, the new Apple TV 4K is more of a shuffle forward than a giant leap.
The original Apple TV 4K was the best video streamer when it launched and, through regular updates, it remained there through its lifespan. Apple has performed a nip here and a tuck there and produced an Apple TV 4K that has made the best just that bit better.
The new Apple TV 4K is bigger than stick- and dongle-style video streamers but, at 3.5cm tall and 10cm square, it’s compact enough to fit into most spaces. The remote control’s Bluetooth 5.0 functionality means it can be placed out of sight of your seating position.
While the streamer looks and feels the same as before, the remote is new and much improved. It’s more solid and substantial than its predecessor, and boasts a dedicated mute button, and a power button that can also operate your TV and home cinema kit.
Reinventing the wheel
Perhaps the most important change, though, is that the ‘hidden’ trackpad of the old remote has been replaced by a circular clickpad that’s reminiscent of the ipod wheel. If you own the existing Apple TV 4K and fancy that flashy new remote, you can buy it separately for £55.
The other significant upgrade for the new Apple TV 4K is the processor: Apple has swapped the A10X Fusion chip of the old model for the A12 Bionic. The processor combines with a new HDMI 2.1 socket to add support for 4K HDR content in frame rates of up to 60fps. However, there’s currently little content available in this High Frame Rate 4K HDR. The Apple TV 4K comes without a bundled HDMI cable, which feels rather tight-fisted when you consider how much more expensive it is than its rivals.
In terms of formats, the Apple TV 4K supports HDR in HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision, but not HDR10+. Audio formats supported include MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless, FLAC and WAV for stereo, and surround formats up to Dolby Atmos.
There are plenty of music apps available on the Apple TV 4K, of course, including Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and Amazon Music. On the video side, the app selection is almost flawless. Netflix, Disney+ and, of course, Apple TV+ are all present in all their 4K, Dolby Vision and Atmos glory. The small selection of Dolby Vision content usually available on Amazon Prime Video plays in plain HDR10 via the Apple TV app, but Dolby Atmos plays as expected.
The likes of BBC iplayer, ITV Hub, All 4, My5, Now and BT Sport are all here, and though the Apple TV app does its best to collate content from all your subscriptions in its recommendations, the continued absence of Netflix limits its usefulness. Google has solved this issue for its Chromecast with Google TV, and we’d like to see Apple follow suit.
Apple’s own itunes Movies remains the best way to rent and buy movies for streaming, both in the size of the catalogue and quality of the streams, but this is now also available (via the Apple TV app) on most other streamers.
The bread and butter of the Apple TV 4K’s experience is its picture quality and the new model puts in an excellent performance. Playing Blade Runner 2049 in Dolby Vision, there’s marginally more contrast on offer. Blacks are just a bit blacker, and there's extra brightness and vibrancy at the other end. The combination creates an image with slightly more impact. This extra contrast helps reinforce the already crisply defined edges, making for a deeper and more three-dimensional picture.
The picture is otherwise the same as that of the older model, which is the best of any video streamer we’ve tested. It’s not up there with a good 4K Blu-ray player, but it produces an image with all of the punch, definition and dynamism necessary to genuinely thrill.
While it’s now possible to set the Apple TV 4K to output content in its native dynamic range and frame rate, everything will be scaled to the resolution you select in the Settings menu, which will likely be 4K.
Played via a capable home cinema system, there’s a small but noticeable uptick in the new Apple TV 4K’s delivery of Blade Runner 2049’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack, particularly in terms of weight, spaciousness and cohesion to the soundstage. The new model gives every effect a little more room to breathe, leaving the older model sounding a bit narrow by comparison.
The same is true when listening to music, whether delivered in stereo or Dolby Atmos. There’s no loss in terms of focus or directness, just a marginal increase in fullness. Of course, the Apple TV 4K is no match for proper hi-fi kit, but it is a more musical performer than most.
The upgrades to picture and sound performance with the new Apple TV 4K are marginal, and the faster processor only really makes its presence felt in slightly snappier navigation. However, the outgoing Apple TV 4K was already the best video streamer you could buy, and the new version is even better. If you want the best video streamer currently available, the new Apple TV 4K is it.