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Is the new 2022 Apple TV 4K worth it? I already own the 2017 model.
- Thread starter snak-atak
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- apple tv apple tv 4k sony
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The remote alone is worth the upgrade, but you can get that separately. The original black remote was a huge POS. I have two AppleTV's non-4K and got each a silver Siri remote. I'm awaiting my new AppleTV 4K to come in this Friday, just because I can.
Got the 2017 model it’s really good but I hate the remote and I don’t wanna get the remote separately also I want the new HDR upgrade that comes with this model 2022 and remote also I can put the 2017 on another tv 
Correct but I think HDR alone is worth upgrading. Throw in a faster processor and it’s an easy decision for me.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
None REQUIRE it. It's unlikely that any game developer is going to set requirements so high that only a relatively tiny number of AppleTV owners can play their game.
So think loaded PC vs. cheapie PC for gamers. Both may run any game. So what justifies paying up for the loaded one? More horsepower- CPU and graphics- means the details of the experience can be richer. Cheapie PC might have to run the game with all game settings at minimums. Loaded may make it look like you are in a reality setting because everything has such rich detail. The same could apply here if AppleTV game developers build AppleTV games that can adapt to "widest funnel" market (to maximize their revenue potential) so that those with old AppleTVs can buy and play at minimums and those with new AppleTVs can simply enjoy more detail and/or a more immersive experience.
I barely game on AppleTV but purchased 128GB mostly for the ethernet port. Why did I buy? I find that upgraded hardware makes all of it work more fluidly, reduced stuttering when streaming some video, faster response, faster loads of pages of content, etc. I recently gave away an older one with the intent of buying a new one. New one is here so I'm filling in a great piece of tech for the home that is now missing.
Per your original post, it looks like you don't need to upgrade until that one starts directly showing its age to you. There's nothing you seem to be using it for that needs more horsepower. Based on the past, it won't be too long until apps you are using no longer get supported on that hardware. At that point, if you want to keep using those apps, you'll probably need to buy a new one. By then, this new one will prob have models in the refurb store for 10%-15% off and probably for sale for less than that from third parties at select times here and there. Maybe buy this one then?
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I bought mine 2017 used for cheap without the remote, luckily some time after, they launched the new silver remote and i purchased it. It's great but I can't use it with the touch enabled, miss clicks everywhere, had to disable it, otherwise I love it. also, I have cats, the number of times this thing got to the floor and the only damage so far was a denting, if it was the black one, probably the glass would have been shaterred to pieces already.
Your Sony TV can display:
- Dolby Vision
- HDR10.
Your ATV 4K 1st gen 2017 can stream/process:
- 4K Dolby Vision
- HDR10
(see https://support.apple.com/kb/SP769?locale=en_GB).
On that basis, you will not obtain any improved picture quality from the new ATV 2022. Note HDR10+ is a competing format to DolbyVision, and your Sony TV cannot display HDR10+. Regardless, Dolby Vision is equal to or better than HDR10+ on all specifications (see https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/hdr10-vs-dolby-vision). DV is also currently more widely available on streaming services.
Hi Edd - not sure it is accurate that the 2017 4k 1st gen ATV does not support HDR? Unless you are referring to HDR10+ (which is not relevant for the OP with their Sony TV)?
Confirmed, you’re correct. I’d thought HDR first arrived on the 2021 4K 2nd Gen but the 2017 box did have it.
It doesn’t support 4K nor HDR with the YT App. I assume because of the missing VP9 Codec.
It supports 4K and HDR with Apps which doesn’t need the VP9 Codec.
It definitely does play 4K YouTube (3840x2160) @30fps using VP9 codec. It won’t do 4K 60fps though or HDR which requires VP9.2
Not here. And what i read so far it shouldn't work with the 2017 model. Maybe its just upscaling?
I have set "match framerate" and "match resolution" and all 4K+ HDR videos in YT do NOT play in 4K nor HDR. It IS working with Netflix/Disney...
In a few days my ATV 2022 will arrive and i will test it again and i should be able to confirm that it will work with the newer device.
2017 does work with 4K30 YouTube using VP9 (Stats for Nerds confirms)
It just doesn't work on 4K60 or 4K30 HDR YouTube, and only offers 1440p on those videos. I'm upgrading to a used 2021 ATV and a new 2022 ATV this weekend to fix this on two of our TVs.
The review from the Verge is out and there is this interesting tidbit:
“…later this year, a software update will add support for what’s known as QMS VRR. This enables compatible TVs to switch between different frame rates without any black screens or noticeable picture interruptions. How many TVs work with QMS VRR, you ask? Well, zero at the moment. But you’ll start seeing them hit the market next year; stay tuned for more news about this feature at CES.”
“…later this year, a software update will add support for what’s known as QMS VRR. This enables compatible TVs to switch between different frame rates without any black screens or noticeable picture interruptions. How many TVs work with QMS VRR, you ask? Well, zero at the moment. But you’ll start seeing them hit the market next year; stay tuned for more news about this feature at CES.”
I wonder why Apple saw a need to put out a new model after just one year. The previous update took 4 years. What are their plans?
I’m currently using the 2017, so I’ll order a new one. The old one will go to my mother (currently on Apple TV HD), she doesn’t watch Youtube 🙂
I also wonder about Thread support, and when that will become relevant. I’ve currently got 4 home hubs in my house, 3 Homepod Minis and the 2017 ATV. The active home hub is always a homepod, never the ATV. I have no idea how that gets decided, and whether a 2022 ATV would change that.
I’m currently using the 2017, so I’ll order a new one. The old one will go to my mother (currently on Apple TV HD), she doesn’t watch Youtube 🙂
I also wonder about Thread support, and when that will become relevant. I’ve currently got 4 home hubs in my house, 3 Homepod Minis and the 2017 ATV. The active home hub is always a homepod, never the ATV. I have no idea how that gets decided, and whether a 2022 ATV would change that.
This was the decider for me, ordered a Gen3 to replace my Gen2 which will now go to my sister.
The 2021 wasn't really an update from the 2017 model, basically just a chip replacement. There wasn't a big jump for CPU performance and there was actually a decrease in GPU performance when from from the A10X in the 2017 to the A12 in the 2021.
Feature wise, there really wasn't anything added. Same storage, same RAM, same price...
I think Apple did it more to consolidate the chips that they were using at the time. There has only been one of other device that has ever used the A10X, the 2017 iPad Pro, which was discontinued a long time ago. So, Apple was either producing or storage A10X chips for only the ATV4K1, which was probably not cost effective. Going to an A12 chip, while not really an upgrade, was probably done to reduce costs for Apple.
I posted this in a different thread, but there actually looks like a pattern to ATV releases, with the HW switching back and forth from underpowered relative to the other chips Apple had at the time if the release, to being the top-of-the-line A-chips for that particular year:
2015 ATV4, A8 was underpowered relative to what was available at launch.
+2 years
2017 ATV4K1, A10X was the top-of-the-line chip at the time.
+3ish years
2021 ATV4K2, A12 was underpowered relative to what was available at launch.
+ almost 2 years
2022 ATV4K3, A15 was the top-of-the-line chip at the time, second to the expensive A16.
Maybe the A15 ATV will be around for another 3 years, and Apple will put a (relatively) mediocre A-chip in the next model.
I was thinking AR/VR also, because the A15 is a huge jump from the A12.
But, Max Tech on YouTube pointed out something interesting about the A15 chip in the ATV4K3, according to Apple the A15 is less powerful in the ATV4K3 compared to other devices with the A15 in them.
Max Tech said it might be due to the lack of fan on the 2022 model, but other devices with the A15 do not have a fan.
So, I wonder if Max Tech has it wrong, and it isn't that the A15 in the ATV4K3 has reduced performance due to a lack of a fan, but maybe the previous two ATV4Ks had their chips overclocked due to having a fan attached and being able to handle the excess heat.
AFAIK, the ATVs do not have any benchmark data, and everything assumed about the chips is information of those chips in other devices. Many of the performance assumptions on the ATV (other than subjective experience from use) is based off of how the ATV chips perform in other devices. Maybe these assumptions are wrong.
Anyways, here is the clip @5:21:
Odd, My 2017 Apple TV plays back Disney+, and any 4K HDR movie i chuck at it without any issues.
Today i can compare both devices.
Old 2017 model with Youtube show 1080 no HDR on 4K HDR movies. The new 2022 play up to 4k 60hz HDR without any issue (both devices have match framerate and content enabled).
So it was definitely a good investment. Feels much more snapier as well
Old 2017 model with Youtube show 1080 no HDR on 4K HDR movies. The new 2022 play up to 4k 60hz HDR without any issue (both devices have match framerate and content enabled).
So it was definitely a good investment. Feels much more snapier as well
I was thrilled last week about the incoming 2022 Apple TV 4K, until I took a good hard look at controlling my TV between my current ol' Apple TV HD (2015) and my Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
For me, the fact that Siri is so bad to use because she won't answer basic questions and isn't able to control as much smart home features/skills anywhere near that Alexa can.
After all of these years, Siri is just so dumb and isolating - whether she's on the more-limited tvOS or not.
I've been playing with a Fire TV Stick 4K device, and really enjoying it - as it feels like it is so much more versatile for voice commands (Alexa will answer anything), more apps (Xfinity Stream is much better than the AppleTV version, and I can get the Roku Channel and my local news station app not available on Apple), & smart home control (including non-HomeKit products).
I still anticipate upgrading to this new 2022 Apple TV 4K (likely putting it on my Christmas list), mostly to keep a stable HomeKit & Matter/Thread Border Router and AirPlay, but my enthusiasm for Apple TV & tvOS is waning heavily - and I hate to find myself hating on a solid Apple hardware product.
For me, the fact that Siri is so bad to use because she won't answer basic questions and isn't able to control as much smart home features/skills anywhere near that Alexa can.
After all of these years, Siri is just so dumb and isolating - whether she's on the more-limited tvOS or not.
I've been playing with a Fire TV Stick 4K device, and really enjoying it - as it feels like it is so much more versatile for voice commands (Alexa will answer anything), more apps (Xfinity Stream is much better than the AppleTV version, and I can get the Roku Channel and my local news station app not available on Apple), & smart home control (including non-HomeKit products).
I still anticipate upgrading to this new 2022 Apple TV 4K (likely putting it on my Christmas list), mostly to keep a stable HomeKit & Matter/Thread Border Router and AirPlay, but my enthusiasm for Apple TV & tvOS is waning heavily - and I hate to find myself hating on a solid Apple hardware product.
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I bought a 2017 ATV for cheap back in the day. It's been working good for me but I'm wondering what kind(s) of benefit(s) would I see if I buy the newest ATV? I mainly stream YouTube TV and YouTube. I have a 65" LG C1 OLED tv. Do you guys (and gals) think it would be a worthwhile upgrade going from 2017 to 2022 versions?