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I really like the old Siri remote. Sliding around the touchpad is a lot more intuitive for interacting with a TV screen than tapping buttons or a d-pad.
 
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I do like the side button
Your post made me go "What? What side button???" And yo and behold, THAT is why Siri search randomly opens on my older Apple TV!!!!! I was SO annoyed by it, and couldn't understand why it did that! I thought one of the many top buttons was wrongly mapped to Siri in the awful Youtube app, or if it was a faulty motion that activated raise-to-speak (Despite it being turned off in the settings - Again, that bad Youtube app likely ****ed up things). Thanks, I feel like a dork now, but at least my mystery was solved. :p

I have multiples of every remote Apple has made over the years lying around the house, and use each of them often. My "go to" is actually the white plastic model from AppleTV gen 1. My wife prefers the aluminum remote from the early Mac minis and the gen 2 and 3 of the Apple TV.

IMO, the worst of the lot was the original ATV 4K remotes - the black ones with the touch pad - both with and without the ridge around the menu button.
Hah, same situation, but our favorite is definitely the black remote. We love that one! If I ever become rich, I'll buy one for our second Apple TV (See above!).

2. I really dislike buttons on the side, especially one I use a fair bit (Siri button for skipping commercials)
Yes! Boo side button! (See above again)

Without a case on it, I agree.
I solved that with these:

View attachment 2528434
We use some that look exactly like that, but they are in orange, purple or white color. Makes it better to hold, easier to find due to the color, and the kids love switching them around. Was absolutely the bit of money worth.

You've presumably never used an LG TV Magic Remote. :) - which I could use to control my ATV via HDMI if the buttons actually worked reliably.
Yes, that one is awful. And it reminds me that I need to see if I can turn off the motion stuff. It is only used to active the menus whenever someone accidentally hits the coffee table where it lies, as we use the Apple TV remote for everything anyway.
 
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Have you ever used the Apple Magic Mouse? I think that takes the cake…
Agree. I have both "mice," one that uses AA batteries that I kept from previous Macs, and the one with the charging port at the bottom. Once the rechargeable one's battery is discharged, I use the non-rechargeable one. The keyboard is fine since the charging port at the back, so I can charge it via USB and keep on the work at hand. Not so with the dumb mouse. Well...maybe I was dumber for buying it :eek:
 
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literally the ********* remote ever. this whole swiping nonsense for some dumb UI effects is so bad and terrible. the ring around the center button. constantly malfunctions. just a ****** design overall. and annoying. apple has become everything about aestetics and nothing about practicality.
FALSE!!! FALSE!!! The remote works just fine for me and in fact the new remote is so much better than the old one. Check your hardware.
 
Buy the newer remote. Works amazing and has USBC!!! It wasn’t ideal but it wasn’t the worst design ever. I think the Magic Mouse is pretty bad and not due to the charging but because it genuinely causes hand fatigue and cramping as it’s not ergonomic and it should be.
 
Is "I LOVE THIS THING, LET ME TELL YOU WHY!" more useful content?

I can never understand what people who complain about posts actually want people to say.
Less emotive, more factually descriptive, and with less drama.
The ‘OMG’ posts are a sign of the ADHD world that is becoming prevalent, where there is no middle ground, just hate or love.

Have you tried using iOS’s in built remote?
 
Only thing annoying me is when apps don't properly support the Apple TV remote and I can't "jog-dialing" through long lists.
 
Prefer the latest aluminum remote with buttons for features, even though i liked the black glass design in the previous.

Only criticism I have of the new remote is that bad design on the power button, mine popped out and have to tape it back - Reddit has many posts about this, so it seems like a hardware design flaw
 
It’s not that bad, some apps have poor user interfaces. While some streaming apps work perfectly, others are frustrating to use.
 
“I HATE THINGS, LET ME TELL YOU WHY!”

That whole narrative of posting on socials has become soooooo boring!
The rants get tiresome especially when they lack specifics.
Saying a design is a string of asterisks says nothing.

I think it would be more helpful or interesting (to me) if people have complaints with suggestions about what would be better.

To be fair, same goes in my opinion about justing saying a new Apple product is great without any specifics.
 
The rants get tiresome especially when they lack specifics.
Saying a design is a string of asterisks says nothing.

I think it would be more helpful or interesting (to me) if people have complaints with suggestions about what would be better.

To be fair, same goes in my opinion about justing saying a new Apple product is great without any specifics.
The World Wide Web started as such a positive force of idea sharing. In the last five years adclicks have created clickbait, the most profitable of which lead us to the hatred of something.

That’s why I love Macrumors, sure they’re a business and their titles might be thought of as click-baity at times, but always positive and full of hope and excitement.

Hence the comment, there’s nothing in the OP’s post that I couldn’t generate in two seconds on ChatGPT asking for clickbait title and a rant.
 
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I agree that it’s a bit finicky to use with touch on. What I recommend is disabling the touch feature, then you’re just using the buttons, which makes it much more user-friendly.
 
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I just wish the buttons lit up or glowed in the dark. I hit the wrong one all the time
you might want to try the case mentioned by turbineseaplane earlier int he thread. This was the exact problem I had, but it was because I could never tell which side was up. That cover totally solves the issue & the remote is more comfortable in my hand with the case on (less slippery). The one that I got (I'm sure there are other similar versions) is the elago R1 intelli case. Totally worth the $10.
 
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Tell me more about using the Siri button to skip commercials...

With the Siri Remote, I can use the remote to turn on/off the television, as well as the Apple TV. However, in the family room we have a television and a sound bar, and I cannot consistently turn on/off both the tv and the sound bar. I'd love to see more opportunity for device integration.
Sounds like you are having very typical issues with ARC. It's pretty finicky. I swapped out our sound bar for a pair of HomePod Minis and have been very happy with them - sounds better overall (little less boomy bass, but still plenty and great mids and highs) and takes up way less space with better stereo separation. It also makes using Siri commands to turn the TV and lights on and off, skip ads, etc. much easier - no need to use the remote. We usually only use the remote to turn the TV on and off and select something to watch. The remote app on the iPhone is actually more convenient sometimes, especially with two of us and only one ATV remote.
 
I don't have an Apple RC, because I don't have an Apple TV. I don't have an Apple TV because I don't own a TV.

I do have some Thunderbolt displays connected to Mac minis. MacBooks and some iPads that myself and my family use as TV. We often put a 13" iPad into an articulated arm.

I'd happily buy an Apple RC if it worked with all Apple devices out of the box, but it doesn't. A missed opportunity.
 
I quite like the new Siri Remote. I bought one by itself so I didn't feel like I had to get a new Apple TV. I didn't hate the old remote or anything but I find the new design to be just a bit more comfortable. It is also really well made. The aluminium feels great in the hand.

The only problem with both the older Siri remote and the new one is I find my elder relatives have a hard time with it. They're used to honkster remotes so they pick up the small Siri one and start hitting buttons and activates swipes they didn't intend for.

One thing I would like to see change, but I doubt Apple will do it, is adding an input switching button on the next remote. I've only used Google TV twice and I was pleasantly surprised with that remote. Input switching basically makes the remote that comes with the TV totally unnecessary if you only need volume, input, and navigation control.
 
Worst thing EVER designed?

Like worse than sitting on a throne made of swords?
Worse than a car that explodes if you get rear-ended?
Worse than a phone that got banned from being taken on airplanes?

Worse than a toothpaste company making TV dinners?
Screenshot 2025-07-14 145808.jpg
 
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