Apple TV 4K and tvOS: Features, specs, FAQ, tips, and tricks

Apple TV has grown up a lot since its iTV days. It’s not just for video rentals and purchases anymore—Apple TV handles just about anything we watch, from House of Cards to Game of Thrones and Major League Baseball games, and now that also includes Apple TV+ content and Apple Arcade games.

With an extensive library of apps, Siri support, and a drop-dead simple interface, Apple TV is one of the underrated players in Apple’s lineup. Just like all those years ago, it’s still the device that “completes the story” of Apple’s entertainment ecosystem, and even without some of the bells and whistles of its competitors, Apple TV is still one of the best streaming boxes you can buy—from SD to HD to brilliant 4K.

And we’ve got everything you need to know about it. Whether you’re buying your first one or just want to learn a few more tricks, make sure to bookmark our guide to Apple TV and tvOS as we keep it updated with all the latest news, features, tricks, and tips.

The latest: Rumored update in March 2020

The Apple TV 4K was released in 2017, and since it hasn’t been updated in so long, the rumor mill is generating some fresh rumblings. The latest is that we could see new hardware this spring, based on reports that an “Apple TV Gen X” has appeared in the database of retailer Target for $179. There are no details on what the update could include, but you can probably count on at least a speedy new processor to give Apple Arcade games a boost.

Apple TV 4K review

Apple TV 4K is awfully close to being a cutting-edge home theater streamer. Find out more about the Apple TV 4K in our full review.

Apple TV 4K Specs

Size and weight

Height: 1.4 inches
Width: 3.9 inches
Depth: 3.9 inches
Weight: 15 ounces

Capacity

32GB or 64GB

Chip and RAM

A10X Fusion chip with 64-bit architecture
RAM: 3GB

Apple

Ports/Connectivity

HDMI 2.0a
802.11ac Wi‑Fi with MIMO, simultaneous dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
Gigabit ethernet
Bluetooth 5.0
IR receiver

Video Formats

• H.264/HEVC SDR video up to 2160p, 60 fps, Main/Main 10 profile

• HEVC Dolby Vision (Profile 5)/HDR10 (Main 10 profile) up to 2160p

• H.264 Baseline Profile level 3.0 or lower with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

• MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 fps, Simple profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

In the box

Apple TV
Siri Remote
Power cord
Lightning to USB Cable

Price

32GB: $179
64GB: $199

Apple TV HD review

Apple last updated Apple TV HD in 2015, and at the time, we had this to say: “AirPlay is an extremely convenient way to mirror your Mac or iOS device’s screen to your television, and Apple TV is of course the only set-top box that can play content rented or purchased from the iTunes Store.” Read our full review.

Apple TV HD specs

Size and weight

Height: 1.4…