Apple TV 4K 2021 review – access the latest content in the highest quality

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• VERDICT

Apple TV 4K is a worthwhile investment and an exciting upgrade for anyone interested in viewing the latest content in the highest quality in the easiest and most comfortable way.

The new Apple TV 4K is a huge leap ahead from the previous generation with a better remote, higher frame rate HDR and a new Colour Balance feature that puts a world of content at your fingertips in the best quality.

TVs are getting bigger and picture quality is getting better and there is no shortage of content that will showcase their remarkable features.

Apple TV 4K is a product that turns your television into an entertainment hub to view your favourite TV shows, movies, sport, as well as access your music, play your favourite games and access your favourite apps.

This time around while the Apple TV 4K unit itself looks pretty much the same as the previous model, it’s the new Siri Remote which has undergone the biggest change and made viewing your content even easier.

Under the hood of the Apple TV 4K is the A12 bionic chip with 64-bit architecture that adds new video decoding capabilities as well as audio enhancements which means your TV shows, movies and sport will look and sound better than ever before.

Setting up the device takes just minutes with iPhone users able to bring it close to Apple TV to start the process.

And it’s not the only time you’ll be using the iPhone to optimise Apple TV 4K – but more about that later.

The new Siri Remote has an all-new look and design which is bigger and thicker than the previous remote.

The buttons have also been rearranged along with the navigation controls.

The circular click pad is surrounded by directional keys and is touch sensitive so you can use it to swipe down to find out information about what you’re watching and jog through your movie with a simple circular gesture to get to the point you want to watch.

You need to hit the pause button first before running your thumb on the outer ring either clockwise or counter clockwise depending on the direction you choose to move through the timeline.

It will get you to your scene in seconds.

On the side of the controller is a dedicated Siri button which makes it easy for you to find your content with spoken searches and also navigate what you’re watching simply by asking.

For example, you might ask Siri to “find movies starring Tom Cruise” or “go forward two minutes”.

The remote also works to control the volume of your TV and to power it on and off.

The keys are easy to locate so you can find your way around it without the need to look down at the remote.

That’s ideal if you’re in the middle of a movie with the lights down.

Another remarkable new feature is Colour Balance – a feature that uses the advanced sensors on your iPhone to improve your TV’s picture quality.

When held up to the television, your iPhone uses its camera and proximity sensor to guide you to an onscreen target.

It uses the light sensor on your iPhone to create a comparison between your TV’s colour balance to the industry standard specifications used by film makers around the world.

At the end of the process you are presented with the original settings and the balanced settings.

You can toggle between these two settings to see the difference for yourself and choose whether to adopt the new settings or stick with the original.

We chose to go with the new settings which improved the look of the image on our Samsung 4K TV.

I’m sure if you’ve invested in a 4K TV and a decent audio system you want to watch the best possible quality content.

And that’s exactly what Apple TV 4K offers.

Already on board is 4K compatibility so you’re taking advantage of the entire resolution of your 4K TV along with HDR (high dynamic range) for much better contrast ratios and greater colour depth.

The great thing about Apple TV 4K is that it supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10 which are the two leading HDR formats used in the industry.

And that means you’re able to enjoy more HDR content across more sources and on w wider range of televisions.

The other interesting new addition, thanks to this superior processing power, is high frame rate HDR which allows you to watch content at 60 frames per second.

The result is an even smoother and more natural appearance than ever before whether you’re watching fast moving action films or sports.

We put this to the test while watching movies and watching sport and the difference was noticeable.

Apple TV 4K also supports Dolby Atmos so viewers can enjoy three-dimensional sound that runs in all directions in your viewing space, including from above you, if you have a compatible sound system to give you a fully immersive experience.

Of course, one of the best things about Apple TV 4K, is the content it can put at your fingertips.

Users have access to the App Store to download the latest streaming apps including Netflix, Stan, Kayo Sports and all the free-to-air catch up.

And you can also access iTunes and Apple TV to view the latest movies and TV shows in stunning 4K quality.

But Apple TV 4K isn’t just about TV shows and movies.

it can also be your gaming arcade and your gym as well.

The onboard A12 Bionic chip means support for high quality games which you can enjoy on your TV and control with either your PlayStation or Xbox game controllers.

Apple Arcade is where you’ll find these latest games which developers have created to take advantage of the smoother motion and greater responsiveness that Apple TV 4K can offer.

And on the fitness side, Apple Fitness+ allows you to workout with amazing trainers in a fitness class which takes your in-session metrics like your heart rate and calories burned from your Apple Watch and displays it on your screen in real time.

iPhone users can also unlock and enjoy a range of features including using your iPhone as a remote control for Apple TV 4K and entering text via keyboard notification on your iPhone.

You can also connect up to two sets of AirPods to your Apple TV 4K so you can enjoy your content quietly and in private.

Apple TV 4K supports HDMI 2.1 for higher video bandwidth and higher frame rates and also has Wi-Fi 6 on board for higher data connection speeds to improve your streaming experience.

Apple TV 4K is available now for $249 (32GB) and $279 (64GB).

VERDICT

Apple TV 4K is a worthwhile investment and an exciting upgrade for anyone interested in viewing the latest content in the highest quality in the easiest and most comfortable way.