Apple TV 4K review (3rd gen, 2022): growing in importance

Even when this 2022 version of the 4K Apple TV was newly released, it was clear that a lot had changed for Apple’s television strategy over the last few years. The advent of Apple’s TV+ streaming service has finally brought some kudos, but TV+ apps are available for (almost) everything these days.I can

What’s more, it’s likely your telly doesn’t require you to spend $129/£149 (or $149/£169 if you want more storage plus Ethernet and Thread support) to get it. Even AirPlay 2, once effectively an Apple TV exclusive, is now integrated with smart TVs at all price points. Essentially, you don’t need this box if all you want to do is watch content from key streaming services.

Review originally published 11 November 2022, updated September 2025.

The Apple TV has always been a great companion for your other devices, and that doesn’t change here. Mind you, the big caveat is that you need to be embedded in the Apple ecosystem to make the most of it – and you need to be prepared to pay a premium over perfectly decent streamers from Amazon, Roku and Google.

The black box changed a little from the previous generation – it’s around 20% smaller, and gone are the Apple logo and the ‘TV’ on the top, replaced by the standard logo. Unlike certain people on the internet, we’ll say this is probably just down to standardised branding rather than any wider ambitions.

The metal remote is the same as on the previous model but now charges via USB-C rather than Lightning. This version of the Apple TV remote is much chunkier than I used in the early days of the streaming box and that makes it far nicer to use. But if you misplace it, you can always use your iPhone to control the puck instead.

Setup

The initial setup is now ridiculously easy if you have an iPhone – no longer do you have to laboriously type in your info, and it will autodetect your device and transfer your Apple ID and Wi-Fi settings seamlessly.

Individual app setups are a bit patchy, just as on other systems like Fire TV or Sky Stream, but you can use the keyboard on your iPhone if you do need to enter any text, as well as confirming purchases with Touch ID or Face ID – very welcome indeed.

Performance and interface

We have experienced HDR issues with other devices, but you just don’t get these with the Apple TV. This one now covers HDR 10+ in addition to Dolby Vision, HLG and HDR10, and it’s a robust streamer for these formats as long as the rest of your hardware is up to it.

We were using an HD Apple TV prior to this, and the upgrade to the A15 chip inside the new one is noticeable. This is not a groundbreaking change, but things are loading more quickly and the experience is considerably slicker than the interface on, for example, my Amazon Fire TV Stick.

It also helps that the interface is clean and simple (as it always has been) and, aside from some basic programme banners that can show you the next episode of things you’ve watched, isn’t littered with ads or promoted items.

Apps and customisation

Apple TV no longer has an issue that dogged it for its early years; third-party app support is now great, with all the standard UK services you’d expect including BBC iPlayer, Now TV, BT Sport and ITVX in addition to the biggies like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+. You can customise the home screen with the array of apps you want.

I am finding that, more often than not, I need to go into the individual apps to find what I want. You can set up multiple users these days with tvOS, but this is of limited use as you still need to have different profiles within many apps.

Naturally all of Apple’s key apps are integrated. Photos remains a favourite for easy public display of photograph albums, and Fitness+ did become much loved on the old box because of its tight Apple Watch integration.

Apple TV 4K verdict

Despite some drawbacks, I really do love this 4K Apple TV. I have a Sky box as well, so Apple’s puck isn’t always the first thing we go to, but I much prefer to use it than my telly’s own OS. Why didn’t Apple make its own TV again?

Apple TV 4K tech specs