Apple TV 4K review: Is this the ultimate telly upgrade for Christmas 2022?

JUST in time for Christmas TV binge-watching: a new Apple TV set-top box.

I’ve been testing out the new Apple TV 4K, and it looks and works brilliantly.

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The Apple TV 4K plugs into the back of your telly – giving it a serious streaming upgrade[/caption]

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There’s loads of new content on Apple TV 4K, easily accessed by voice using the Siri Remote if you prefer[/caption]

The name might be confusing, admittedly. This is not an Apple television set.

It’s a box that plugs in to your TV, giving you a load of smart features, apps and powerful television processing to keep you visually entertained for hours.

So if your telly isn’t “smart” or you’re just not happy with the built-in gear, this is the option for you.

As the name implies, this model supports 4K telly – just like the last one.

But this time around, you also get support for HDR10+ (in addition to Dolby Vision).

This means you’ll get better-than-ever contrast and colours, with deeper blacks and brighter whites.

Of course, you’ll need to be watching HDR content and to own a TV that can support such visuals.

It makes a real difference to your telly. If you’re due a TV upgrade, consider picking up a discounted model this Black Friday, just in time for Christmas.

Powering the gadget is the A15 Bionic chip – a speedy processor that was fitted to last year’s iPhone 13 Pro.

You get the new tvOS 16.1 update, with better Siri controls – including (eventually) voice recognition. This means tailored recommendations from questions like “What should I watch?”

And a feature borrowed from iPhone is the new iCloud Shared Photo Library.

This lets multiple family members share photos to a joint folder, which can then be enjoyed on the telly.

Apple TV+, unsurprisingly, comes built in.

After a recent price hike, you’ll be left paying $6.99/£6.99 a month.

But buying the new Apple TV will get you a free three-month membership to try out.

Apple TV+ is also significantly better than when it first launched, with a much greater roster of content.

Ted Lasso is now a widely beloved comedy show, and creepy sci-fi thriller series Severance has earned several awards, as well as 14 Emmy nominations.

You can install loads of apps and games from the built-in Apple App Store.

Most popular apps are supported: I’ve got Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Video, Disney+, Now TV, All 4 and Crunchyroll on there.

And if you’ve got some smart home gear, you can use the Apple TV 4K to control those gadgets.

Use it to turn lights on or off, or check security cameras.

Ultimately it’s a question of whether you can afford one.

This is far from the cheapest plug-in TV streamer around – it costs $129/£149.

There are Amazon and Google alternatives that are far cheaper.

I think the user interface on Apple TV is generally the best, and it’s very familiar if you’ve used other Apple products.

The synchronicity with Apple gadgets is great too: you can type search terms using your iPhone, or auto-fill logins from your iCloud Keychain.

As always, existing Apple users will get the best experience.

The Sun says: The Apple TV 4K is probably the best streamer set-top box on the market – but not the cheapest. 5/5

All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed. It’s available from Friday, November 4.

Always do your own research before making any purchase.

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You can now share and view family photo albums over iCloud on Apple TV 4K[/caption]

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The Siri Remote has a voice search function, and is fully rechargeable[/caption]

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There are lots of perks for iPhone owners, including a special colour-balancing feature[/caption]

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