Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026: Is the new model worth upgrading?

Apple launched a new Apple TV 4K on October 13, four years after the last one was released. The new box arrives for a bit more, with a new retail price of $299. It lands with Siri AI, three far-field microphones, and a Siri Remote that can play a sound to help you find it. Pre-orders are open now and the device will arrive in stores on November 13.

Put the two generations next to each other, and they are difficult to tell apart. The design has barely changed – except for moving the power LED to the middle of the device – the picture and sound formats are the same, and the new model’s biggest software feature is coming to the old one as a free update. This makes the purchasing decision more difficult than you might first think. But there are still a few reasons to get the new Apple TV 4K.

The 2022 model launched at $129 for the 64GB Wi-Fi version, with a more expensive 128GB model adding Ethernet and Thread. Apple increased that price to $199 in June. At $299, the new box costs more than double what its predecessor cost at launch, and the 2022 model does everything the majority of users want. Upgrading only really makes sense if you plan to own multiple HomePod mini 2 devices. Before you spend that money, let’s compare the two generations of Apple TV 4K.

Although it is the flagship feature of the new Apple TV 4K, Siri AI is not exclusive to the new streaming box. Apple is also offering it in beta on the second generation (2021) and third generation (2022) Apple TV 4K via tvOS 27.2. Conversational queries, personal context pulled from your iPhone, the full-screen discovery experience, and the overlay that answers questions in-show will all come to existing hardware. Siri AI is available in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa and works in English at launch.

Those in the European Union (EU) cannot use this feature. Apple hasn’t specified how Siri AI will perform on the four-year-old chip, given that local processing requires more work, so expect the older box to feel slower. Both boxes output 4K at 60fps with Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG, and both handle Dolby Atmos audio. If you bought the 2022 model for its HDR10+ support – which was the new flagship feature of this generation – you won’t gain anything from the upgrade. Both generations can still serve as a home hub for lights, locks, cameras, and scenes in Apple Home.

Both also offer the same library of tvOS apps, including Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness+. Our overview of iOS features that work well with your TV applies to both models. The Siri Remote maintains its familiar design, with the same tactile trackpad, button layout, and USB-C charging as the 2022 remote introduced. The new remote is also sold separately and works with Apple TV HD and every Apple TV 4K, so it’s not locked to the new box.

The Apple TV 4K 2022 runs on the A15 Bionic processor, while the new one upgrades to the A19, which the iPhone 17 ships with. Apple estimates the new chip is up to 50% faster with twice the graphics performance. Apple made almost the exact same claim about the A15 compared to the 2021 model. You should notice a difference in how quickly apps open, how smoothly you can browse video, and how well Apple Arcade games perform. The A19 chip also adds an AV1 decoder, which streams the same picture quality using less bandwidth, and the Secure Exclave, a partitioned part of the chip that processes microphone data.

The 2022 model doesn’t come with any built-in microphone, so you can only talk to Siri by pressing the button on the remote or having a HomePod in the room. The new streaming box has three far-field microphones, allowing it to function as a smart speaker even during audio playback. You also have more flexibility for audio on the new Apple TV 4K, as well as everything else Apple has announced about the new Apple TV 4K. The 2022 case can only handle a stereo pair of HomePods or HomePod minis, while the new one supports four HomePods in a surround setup. You can only do this with the HomePod mini 2 or second-generation HomePod, and the speakers determine their own positions and calibrate themselves depending on the room.

Where the 2022 box was offered as a 64GB Wi-Fi or 128GB model with Ethernet, the new Apple TV 4K comes in a single standard specification, with no storage upgrade and Ethernet included by default. Thread support is also now standard rather than limited to the more expensive 128GB model.

If you own the 2022 Apple TV 4K, there’s probably no reason to upgrade. You will get Siri AI via tvOS 27.2 update, which is the flagship feature of the new device. What you would benefit from are the hands-free microphones, support for four HomePods for surround sound, and the faster chip. If the remote is your thing, you can buy the new Siri Remote on its own, as it works with the Apple TV you already own.

Upgrading makes the most sense in two situations. If you have an Apple TV HD or the original 4K model, Siri AI needs second-generation hardware, or later, so a software update won’t get you there. And if you plan to own multiple HomePod mini 2 devices, the four-speaker surround setup requires the new case.

If you don’t already own an Apple TV 4K, the decision can be a little trickier. The 2022 model does everything most people want and runs the same wizard. It should start seeing decent discounts at third-party retailers as supplies run out – especially as Black Friday approaches – making it the best value even at full price. Compared to its competitors, the gap is even more marked, with high-performance 4K streamers from Roku and Amazon for less than $50. Apple charges extra for its chips, microphones, and home hub features.