Apple TV 4K 2022 Vs. 2026: Is The New Model Worth The Upgrade?

Apple released a new Apple TV 4K on October 13, four years after the last one was released. The new box arrives for quite 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, with the device arriving in stores on November 13.

Put the two generations next to each other, and they are hard to tell apart. The design has hardly changed — save for the power LED moving to the middle of the device — the picture and sound formats are the same, and the biggest software feature of the new model is coming to the old one as a free update. That makes this a harder buying decision than you might first think. But there are still some reasons to get the new Apple TV 4K.

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

While it is the flagship feature for the new Apple TV 4K, Siri AI is not exclusive to the new streaming box. Apple is also shipping it as a beta on the Apple TV 4K second generation (2021) and third generation (2022) through tvOS 27.2. The conversational requests, personal context pulled from your iPhone, full-screen discovery experience, and overlay that answers questions mid-show will all arrive on the existing hardware. Siri AI is available in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Africa and runs in English at launch.

Those in the European Union (EU) cannot use the feature. Apple has not said how Siri AI performs on the four-year-old chip, considering the local processing requires more to work, so expect the older box to feel slower at it. Both boxes output 4K at 60 fps 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 that generation's headline new feature — you won't gain anything from upgrading. Both generations can still act as a home hub for lights, locks, cameras, and scenes in Apple Home.

Both also offer the same tvOS app library, including Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness+. Our rundown of iOS features that work well with your TV applies to either model. The Siri Remote keeps its familiar design, with the same touch-enabled clickpad, button layout, and USB-C charging, which the 2022 remote introduced. The new remote is also sold separately and works with the Apple TV HD and every Apple TV 4K, so it isn't locked to the new box.

The 2022 Apple TV 4K runs on the A15 Bionic processor, while the new one moves to the A19, which the iPhone 17 shipped with. Apple rates the new chip as up to 50% faster with twice the graphics performance. Apple made almost exactly the same claim about the A15 against the 2021 model. You should notice a difference in how fast apps open, how smoothly you can scrub through video, and how 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 walled-off part of the chip that processes microphone data.

The 2022 model doesn't come with any built-in microphones, 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, making it work like a smart speaker even while audio is playing. You also have more flexibility for audio on the new Apple TV 4K — along with everything else Apple announced about the new Apple TV 4K. The 2022 box 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 work out their own positions and calibrate to the room.

Where the 2022 box came as a 64GB Wi-Fi model or a 128GB one with Ethernet, the new Apple TV 4K ships in one standard spec, with no storage upgrade and Ethernet included by default. Thread support is also now standard rather than restricted to the pricier 128GB model.

If you own the 2022 Apple TV 4K, there's probably little reason to upgrade. You'll get Siri AI through the tvOS 27.2 update, which is the new device's flagship feature. What you would benefit from are the hands-free microphones, support for four HomePod for surround sound, and the faster chip. If the remote is what tempts you, you can buy the new Siri Remote on its own, since it works with the Apple TV you already have.

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

If you don't already own an Apple TV 4K, the decision may be a little trickier. The 2022 model does everything most people want and runs the same assistant. It should begin to get decent discounts at third-party retailers as stock clears — especially with Black Friday coming up — which makes it the better value even at full price. Against rivals, the gap is starker still, with capable 4K streamers from Roku and Amazon under $50. Apple is charging a premium for its chip, microphones, and home hub duties.