HAVING TAKEN FOUR years to come up with a sequel to its 4K streaming box, the hope has to be that Apple has delivered a really substantial upgrade. So let’s get right into picking out where the differences lie.
The most obvious – and welcome – improvement is the Siri remote control. The trackpad at the top of the 2017 Apple TV’s ultra-thin handset was cool but so fiddly that it probably led to a new generation of swear words. So it’s good to see the simple, effective design of the Apple TV box remaining unchanged, but now partnered by a handset that replaces the old trackpad with a ‘click pad’ set around a large circular select button.
Seriously: this is so much easier to use that I couldn’t believe I’d put up with the old design for so long without hurling it against a wall.
On to the hardware. The new Apple TV introduces an HDMI 2.1 output, sports a new automatic TV colour calibration system, and shifts from the A10X processor of the previous model to an A12 Bionic processor. This new chip introduces support for ‘high frame rates, including Dolby Vision at 60Hz.
As usual, there are two versions available, one with 32GB storage (£160), the other with 64GB (£190). Considering the meagre price difference between them, it's quite easy to recommend going for the roomier model.
Not an Xbox killer
This story is from the Xmas 2021 edition of Home Cinema Choice.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Xmas 2021 edition of Home Cinema Choice.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
AV Avenger
You should think twice before accepting an invitation to play Resident Evil 4 with spatial audio in a haunted prison, warns Steve May
Catalogue classic Star Wars: Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Disney
Forty years on from the movie's cinema release, Anton van Beek ponders what might have been if things had gone a little diff erently during the making of Return of the Jedi…
Feedback
Got an axe to grind? Need to comment on current tech? Want to share your knowledge with our readers? Team HCC is here to help
M&K Sound V12
TIME ON TEST: Three years REVIEWER: Steve Withers
Sony 'bar demands to be upgraded
This well-specified Dolby Atmos soundbar may have a mid-range price tag, but you'll soon want to spend more, cautions Steve May
Short and sweet
Marantz's compact AV receiver returns with a new look and boosted features – Jamie Biesemans slips it into his AV rig
Discreet delivery
A slim, stylish Scandinavian on-wall system impresses Mark Craven with its handling of the sweet stuff
One project, two rooms
Dan Sait reports on a custom install where a JVC PJ/ Atmos system is joined by a stylish media den
THE KING OF B RDA HOLLYWOOD
Three of his movies have taken over $2billon at the global box office, he's pioneered SFX and 3D technologies, and he's been to the very bottom of the Pacific Ocean. That's James Cameron by the way, not Anton van Beek
System selector!
Given three similar budgets, Mark Craven, Steve May and John Archer assemble three different AV setups focused on movies, streaming and gaming
