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Here’s why buying an Apple TV 4K in 2022 still makes sense

Updated Nov 24th, 2022 10:02AM EST
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Last month, Apple debuted the third-generation Apple TV 4K. With the A15 Bionic chip, Apple’s set-top box has never been so powerful. Although it hasn’t been the top-gaming platform Apple wanted, there are still plenty of reasons that an Apple TV 4K is worth buying in 2022 – even if you already have a top-tier smart TV in your home.

Longevity is the main reason why you should buy an Apple TV 4K. I currently have the first-generation 4K model, which runs as smoothly as the first day I bought it. Meanwhile, on the Samsung entry-level 4K TV that I purchased in 2016, the smart features take a while to load, connecting to the internet is a pain, and even opening Netflix is tough.

If I make a two-year jump and talk about Samsung’s QLED Q7 model, it’s almost as good as new, but it also started showing signs of age. For example, not only has Samsung stopped updating its Tizen OS on older TVs, but it also lacks streaming apps that are available on Apple TV, such as Crunchyroll.

And although I have experience with Samsung smart TVs, I have friends that own entry-level or top-tier 4K TVs from LG and Sony that are also showing their age. Even though the displays are still great, the processors can’t keep up years later.

Apple TV 4KImage source: Apple Inc.

Another selling point of the Apple TV 4K in 2022 is tvOS. I know — Apple is terrible at announcing new features for tvOS. For a couple of years, the company seemingly completely forgot about this operating system during WWDC, but it doesn’t mean it’s worse than the competition. Recently, I purchased a 2022 NeoQLED 8K, and, to my surprise, Tizen got a revamp that is just terrible. Also, I’m not too fond of the Wii-pointy interface of LG TVs, and I’m not a big fan of the Android TV OS.

That said, tvOS offers a comprehensive experience that gathers most of my watched shows in one place — the TV app. Even though Apple offers the TV app on some smart TVs, the Apple TV 4K offers a superior experience.

With the latest Apple TV 4K update, Apple now offers HDR10+ support, meaning that even if you have one of the latest smart TVs available, you’ll be able to take advantage of a more immersive experience with your Apple TV.

Apple TV 4K is your smart hub

The Apple TV 4K is the perfect hub for those making your home smarter. With the higher-end model offering Thread support, it’s easier than ever to set up your smart devices and control them using HomeKit – or the new Matter support – meaning you can see who’s at your door, control lights, doors, and more using Siri or your Apple TV.

It’s also essential to note that you can have Apple Fitness+ on your TV with the Apple TV 4K. The set-top box has more storage than any smart TV, with up to 128GB of storage. And even though it’s not cheap, its longevity makes it all worth it. That said, the third-generation Apple TV 4K is more affordable than its predecessor, offering better specs at almost half the size.

Wrap up

With all that in mind, the Apple TV 4K sounds like a solid deal, even for those betting on the newest smart TVs. With the latest model, users will surely benefit from the latest technologies, even when they switch TVs in the years to come.

More Apple Coverage: Apple finally decided to announce some tvOS 16 features after new Apple TV 4K release

José Adorno Tech News Reporter

José is a Tech News Reporter at BGR. He has previously covered Apple and iPhone news for 9to5Mac, and was a producer and web editor for Latin America broadcaster TV Globo. He is based out of Brazil.