Apple TV 4K (3rd generation)
Exact average 87.1 · 4 printed, 6 estimated · printed scores only: 89
Image: AppleAll 10 reviewers recommend the Apple TV 4K as the fastest, cleanest streaming box, with excellent picture and sound. It works best if you already use Apple devices, and it costs more than a stick.
Reviewed by What Hi-Fi?, Digital Trends, SlashGear and 7 more
The catch: Expensive, and best inside Apple's world.
6 of these 10 outlets print no score. We estimated theirs from the review text, then adjusted the estimates against the ratings outlets actually print (ours ran slightly low). An estimate is never higher than 92.
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes a score.
What 10 critics said
Highest score first · all converted to 0–100- 95What Hi-Fi?
Tested in a dedicated room, the box delivers excellent picture and sound with a very responsive interface, and is cheaper than the previous model.
Read What Hi-Fi? review - 90Digital Trends
The reviewer calls the third-gen box the smartest and most future-proof streamer for most people, praising its speed, picture and audio.
Read Digital Trends review - 90SlashGear
A fast, ad-free and dependable streamer with modern HDR support and a better remote, worth paying a little extra for.
Read SlashGear review - 80The Verge
Called the best overall streamer, fast and ad-free at a lower price, though tvOS lags in live TV and Siri and upgraders gain little.
Read The Verge review - 89est.How-To Geek
A first-person account of replacing an aging Shield TV with the Apple TV 4K, praising app availability, speed and ecosystem fit.
Read How-To Geek review - 89est.Trusted Reviews
An easy-to-recommend streaming box with excellent speed, broad app and HDR support and a clean interface.
Read Trusted Reviews review - 89est.The Guardian
Described as an unbeatable premium streamer thanks to speed, broad app support and an ad-free home screen.
Read The Guardian review - 83est.Good Housekeeping
The reviewer finds it a slick, smooth streamer with useful extras like Fitness+, Photos and FaceTime, and says it is worth the money despite the high price.
Read Good Housekeeping review - 83est.Gear Patrol
A faster, smaller, cheaper Apple TV 4K that is a good buy for Apple TV HD owners but not worth upgrading from the 2021 model.
Read Gear Patrol review - 83est.Macworld
Still the best streaming box and now cheaper, with modest hardware refinements, but it remains much costlier than rivals and the cheaper model lacks Ethernet and Thread.
Read Macworld review
"Est." means the outlet printed no score, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates
How it compares
Direct comparisons by professional outlets, exact models only, in our words. Shown as evidence; they never change the critic score.
vs Google TV Streamer83
- Digital Trends picks the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation).
What critics praise most
What critics dislike most
Other streaming devices critics rate highly
Common questions
Is the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) worth it?
Most critics think so: 10 of 10 recommend it. Expensive, and best inside Apple's world.
Do critics agree about the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation)?
Broad agreement: scores range from 80 (The Verge) to 95 (What Hi-Fi?), a spread of 15 points across 10 reviews. Most reviewers land fairly close together.
What do critics dislike about the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation)?
Price (4 of 10 reviews), Software and app (3 of 10 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation)?
The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) (critic score 84), best stick.