New Apple TV 4K released with A15 Bionic, USB Type-C and Thread connectivity at a lower price

Apple has quietly updated the Apple TV 4K, a device that arrives alongside the iPad (10th Generation) and Apple M2-powered iPad Pros. As with the latter tablets, the new Apple TV 4K looks almost exactly the same as the outgoing model. In fact, the lack of 'tv' lettering is the only visual distinction on the unit itself separating it from its predecessor.

However, the new model is also slightly smaller at 93 x 93 x 31 mm and less than 50% of its weight at 208 g. Although Apple has not confirmed this, we imagine that the 222 g weight saving owes to the removal of the fan assembly. Incidentally, the bundled remote now features a USB Type-C port as Apple gradually moves away from its Lightning connector. Additionally, the new Apple TV 4K supports Thread, allowing the unit to be used as a smart home hub with HomeKit and Matter.

Arguably the biggest change is the chipset, which Apple has upgraded from the A12 Bionic to the A15 Bionic. Supposedly, this change brings 50% faster CPU performance and 30% GPU improvements over the existing Apple TV 4K. Moreover, the new model supports HDR10+, as well as Dolby Vision, HDMI 2.1 and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity that was already present on its predecessor. The new Apple TV 4K starts at US$129 with 64 GB of storage, US$50 cheaper than the older model. Alternatively, Apple charges US$149 for 128 GB of storage, Ethernet and Thread integration. Pre-orders will begin shipping in early November.

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