Apple TV 4K (4th generation) at $299: what changed from the $129 model, and what the new features need

Apple's new Apple TV 4K (4th generation) reaches stores on Friday, November 13, 2026, at $299 in the US. The model it follows started at $129 when Apple announced it in October 2022, so the starting price has more than doubled. This guide sets out what changes on Apple's published specifications, which of the headline features also reach older boxes, and what else the new one depends on. It is not in stores yet, so we have no independent test data, and we have not used it.

Apple announced the model on October 13, and pre-orders are open. Its US buy page on November 5 showed a single listing at $299. Apple's announcement also gives a payment plan of $49.83 a month for six months through Apple Card Monthly Installments, which is subject to credit approval.

What changes from the 2022 model

The 2022 model came in two versions: Wi-Fi with 64GB of storage, and Wi-Fi + Ethernet with 128GB, Gigabit Ethernet and Thread. The new model has one version, with all three. That means the $129 starting price bought less than the new box includes as standard, although Apple's 2022 announcement gives no separate price for the larger version.

Apple says the A19 delivers up to 50 percent faster CPU performance and up to twice the GPU performance of the previous generation, and that a new dedicated AV1 decoder allows high-quality streaming with less bandwidth. Those are Apple's own figures, and we have no independent measurements. Apple gave the same “up to 50 percent” CPU claim for the 2022 model against the generation before it.

What older models also get

Siri AI, the feature Apple leads with, is not limited to the new box. Apple says it is available as a beta on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later), in English at launch in the US, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the UK. Apple describes it as a beta in tvOS 27.2, and it needs the person set up as the home's owner in the Home app to have an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad with Siri AI turned on. Our HomePod mini 2 story sets out the same requirement for that speaker.

The new Siri Remote is also sold separately, and Apple says it works with Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K. Apple says Find My support extends to the Siri Remote (2nd generation or later), but Precision Finding needs the 4th-generation remote and an iPhone Duo, iPhone Air, or iPhone 17 or later, excluding iPhone 17e. The option to play a sound on the remote is limited to the newest remote.

What only the new model does

Two features Apple highlights depend on the new hardware. The three far-field microphones let users talk to Siri without the remote, and Apple says this varies by region and language, naming Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian and Swedish as supported primary tvOS languages.

Four-speaker surround needs four HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation) speakers in matching front and rear pairs. At the prices on Apple's US store on November 5, $149 and $349 each, the box and four of either speaker come to $895 or $1,695. Our comparison of six Sonos and Bose soundbars covers the soundbar route instead.

What else it depends on

Apple's system requirements list an HDMI cable, sold separately, a 4K and HDR TV for 4K and HDR streaming, an internet connection, and an Apple Account for purchases, rentals and Home Sharing. In the smart home, Apple says its Thread radio works only with HomeKit- or Matter-enabled Thread accessories. Apple Intelligence descriptions of camera footage need setup with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone or iPad and an eligible iCloud+ plan. Our Apple Home Collection guide lists those plans and their prices.

How the price sits against Google's streamer

For a sense of scale, Google launched its TV Streamer (4K) at $99.99 in 2024, and the Google Store listed it at $149.99 on November 5, 2026. Google says it doubles as a smart home hub. The table compares what each maker publishes, not how either performs, and it is not a survey of the market: it uses only these two makers' own pages.

What this guide cannot tell you

This guide cannot say how Siri AI behaves day to day, whether the microphones work well in a noisy room, or how the box compares in use with anything else. It rests on Apple's and Google's published announcements, specifications and store prices. For warranty terms and refurbished options, see our guide to product warranties and comparison of certified refurbished programs, which lists Apple TV among Apple's refurbished products.