Apple just announced a new version of its popular 4K media streamer, making it the first new Apple TV hardware since 2017. While much has changed over that period of time, the new Apple TV 4K appears to be a fairly minor update in terms of both design and features. If you already own the old Apple TV 4K, is it worth shelling out $179 to $199 for the new model? We haven't tested it yet, but for now we can compare specs to see if it's worth it.
Design: The Same Old Box
The new Apple TV 4K is the same size and shape as the previous one. It's a fairly chunky black box, measuring 3.9 inches on the sides and 1.4 inches tall. It's tiny compared with game consoles and other home entertainment devices, but among media streamers it's fairly massive. The $119.99 Amazon Fire TV Cube is twice as tall, but its sides are slightly shorter and it features far-field microphones for hands-free voice control. The $99.99 Roku Ultra has wider sides, but it's flatter.