Apple TV 4K Australian review: The biggest upgrade in smallest package

The new Apple TV 4K is here, but those with older sets may not find it’s worth upgrading. Here’s why.

The Me You Can’t See starring Lady Gaga is available on Apple’s TV service, Apple TV+. Aussies who purchase a new Apple TV 4K will get a year’s free access to the service. Picture: Supplied

Much like TVs of the 1980s, the best thing about the new Apple TV 4K is its remote control.

It’s undergone a total makeover and arrives in a bigger, sturdier body crafted from one piece of aluminium, a click-friendly touchpad, extra buttons to control the TV and its sound, and easy access to Siri for those moments when you just want to tell the box what to do.

Compared to the last Apple TV remote control, this year’s model has grown up, moved on, and embraced its calling. It’s mature.

The next generation of Apple TV 4K features a new Siri Remote and support for high-frame rate HDR content.

The new clicker also controls a set-top box that is more powerful, capable and customisable this year, but a box that hasn’t changed nearly as much as its control. And that’s why existing Apple TV owners will face the biggest question this year:is a better remote worth doubling your investment?

The new generation Apple TV 4K does make some notable advances on the last model.

It features a faster chip – the A12 Bionic from the iPhone XS – which ensures it can handle greater demands and quickly.

They can include high-frame rate High Dynamic Range (HDR) video for the first time, or video with twice the number of frames. This is particularly useful when watching nature documentaries, such as Tiny World, or next-generation sports coverage.

The new Apple TV 4K box also supports 4K, Dolby Vision and Dolby Sound, and comes with two handy ways to customise audio and vision.

This box can customise your TV’s colour balance with help from an iPhone on the same Wi-Fi network. After selecting a menu option, the new Apple TV will perform a series of colour tests while users hold the phone in front of the screen.

While I was sceptical, the results on my TV were warmer and more pleasant on the eyes. It’s also worth noting that these changes will only be available to viewers when watching content through the Apple box.

The new Apple TV 4K lets users customise the colour balance of their TV screens using an iPhone.

There’s also an option to synchronise sound between the Apple TV and your other equipment, which is particularly useful if
you rely on external speakers. It tests your equipment by emitting sounds and registering their timing.

The new Apple TV box doesn’t add more streaming services but there are 27 sources of entertainment already compatible with it in Australia, from free-to-air catch-up services such as 9Now and ABC iview, to support for Netflix, Binge, Kayo, Disney+ and Amazon Prime.

It’s also worth noting that you can use the new easy-to-access Siri button to search across all of these networks to find the show, movie or actor you want to watch – an addition that could save you plenty of googling.

Another addition to the redesigned remote control makes search results easier to access. While the touchpad on the old Apple TV remote control was a flat rectangle, the new touchpad is more like a circular navigation pad and clickable so you can choose to drag a finger around it or press arrows to make your selection.

These features, combined with the new remote control and free Apple TV+ for a year, make the second Apple TV 4K sound like a sensible $249 investment in entertainment.

And it is … unless you own the last generation.

Those who do may find there aren’t quite enough upgrades inside the box to justify a new unit, unless that purchase is just the remote control.

It’s available separately for $79 and, when combined with an upcoming software update to deliver that screen customisation, may be all old Apple TV owners need to up their small-screen game.

Originally published as Apple TV 4K Australian review: The biggest upgrade in smallest package