4 min readApple TV is a digital media streaming box from Apple that allows you to binge your favorite television shows, watch the latest blockbusters, enjoy live sports, and jump into exciting video games, all on your big screen television.
Apple TV is a solid addition to your home media setup, but it can cost quite a bit of money and you’ll first want to access its features to determine if it’s the right choice for you. We’ll also take a look at competitors, such as Roku and Amazon Fire TV, to see if Apple TV’s price tag is worth it.
Check out our latest review of the Apple TV 4K—a perfect addition to any Apple fan’s 4K Ultra-HD TV experience.
The prices of Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K
Apple offers two different models of the Apple TV at this time—the Apple TV HD and the Apple TV 4K. It is essential to know which model you need before making any other decisions.
Apple TV HD
Apple TV HD is a good selection for 1080p televisions without the need for Dolby Atmos audio support. If your television is either 720p or 1080p HD, and you use your television’s built-in speakers, an external soundbar, or Dolby Surround Sound, Apple TV HD might be a good match.
You can purchase an Apple TV HD with 32GB of storage for $144.
Apple TV 4K
Apple TV 4K offers a higher-quality 4K video output, so viewers with 4K UHD televisions can enjoy a clearer, more immersive image. Apple 4K also provides support for HDR content, which allows for more vibrant and dynamic colors on supported televisions.
Apple TV 4K adds on support for Dolby Atmos surround sound. This allows you to become immersed in audio that surrounds you if you have a setup with ceiling or up-firing speakers (hint: most of us don’t have Dolby Atmos speakers).
You can purchase an Apple TV 4K with 32GB of storage for $170, or an Apple TV 4K with 64GB of storage for $190—the latter is recommended for anyone who expects to download and play a multitude of games on their Apple TV.
Remember that streaming 4K UHD content to your Apple TV will require a robust internet service connection—check out our round-up of the best internet service providers.
AppleCare+
Apple also offers AppleCare+ for its Apple devices, so if you wish, you can pay $29 at the time of purchase to extend the warranty from one-year to three-years with accidental damage.
With Apple TV being an expensive device, AppleCare+ might be a great choice for homes with kids just in case the unit gets damaged.
The cost of Apple TV accessories
Apple sells two official accessories that you can purchase for your Apple TV.
The first is the Siri Remote, which you can purchase from the Apple Store for $59 if you lose or damage the one included in the box—although, at that price, we hope you don’t!
The second is the Apple TV Remote Loop, which you can attach to your remote via the Lightning charging port, to keep your Siri Remote safely tethered to your wrist.
There are a couple of other 3rd-party Apple TV accessories that we recommend you purchase with your Apple TV if you’re looking to enhance the overall experience:
TotalMount Apple TV Mount: The folks over at TotalMount offer up a mounting solution for your Apple TV, which cleverly hides it behind your television for a cleaner setup.
We specifically like the TotalMount solution because it offers three mounting solutions, using the vent clips on the back of your TV, an adhesive pad, or wall screws.
Elago D Stand Charging Station: The ideal solution to keep your Apple TV remote always charged up is from Elago. This tiny charging station allows you to effortlessly plug in your remote whenever it’s not in use and keep a full-charge.
What about Apple TV+?
It is essential to differentiate between Apple TV and Apple TV+. Although they have similar names, they are quite different.
Apple TV is the company’s media streaming box discussed below; it is a piece of hardware that connects to your television and allows you to access your favorite online content. Apple TV is similar to purchasing a Roku or Amazon Fire TV device.
Apple TV+ is the company’s subscription video service, which produces original content such as For All Mankind, Servant, Dickinson, Ghostwriter, Ted Lasso, and much more.
Viewers can subscribe to Apple TV+ for $9.99/month. However, if you purchase an Apple device, you get 1 year of Apple TV+ for no additional cost—quite a deal!
Is Apple TV worth the price?
Apple TV is one of the most expensive mainstream streaming media boxes available. With Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices starting at less than $30, Apple TV’s starting price tag of $144 can seem like a huge investment.
If your goal is to merely watch movies and TV from your favorite app platforms, such as: Netflix, Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Max, you’ll likely get a better value out of a Roku Premiere for $34.99 or an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $39.99.
On the other hand, if you are deep within the Apple ecosystem and want to use services such as: Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, and AirPlay, Apple TV might be worth the higher asking price.
For more details on the value of Apple TV, we suggest taking a look at our Apple TV HD vs. Amazon Fire TV Stick head-to-head battle, where you can see exactly how a less expensive alternative compares.
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