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Why I made the Apple TV 4K my main streaming device

Published

3 weeks ago

October 19, 2024

Empowerment

Why I made the Apple TV 4K my main streaming device

Key Takeaways

Apple TV 4K is versatile and doesn’t require Apple products.

It has a simple remote design that lacks extra buttons, but can remap.

There is a faster UI compared to TV, and it supports streaming apps — plus, no ads.

After spending way too much time navigating through my slow TV UI, I decided it was time to make a switch to a streaming box. Although I have a PS5 and Xbox Series X, I don’t like having to always turn on my console to keep up with the latest shows, so I ruled those out as worthy alternatives. As a consequence, I had to make the switch to get a streaming box. I already had a Google Chromecast 4K from when I tried out the Stadia service, and it worked fine for a while.

Apple TV 4K (2022)

Brand: Apple
Bluetooth codecs: 5.0
Wi-Fi: 6

But, I eventually switched to an Apple TV 4K, and I can’t see myself ever going back. I don’t even own other Apple products, and the nice thing is you don’t even have to. There’s a lot more versatility if you have other Apple products like AirPods or an iPhone, but it’s far from a requirement. I can go on and on about everything I like about the device, but I narrowed it down to just five.

5 helpful Apple TV tricks every tvOS user should try

If you’re an Apple TV user, taking advantage of these features is essential to get the most of out of your watch time.

Dolby Atmos on Apple Music

Spacial audio for the win

Strangely enough, my decision to pick up an Apple TV 4K in the first place was to take advantage of the spatial audio feature through Apple Music. I thought having Apple Music on your phone wasn’t enough for Dolby Atmos through my receiver — instead, I needed to grab an Apple TV 4K. Not everything on Apple Music has Atmos support, but I’ve been impressed so far with what I’ve listened to.

Sometimes, the mix doesn’t seem great, so having the option to switch back to a regular stereo audio setup is nice to have. The Apple TV 4K is just there to give me options, and it’s a nice little benefit that other streaming devices can’t give me. Of course, buying a streaming box to listen to music isn’t for everyone, but for me, it was worth the trouble, and everything that comes with the Apple TV 4K has been icing on the cake.

How to get Apple Music for free

Free Apple Music subscription deals are few and far between, but I’ve found a few actually decent offers available so you can start listening today.

The Apple TV 4K remote is simple

The Apple TV 4K keeps it very simple with volume controls, a back button, and a direction pad. It’s not a remote saddled with additional numbers or buttons like some others are, so you don’t get bogged down trying to find the right button to hit.

There’s also a Siri button on the side that allows for voice control.

There are downsides to having fewer buttons, though. There’s not an easy way to change your TV’s input to swap to a game console if you need to. You can remap the buttons to do other things, but I found it’s easy to just keep my actual TV remote around for when I need to do that. For the bulk of my TV use, I use the Apple TV remote, but it has limitations.