Apple TV

The biggest advantages:

• Speed. The processor is far beyond anything else on the market. It makes everything feel so responsive that it’s hard to go back to anything else after using it.

• No ads or bullshit in the operating system. You can opt out if data tracking. The Home Screen is just a grid of apps. Individual apps may have ads in them but the OS itself feels like it respects you.

• Reliable frame rate matching. 24fps video content outputs as 24hz signal to remove stutter and frame skips etc. Other devices offer this but are less reliable.

• Infuse. Great app for playing back your own files. Connects to Plex, Jellyfin etc and works extremely well. Makes Kodi feel ugly and clunky in comparison.

• Good integration with other Apple stuff. Like using your phone as a remote. Turning it on and off using Siri. Etc

• The screensavers. They’re seriously great.

Disadvantages:

• Price.

• Lack of customisation. There’s not much to tinker with under the hood.

• Not easy to side load apps

• No audio passthrough for playing Bluray atmos rips. Best you’ll get is lossless 7.1 audio.

I have the first gen AppleTV 4K from something like 2017, and it’s still fast. Like, fast fast. Opening apps are still instantaneous or take just a second. It still runs the newest OS. Also the touchpad remote everyone hates is actually my fave.

Compared to a Chromecast with Google TV that Google gave me for free a couple years ago for some reason (I think because I had a YouTube red sub for so long), it’s so much nicer. The Chromecast is SLOW as dogshit while it tries to load up all the ads and garbage on the main screen. I don’t HATE it, and it gets the job done, but I use it in my bed room and am never like “wow this is great.” As soon as Apple drops a new revision of the AppleTV I’ll probably buy it and move this older one I have in the living room to the bedroom.