Apple TV 4K (4th generation) vs 3rd generation

Check which 3rd-generation model you own

Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) came in two models, and as home hubs they are not the same. Apple lists Thread networking technology and Gigabit Ethernet for the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model (model number A2843) only. Neither is on Apple’s list for the Wi-Fi model (A2737), and when Apple names a “Thread-enabled home hub”, it names the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model.

Apple does not say the Wi-Fi model has no Thread. It simply does not list it. For a hub you are relying on, that is enough reason not to count on it.

Both models are still home hubs, and both are supported by tvOS 27. So the question is not whether your box still works in Apple Home. It does. The question is what the new one adds.

What staying on the 3rd generation gives up

Less than you might expect on the smart home side:

• Not Siri AI. Apple says Siri AI is available as a beta on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later), in English in the UK. Your 3rd-generation box gets it too.
• Four-speaker surround. Apple’s home theatre surround set-up, with four HomePod (2nd generation) or HomePod mini 2 speakers in front and rear pairs, needs the Apple TV 4K (4th generation).
• Newer hardware. An A19 chip instead of the A15 Bionic, Wi-Fi 7 instead of Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 6 instead of 5.0.
• Microphones in the box. Apple lists a three-microphone array with voice isolation on the new model, and says you can use Siri AI to control accessories and scenes hands-free.

What the Wi-Fi model also gives up, against both of the others, is Thread and Gigabit Ethernet on Apple’s list, and half the storage: 64GB rather than 128GB.

One caution applies to any older hub. Some new Home features, such as Sound Recognition, need an “updated Home architecture” that requires all Apple devices that access the home to be on the latest software. Apple has not said which older hubs that covers. Today, tvOS 27 runs on both 3rd-generation models.

Who should upgrade

You own the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model. Keep it, unless you want the four-speaker HomePod surround set-up or the newer hardware for the television itself. As a hub, Apple lists Thread and Gigabit Ethernet for both this model and the new one.

You own the Wi-Fi model and have Thread accessories, or plan to. You need a hub that Apple lists with Thread. If you want a new TV box anyway, the 4th generation has Thread and Gigabit Ethernet at £299. If the television side is fine, a HomePod mini 2 at £149 also has Thread networking technology, for half the price.

You own the Wi-Fi model and have no Thread accessories. There is no hub reason to upgrade. Buy the 4th generation for surround or for the television, not for Apple Home.

You are buying a 3rd-generation box second-hand. Apple UK no longer sells either model. Check the model number on the listing: A2843 is the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model, A2737 is the Wi-Fi model.

If you are choosing a hub from scratch rather than replacing a TV box, our comparison of Apple HomeView, HomePod mini 2, Apple TV 4K and HomePod covers the four current options, and the guide to which Apple home hub you need explains what a hub does.