Apple TV 4K swaps the A15 for the A19 chip and gains surround sound with four HomePods

Apple announces the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K with the A19 chip and up to 50% more CPU performance than the previous model. In the US, the device costs US$ 299 in the single 128GB version, with preorders open since October 13. For the first time, it can set up a four-speaker surround system with matching pairs of HomePod.

Preorders are available in the US and 29 other countries and regions, according to Apple. The model replaces the previous generation's two versions with a single one, with Wi-Fi 7 and an Ethernet port on every unit. The four-speaker surround setup requires matching pairs of HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation): two in front and two in back.

In other words, the system requires four devices in addition to the box itself. The price goes up after the June increase: that month, Apple raised the Wi-Fi model from US$ 129 to US$ 199 and the Ethernet version from US$ 149 to US$ 249. In the United Kingdom, the US$ 396 (converted from GBP 299) price is US$ 132 (converted from GBP 100) higher than the previous US$ 264 (converted from GBP 199). Apple has not confirmed a price or release date for Brazil.

Price and availability

Comparison

Apple TV 4K (4th generation) vs. Apple TV 4K (3rd generation, 2022)

Stronger GPU and dedicated AV1 decoder

The GPU, the graphics processor, delivers up to 2x the performance of the previous model's, according to Apple. The company does not detail which tasks show that gain, and independent tests do not exist yet. The dedicated AV1 decoder is a circuit in the chip meant only for that video compression format. AV1 compresses video into smaller files, and a dedicated circuit does the work without overloading the rest of the processor. Apple does not say which streaming services use the feature on the device.

The previous generation separated the two: the 64GB model had neither Ethernet nor Thread, and anyone who wanted a cable needed the 128GB version. Now there is no choice: the cable and the latest wireless network come built in. Surround sound is the most concrete new use. Apple requires matching pairs, so you can't mix the two models.

The Siri Remote gains Find My support with Precision Finding and can play a sound. If the remote disappears between the couch cushions, you can locate it with your iPhone. To use Siri without the remote in hand, the device has three built-in far-field microphones.

The 2022 Apple TV that the A19 replaces

The third-generation Apple TV 4K, from 2022, runs on the A15 Bionic chip and comes in two versions. The new model is the first update in four years and keeps a nearly identical design. For those who own the 2022 device, the upgrade now costs just over double what it did at the start of the year.

9to5Mac reads the move as a market signal. In the site's view, the Apple TV is becoming a niche product, because 4K TVs with built-in streaming apps already exist for the same price of US$ 299. Those who already have such a TV would pay the same to get a newer chip, the AV1 decoder and surround sound with HomePods.

Siri gets full-screen responses

Apple says the Apple TV 4K will now answer requests made to Siri with a full screen of cover art, from which you choose what to watch. In the examples in the announcement, you ask, “Which Apple TV series won the Emmy this year?” (loosely translated) and see the titles on screen. Apple describes the responses as a compact, discreet window over the content. The material received does not detail in which languages and countries the feature works, nor whether it arrives in Brazil along with the device.

Second price increase of the year and Brazil left out of pre-orders

The Apple TV 4K gets more expensive for the second time in 2026. According to MacMagazine, Portugal comes in at US$ 392 (converted from EUR 350) and Brazil at US$ 718 (converted from BRL 3,600), compared with US$ 498 (converted from BRL 2,500) for the third generation. The outlet also says Brazil is the only country left out of pre-orders. Stores begin selling on Friday; the company has yet to say whether Brazil will be on the list and at what price.

Prices converted to US dollars from the original currency at the reference rate of 2026-10-13 (European Central Bank).

Text written with AI from the sources listed and checked by the newsroom's automated rules. How we work

• #hardware
• #apple