8.7Home & displays
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8.7 
8.3
Why Apple TV 4K is still the streamer we recommend
Cheaper sticks exist, but none are as fast, private and free of ads. Here is why it is worth the premium.
Every streaming stick on the market is cheaper than Apple TV 4K. We still recommend Apple TV to almost everyone who asks, and the reason is the experience after the first week.
Speed
The A15 chip makes every app open quickly, and the interface never stutters. Cheaper devices often feel sluggish within a year as apps get heavier.
No ads on the home screen
The home screen shows your apps and what you are watching — not sponsored rows. That alone is worth a lot.
Picture settings that work
Match Frame Rate and Match Dynamic Range make films look the way they were mastered, without the dreaded soap-opera effect.
A smart-home hub
The Ethernet model is a Thread border router and a home hub for automations. If you have any smart-home devices, it ties them together.
Devices in this article
8.78.3Home & displays
HomePod (2nd generation)
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