Apple officially unveils its new Apple TV 4K with A19 chip and Siri AI

Apple TV fans, the wait is finally over.

At its "Welcome home" event in New York City today, Apple unveiled three new home products, including its new HomeView smart home hub, a refreshed HomePod mini, and, at long last, the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K.

It's been four years since Apple last refreshed its streaming box, with the third-gen model launching in 2022 powered by the A15 Bionic chip. Now, Apple is back with a new model packed with major upgrades, all wrapped in a familiar design.

Leading the charge is Apple's A19 chip, which debuted with the iPhone 17 last year. According to Apple, it delivers 50 percent faster CPU performance and twice the GPU performance of the A15-powered Apple TV 4K. Apple is putting that extra power to use by bringing Siri AI and Apple Intelligence support to its streaming box for the first time.

The fourth-gen Apple TV 4K starts at $300, and unlike its predecessor, it comes in just one configuration: a 128GB model with Ethernet. The third-gen Apple TV 4K offered two options: a Wi-Fi-only 64GB model and a 128GB model with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet. This time around, Apple has dropped the cheaper option altogether, opting to sell only the more expensive model. Given the ongoing global memory shortage, that decision isn't entirely surprising.

The new Apple TV 4K is available for pre-order now and launches on November 13.

Lots of upgrades, same design

Wi-Fi 7, Siri AI, and hands-free controls

Beyond the A19 chip, Apple has packed several other hardware upgrades into the new Apple TV 4K. Notably, it now supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, a notable leap from the previous model's Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5. You can also pair up to four compatible HomePod speakers for surround sound, up from the two you could use on the previous gen.

As for the design, the new model looks practically identical to its predecessor, with the same rounded-square shape and black plastic exterior. However, Apple has made one subtle but notable change by adding three far-field microphones, allowing you to interact with Siri AI hands-free to control what you're watching and discover new shows and movies.

Speaking of Siri AI, it's arguably the biggest new feature on the Apple TV 4K. Apple touts it as an "effortless way to find entertainment," thanks to its understanding of your personal context and ability to answer complex questions.

"An entirely new version of Siri powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence, Siri AI is a profoundly more capable and conversational assistant with personal context understanding, broad world knowledge, and the ability to take even more systemwide app actions, making it effortless to find entertainment," Apple said in a press release.

Apple says you can ask Siri questions like "What Apple TV shows won at the Emmy Awards this year?" and it'll pull up a screen filled with cover art, allowing you to select which show you want to watch. You can also ask questions like "Where was Pluribus filmed?" or check whether a show is age-appropriate by asking, "Is this appropriate for a 15-year-old?"

You can even ask Siri to broaden its search by requesting "More award-winning comedies." Apple says these answers will appear in what it calls a "compact, subtle overlay, providing helpful information when viewers ask."

If you have an iPhone with Apple Intelligence, Siri AI on your Apple TV 4K can also draw on your personal context. For example, you can ask it to "Play the show Alinda recommended" to find the show your friend suggested to you over text.

Siri AI will be available in beta on the new Apple TV 4K at launch in English in the US, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and the UK.

Finally, the new Apple TV 4K has one last change up its sleeve: it includes a new Siri remote that keeps the same design but adds Find My support with Precision Finding. So if you lose your remote, it will be much easier to find now.

A welcome upgrade, but $300 stings

A cheaper Wi-Fi-only model would've been nice to see, too

While I'm happy Apple has finally announced a new Apple TV 4K after four years, with major upgrades like the A19 chip and Wi-Fi 7 support, its new $300 price tag sure does sting.

Apple raised the price of its third-gen Apple TV 4K in June due the memory shortage, bumping the 64GB Wi-Fi-only model from $130 to $200 and the 128GB model with Wi-Fi and Ethernet from $150 to $250. At $300 for the new fourth-gen model with 128GB of storage and Ethernet, that's a further $50 price hike over its predecessor.

Personally, while I prefer using Ethernet, I'd have liked to see Apple keep a cheaper 64GB Wi-Fi-only model around for those who want an Apple TV without forking out $300. And if you already own a third-gen Apple TV 4K and are still happy with it, I'd hold off on upgrading for now.

That said, if you have an older Apple TV or have been looking to switch platforms, the new Apple TV 4K is a compelling option. Its A19 chip, Wi-Fi 7 support, and Siri AI capabilities should make it a future-proof streamer for years to come, and it's arguably the fastest streaming device you can get.

The fourth-generation Apple TV 4K is available for pre-order now and launches on November 13.