Thinking of making the jump; what’re some key differences, features, drawbacks, etc., thanks a bunch!!!
The Apple TV HD is much, much worse in every way. It’s a really old repackaged model from like 2015 that Apple hasn’t bothered updating. Definitely get any of the Apple TV 4K models, even the first-gen 4K is better.
The HD doesn’t get:
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4K support (1080p max resolution)
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HDR/Dolby Vision
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Dolby Atmos
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Worse connection speeds (100 Mbit max on the HD, 1000 Mbit on 4K, slower wifi and bluetooth as well on the HD)
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No Homepod support
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No smart home stuff
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The CPU is much slower with an A8 (HD) vs the A15 (4K). Literally seven CPU generations slower.
I would not even remotely consider the Apple TV HD unless it was like $20. It’s outdated in pretty much every way possible. The Apple TV 4K is modern hardware, and will remain modern for at least 5+ years from now. My parents inherited my first-gen Apple TV 4K and that box is still fairly modern by todays standards, and is better than the Apple TV HD.
The HD doesn’t get:
• Can’t use Homepod stereo pair/EARC audio out • No smart home stuff
Not entirely true. To pair Apple TV with HomePod, you go to Settings > Audio and Video (or Video and Audio) > Audio. There, the Apple TV will recognize any HomePod device as “temporary” device.
Of course, if your tvOS’s version is 17.0 or later, press and hold the monitor-looking button till the upper-right menu appears. Then select Audio and then select a HomePod device if it appears.
I don’t know what kind of “smart home stuff” you were referring to, but the Home app might work on tvOS. Right?
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Avoid getting the HD; It most likely won’t support future tvOS upgrades, beyond 17.
One drawback about 4K HDR models is the lack of USB-C ports, which would’ve been needed if all other steps to make an Apple TV 4K workable fail. Depending on a mac device, either the Finder or iTunes can help restore an Apple TV device that contains such port or a microUSB port or a USB-A port.