I picked up the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) a few months ago, primarily because I needed a reliable Thread border router for my Home Assistant setup. The fact that it's also the best streaming device I've ever used was a bonus. At $149 for the 128GB model with Ethernet and Thread support, it's doing double duty in my living room – and doing both jobs well, with one minor asterisk.
Design & Build
Apple shrunk the Apple TV significantly with this generation – it's about half the weight of the previous model and noticeably smaller. It sits tucked behind my TV and I genuinely forget it's there, which is exactly what you want from a streaming box.
The new Siri Remote is a huge improvement over the old one. The clickpad with the outer ring for scrubbing through video is intuitive once you get used to it. My wife picked it up and figured it out immediately, which is the real test. The USB-C charging is a welcome change too – one less Lightning cable to keep around.
Build quality is typical Apple – solid aluminum, feels premium, will probably outlast the software support. No complaints here.
Features
The A15 Bionic chip is honestly overkill for a streaming box, but I'm not complaining. The interface is buttery smooth – no lag when navigating, apps launch instantly, and I've never seen it stutter. Coming from a Roku, the difference in responsiveness is night and day.
Streaming quality is excellent. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support means everything looks fantastic on my TV. The automatic frame rate and resolution matching is a nice touch – it switches seamlessly between 24fps movies and 60fps content without me having to think about it.
AirPlay works flawlessly for sharing content from my iPhone or MacBook. I use it constantly for throwing photos up on the TV or continuing a video I started on my phone. If you're in the Apple ecosystem, this integration alone might be worth the price.
The Thread border router functionality is the real reason I bought this specific model (you need the 128GB Wi-Fi + Ethernet version – the cheaper 64GB Wi-Fi-only model doesn't have Thread). It creates a Thread mesh network that my Aqara and other Thread devices connect to, which then bridges to Home Assistant. More on how that actually works in the performance section.
Performance
As a streaming device, performance is flawless. Seriously, I have zero complaints. 4K content loads quickly, there's no buffering issues, and the picture quality is the best I've seen from any streaming box. The A15 chip handles everything I throw at it without breaking a sweat.
As a Thread border router, it's... mostly great. My Thread devices connect reliably, commands go through quickly, and the mesh network stays stable for weeks at a time. I have it connected via Ethernet (highly recommend this – don't rely on WiFi for your border router), and it's set as my preferred HomeKit hub.
Here's the asterisk I mentioned: every few weeks, I need to restart it. The Thread network will occasionally get flaky – devices become unresponsive or slow to respond. A quick restart of the Apple TV fixes it every time, but it's annoying that it happens at all. I've seen other people report similar issues online, so it's not just me. It's not a dealbreaker, but for something that's supposed to be infrastructure, I wish it were more set-and-forget.
I should note that Apple's Thread implementation is version 1.2, while some newer devices use Thread 1.3. I haven't had compatibility issues personally, but it's worth knowing if you're mixing ecosystems.
Ease of Use
Setup was painless – hold your iPhone near the Apple TV, tap a few buttons, and it pulls in your Apple ID, WiFi credentials, and settings automatically. The whole process took maybe five minutes.
The tvOS interface is clean and simple. My wife, who has no interest in my smart home hobby, uses the Apple TV daily without any issues. The app layout makes sense, Siri voice search actually works well ("Play The Office" finds the right thing across all our streaming apps), and the settings are organized logically.
For the Thread/HomeKit hub functionality, there's honestly nothing to configure. Once it's set up and connected to Ethernet, it just works. You can check its status in the Home app under "Home Settings" > "Home Hubs & Bridges," but there's no ongoing maintenance needed – except for those occasional restarts.
One tip: if you have multiple Apple devices that can act as home hubs (HomePod Minis, other Apple TVs), make sure to set the Ethernet-connected Apple TV as your "primary" hub in the Home app. This ensures your Thread traffic goes through the most reliable connection.
Value
At $149 for the 128GB model with Ethernet and Thread, the Apple TV 4K is actually reasonable by Apple standards – and cheaper than the previous generation. You're getting a premium streaming device AND a Thread border router in one box.
Compare that to buying a separate streaming device ($50-100) plus a dedicated Thread border router ($30-50), and the Apple TV starts to look like a good deal, especially if you're already in the Apple ecosystem.
The 64GB WiFi-only model at $129 is fine if you just want a streaming box, but I'd strongly recommend spending the extra $20 for the Ethernet and Thread support. Future-proofing yourself for Matter/Thread devices is worth it.
If you're not in the Apple ecosystem at all, this probably isn't for you – the Apple TV really shines when you have an iPhone and use Apple services. Android users would be better served by a Chromecast or Shield TV.
Pros
- Best-in-class streaming quality with Dolby Vision and HDR10+
- Incredibly smooth interface powered by A15 chip
- Built-in Thread border router (128GB model)
- Excellent AirPlay integration with Apple devices
- Premium build quality and improved Siri Remote
Cons
- Thread border router occasionally needs restart
- Only the 128GB Ethernet model has Thread support
- Limited value if you're not in Apple ecosystem
- No native YouTube 4K HDR (Apple/Google dispute)
Final Grade
The Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) is doing exactly what I bought it for: streaming content beautifully and keeping my Thread smart home devices connected. The streaming experience is genuinely the best I've used – fast, smooth, and picture-perfect. The Thread border router functionality works well about 95% of the time, with occasional restarts needed to keep things running smoothly. That's my only real complaint, and it's a minor one. If you're building a Thread-based smart home and you're in the Apple ecosystem, the 128GB model is an easy recommendation. You get a premium streaming box and critical smart home infrastructure in one compact, well-designed package.