Buying an Apple TV in 2026 comes with an awkward twist: the device barely changed, but the price jumped hard. In June, Apple quietly pushed the Apple TV 4K up by £50 to £100. It’s still the same box from late 2022. So “which Apple TV should I buy?” now drags a second question along with it — is it even worth it any more?
I’ve run the Apple TV 4K as my main streamer for 13 months, and my short answer hasn’t changed. For the right person, it’s still the best streaming device you can put under a TV. But “the right person” is a narrower group than it used to be — and the model you should pick flipped once the new prices landed.
This guide covers the whole decision. Which of the two Apple TV 4K models to buy. The new 2026 prices across the UK and Europe. Whether to buy now or wait for the rumoured next one. And whether an iPhone-free household should just get a cheaper box instead.
Which Apple TV Should You Buy? The Short Answer
Apple only sells one Apple TV now — the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) — in two versions. So the real choice is which of the two, and whether to buy at all right now.
Best for most people — Apple TV 4K 128GB (Wi-Fi + Ethernet) £249 / €279
The Ethernet port, Thread smart-home radio, and extra storage make it the one worth owning long term. And there’s a 2026 quirk: because some shops still sell it at the old price, the 128GB is occasionally cheaper than the 64GB right now. Check before you buy.
Cheapest way in — Apple TV 4K 64GB (Wi-Fi) £199 / €229
Identical speed and picture. You lose the Ethernet port and Thread radio. Fine if you stream over Wi-Fi and don’t run a HomeKit smart home.
Should you wait? If you’re an Apple enthusiast holding out for the next model, maybe — I explain the buy-or-wait call below. Not an iPhone household? Honestly, a cheaper Roku or Google TV box makes more sense now — see the comparison.
Check Today’s Apple TV 4K Price on Amazon →The 2026 Price Rise: What Changed
On 25 June 2026, Apple raised the price of the Apple TV 4K — the biggest percentage hike across everything it repriced that day. Nothing inside the box changed. It’s still the same 3rd-generation A15 model from late 2022, just more expensive.
| Model | Old price (UK) | New price (UK) | Eurozone now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple TV 4K 64GB (Wi-Fi) | £149 | £199 | €229 |
| Apple TV 4K 128GB (Ethernet) | £169 | £249 | ~€279 |
Why? Apple pointed to rising memory-chip costs, driven by a global shortage of DRAM and NAND as AI data centres buy up supply. It’s an industry-wide squeeze, not an Apple-only story. But a £50–£100 rise on a four-year-old streamer still stings.
The practical upshot for buyers: some retailers hadn’t updated to the new price when I last checked, so old-price stock is still floating around at places like Amazon. That won’t last. If you already know you want one, grabbing an old-price unit is the single best money-saving move available right now.
Should You Buy Now or Wait for the Next Apple TV?
A new Apple TV 4K has been rumoured for a while, and the timing question got louder once Apple raised prices on the current one. The honest state of play, as I write this:
Apple has announced tvOS 27, the software update coming this autumn, but it has not launched new Apple TV hardware. Reporting points to a next-generation model with a faster chip, a smarter Siri, and possibly a tweaked remote — but nothing is official, and these rumours have slipped before. Some analysts now wonder whether raising prices on the old model is a sign the new one isn’t imminent at all.
How I’d play it:
- You need a streamer today and found old-price stock? Buy now. The A15 model is already overkill for streaming and will feel fast for years.
- You’re an Apple enthusiast who wants the newest chip and Apple Intelligence features? Wait for the autumn announcement. That upgrade is aimed squarely at you.
- You just want the best value? Don’t pay the new full price for four-year-old hardware. Either find old-price stock, or look at a cheaper rival box — more on that below.
Apple TV 4K 64GB vs 128GB: Which to Choose
This is the actual “which Apple TV should I buy” decision, because these are the only two on sale. They’re identical in speed and picture quality — same A15 chip, same ports for video and sound. The differences are storage, networking, and the smart-home radio:
| Question | 64GB (Wi-Fi) | 128GB (Wi-Fi + Ethernet) |
|---|---|---|
| New price | £199 / €229 | £249 / ~€279 |
| Wired internet | No | Yes, Gigabit Ethernet |
| Thread smart-home radio | No | Yes |
| Storage for apps & games | Plenty for most | Headroom for Arcade gamers |
| Best for | Pure Wi-Fi streaming | Smart homes, wired setups, gamers |
My advice runs slightly against saving money: most people should take the 128GB. The Ethernet port alone is worth it if your Wi-Fi is ever flaky, and the Thread radio future-proofs any HomeKit plans. Add the 2026 stock quirk — where the 128GB turns up at old-price while the 64GB doesn’t — and the pricier model is often the smarter buy right now.
Get the 64GB only if you’re certain you’ll stream purely over Wi-Fi, have no smart-home ambitions, and can’t find the 128GB at a competitive price.
Compare Both Apple TV 4K Models on Amazon →
Apple TV 4K Prices Across Europe (2026)
Apple applied the June 2026 rise across every region, so the picture is broadly the same wherever you are in Europe — noticeably higher than a year ago. Here are the current official Apple Store prices for the entry 64GB model, with the 128GB roughly £50 / €50 more:
| Country / region | Apple TV 4K 64GB | 128GB (Ethernet) |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | £199 | £249 |
| Germany & eurozone (France, Spain, Ireland, NL) | €229 | ~€279 |
| United States (for reference) | $199 | $249 |
Sweden, Poland, and other non-euro countries saw the same kind of increase in their local currency. Check your national Apple Store for the exact figure, since exchange rates shift the headline number. Two things hold true everywhere:
- Old-price stock is still out there. When I last looked, Amazon in the UK and Germany still listed units well below Apple’s new price. That’s the deal to chase.
- Never pay over Apple’s official price to a third-party marketplace seller. With a four-year-old device at a fresh premium, patience pays.
Check the Live Apple TV 4K Price →
Apple TV 4K Specs (2026)
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Model | Apple TV 4K, 3rd generation (late 2022) — still current |
| Chip | Apple A15 Bionic |
| Resolution | Up to 4K at 60fps |
| HDR | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
| Audio | Dolby Atmos, plus spatial audio with AirPods |
| Storage | 64GB or 128GB |
| Networking | Wi-Fi 6; Gigabit Ethernet + Thread on the 128GB |
| Smart home | HomeKit hub, Matter and Thread (128GB) support |
| Software | tvOS 26 today; tvOS 27 this autumn |
| Remote | Siri Remote with USB-C charging |
That A15 is an iPhone 13-class chip in a TV box, which is exactly why nothing about this device ever feels like it’s straining — even four years on.
What It’s Actually Like to Use
Speed
This is where Apple justifies charging more than anyone else. Apps open the instant your thumb leaves the button, menus never stutter, and search results appear as you type. Over 13 months on a 120 Mbps connection with 8-odd devices on the network, I’ve never seen it drop a 4K stream. No budget stick I’ve tested comes close to this on speed.
Picture and sound
The format support covers everything worth having — Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Atmos out to a soundbar. The feature film fans should care about is frame-rate matching. Turn it on once and every film plays at its native rate, so movies keep their proper cinematic motion instead of the soap-opera look. AirPods owners also get head-tracked spatial audio for private late-night viewing — I use it more than the soundbar after 10pm.
Apps in the UK and Europe
App gaps are basically history on tvOS. Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube, and Apple TV+ are all here, and UK viewers get the full catch-up set — BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, My5, and Now. Across the EU the big global apps work everywhere; local catch-up services vary by country, so check the App Store for your must-have before buying.
Interface and ads
The home screen is the calmest in streaming — a grid of your apps on a quiet background, with none of the sponsored rows that clutter a Fire TV. After the price rise, this ad-free experience matters more than ever to the “is it worth it” question. You’re paying more up front instead of having your attention sold later.
Apple ecosystem and gaming
If you own an iPhone, the tricks multiply fast: AirPlay to the big screen, the phone as a keyboard, automatic setup, a camera-based colour balance tool, and a HomeKit hub for your smart home. Pair a PS5 or Xbox controller and Apple Arcade turns it into a tidy casual games console too. Strip the Apple gear away and it’s still a superb streamer. You just lose the half of the value that makes the price make sense.
Does Apple TV Work in Europe?
Yes — the Apple TV 4K works fully across the UK and Europe, and I’ve used one on UK broadband for 13 months. This is a question I’m asked a lot, usually mixed up with the Apple TV+ streaming service, so let me split the two.
The Apple TV 4K box works in every European country, with the interface, App Store, AirPlay, and HomeKit all fully functional. The Apple TV+ service (Apple’s own shows) is also available across the UK and EU. You do not need the subscription to use the box — the confusion comes from Apple giving both the same name.
A few notes for European buyers:
- UK gets the complete catch-up line-up: iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, My5, and Now, plus all the global apps.
- Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the Nordics all work, with local apps varying by country.
- The App Store is region-aware — sign in with your country’s Apple ID to see the right local apps.
- Siri language support covers the major European languages, though a few smaller ones have limited voice features.
Which TV Pairs Best With an Apple TV?
A question that comes up alongside this one: what’s the best TV to use with an Apple TV 4K? You don’t need an expensive set, but a few things get the most out of the box.
For the picture, look for a 4K TV with Dolby Vision. Most mid-range and up LG, Sony, and Hisense OLED or Mini-LED sets qualify, and that’s where the Apple TV’s Dolby Vision output actually shows. For the ecosystem, any TV works. But sets with AirPlay 2 and HomeKit built in (many LG, Samsung, and Sony models) let you cast from an iPhone even without the box on that input. If your TV is an older 1080p set, the Apple TV still works — but you’re paying premium money for 4K features the screen can’t show, so a cheaper streamer makes more sense there.
In short: the Apple TV 4K pairs best with a modern 4K HDR TV. On a basic screen, its strengths are wasted.
Is It Still Worth It vs Roku, Fire TV, and Google TV?
This question got sharper the day Apple raised prices. At £199–£249, the Apple TV 4K now costs two to three times what a very good rival box does. The honest scorecard:
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Raw speed | Apple TV 4K | Nothing at any price is quicker |
| Ad-free interface | Apple TV 4K | Zero home-screen promos |
| Price / value | Roku & Google TV | A Roku Streaming Stick Plus or Google TV Streamer costs a fraction |
| iPhone & HomeKit homes | Apple TV 4K | AirPlay, AirPods, HomeKit, Fitness+ |
| Alexa smart homes | Fire TV | Echo and Ring integration |
| Android phone casting | Google TV | Chromecast built in |
| Casual gaming | Apple TV 4K | Apple Arcade plus controller support |
The verdict splits cleanly by household. If you live in the Apple world — iPhone, AirPods, HomeKit — the speed and integration still justify the premium, even after the hike. If you don’t, a Roku Streaming Stick Plus or the Google TV Streamer gives you the same Netflix in the same 4K for far less money. My Fire TV vs Apple TV comparison digs into the closest rivalry.
Apple TV 4K: Pros and Cons
✔ What I like
- Fastest streamer you can buy, by a distance
- Completely ad-free home screen
- Dolby Vision, HDR10+, Atmos, frame-rate matching
- AirPlay, AirPods, and HomeKit hub built in
- Full UK catch-up app lineup
- Will still feel quick in five years
✘ What I don’t
- The 2026 price rise on four-year-old hardware
- Best features need other Apple devices
- Costs 2–3× a very good rival box
- No HDMI or remote cable in the box
- A newer model may be close
How I Tested
This guide comes from 13 months with the Apple TV 4K running my main TV, not from a spec sheet:
- Daily viewing on a Samsung 32inch, with checks on an older 1080p set
- Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and YouTube across long real-world use
- Dolby Vision and Atmos playback through a soundbar, plus AirPods spatial audio
- Setup and AirPlay tested with both an iPhone and an Android phone
- HomeKit hub duties and Siri voice search most days
- A home network of 8-plus devices on a 120 Mbps connection
Prices were checked against Apple’s UK and German stores on the day of publishing, after the June 2026 increase. Because retailers clear old stock at odd times, always tap through for the live price.
Best Apple TV Devices: Your Questions Answered
Which Apple TV should I buy in 2026?
The Apple TV 4K 128GB (Wi-Fi + Ethernet) for most people — the Ethernet port and Thread radio are worth it, and it’s sometimes cheaper than the 64GB thanks to old-price stock. Get the 64GB only if you stream purely over Wi-Fi with no smart-home plans.
Which new Apple TV to buy — is there a newer model?
As of now the current model is the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation, 2022). Apple has announced tvOS 27 software but no new hardware yet. A next-generation model is rumoured for later, so Apple enthusiasts may want to wait; everyone else can buy today, ideally at old-price stock.
How much is the Apple TV 4K in 2026?
After the June 2026 rise: £199 / €229 / $199 for the 64GB, and £249 / ~€279 / $249 for the 128GB. Some retailers still sell old-price stock below these figures while it lasts.
Why did the Apple TV 4K get more expensive?
Apple raised prices on 25 June 2026 because of rising memory-chip costs from a global DRAM and NAND shortage. Nothing inside the box changed — it’s the same 2022 hardware at a higher price.
What’s the difference between the 64GB and 128GB Apple TV 4K?
The 128GB adds a Gigabit Ethernet port and a Thread smart-home radio, plus more storage, for about £50 more. Speed and picture quality are identical. Most homes are better off with the 128GB.
Does Apple TV work in Europe?
Yes. The Apple TV 4K box works in every European country, and the Apple TV+ service is available across the UK and EU. Sign in with your country’s Apple ID for the right local apps.
Is the Apple TV 4K worth it in 2026?
For iPhone and HomeKit households, yes — the speed and ecosystem still justify the price. If you don’t use Apple devices, a cheaper Roku or Google TV box gives you the same streaming for far less after the price rise.
What’s the best TV to use with an Apple TV?
A 4K TV with Dolby Vision gets the most from it — mid-range and up LG, Sony, and Hisense sets qualify. TVs with AirPlay 2 and HomeKit built in add extra convenience. On a basic 1080p TV, the box’s best features go unused.
Does the Apple TV need a subscription?
No. The box works without any subscription. The confusion is that Apple’s streaming service is also called Apple TV — that service is optional, like Netflix.
Should I buy the Apple TV now or wait?
Buy now if you find old-price stock or need one today. Wait if you specifically want the rumoured next-generation model with a faster chip and newer Siri features, expected later.
Related Guides
- 👉 Apple TV 4K Review (2026)
- 👉 Fire TV vs Apple TV: Which Should You Buy?
- 👉 Best Roku Streaming Devices in Europe
- 👉 How to Set Up Apple TV in Europe
Final Verdict: Which Apple TV to Buy in 2026
Cut through it and the advice is simple, even after the price rise. If you live in the Apple ecosystem, the Apple TV 4K 128GB is the best streaming device you can buy in Europe. Get it, ideally at old-price stock, and enjoy years of the fastest, cleanest streaming there is. The 64GB is the same experience minus Ethernet and Thread, for those who stream purely over Wi-Fi.
But 2026 changed the honest bottom line for everyone else. At £199–£249 for four-year-old hardware, an iPhone-free household is better served by a Roku or Google TV box that costs a fraction and streams the same shows. And if you’re an Apple enthusiast chasing the newest silicon, the rumoured next model may be worth the wait.
My final word: the Apple TV 4K is still brilliant, and still the premium pick for Apple homes. Just be honest about whether you’re the right buyer — and if you are, hunt down that old-price stock before it’s gone.
