I actually thought that, through the years, sensible TVs would get extra fluid and responsive interfaces. Whereas the UI has been up to date, sadly, the interface remains to be simply as laggy because it was in 2018. That is why I am ditching my 2024’s Fireplace TV OS for my eight-year-old Apple TV 4K.
TVs With Constructed-in Smarts Simply Aren’t That Responsive
I’ve had a TCL sensible TV for years now. My first one was a Roku TV, and my brand-new 2024 mannequin is a Fireplace TV. Each, nonetheless, are extraordinarily gradual and never that responsive.
This is the factor: I’ve used each Fireplace TV and Roku on first-party exterior streaming units, and so they’re nice sensible TV platforms, in addition to good and responsive. Initially, I simply thought that my TCL Roku TV was gradual as a result of it was from 2018. It was an older mannequin, however newer TVs needs to be quicker and extra responsive. You’d suppose.
Nevertheless, after buying my brand-new TCL Q5-series sensible Fireplace TV, I used to be once more disenchanted within the efficiency of the system. I used to be actually hoping that I may ditch my Apple TV 4K, which is arising on eight years previous, for my TV’s new built-in OS. It could be extra seamless to not have to make use of an exterior gadget. And, it will simply be extra handy to not must know the place the TV distant is in case HDMI CEC failed to show the TV on with the Apple TV distant.
Sadly, that simply wasn’t the case. Even navigating the pages of the YouTube app was gradual, sluggish, and simply downright painful to make use of. It “labored,” however not fluidly, and that is one thing I did not anticipate to be an issue with a 2024-model mid-range TV.
8 Years Later, My Apple TV 4K Nonetheless Outshines Trendy Constructed-In OSes
My trusty eight-year-old Apple TV 4K is beginning to get a bit lengthy within the tooth at this level. And, that is partially why I hoped my new TV would have a pleasant and responsive working system. Nevertheless, when the TV fell flat, my Apple TV 4K received hooked proper again up.
Whereas eight years previous (and a number of generations behind the present mannequin), my unique Apple TV 4K works nice. It has its points and typically has a tiny bit of lag. However, total, it is extraordinarily responsive and blows my brand-new 2024 TV out of the water by way of efficiency.
Not solely does the Apple TV 4K outshine my present TV’s working system in fluidity, but additionally in simply sheer perform. A number of the apps which can be on the Fireplace TV are simply so cumbersome to make use of, whereas the Apple TV model is extra polished, fluid, and straightforward to make use of. I do know that is an Apple TV vs Fireplace TV factor, nevertheless it’s merely value noting how nice Apple’s units are, even virtually a decade after launch.
Why I’ll Proceed Utilizing My Apple TV 4K Over Constructed-In Choices
Going again to my Apple TV 4K wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card, nevertheless it’s additionally one thing I ought to have anticipated. Whereas it is attainable to do issues like pair AirPods to Fire TV and extra fashionable TVs assist AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, the method simply is not as seamless as utilizing an Apple TV.
Apple TV can be greater than only a streaming field. It’s an out-of-home HomeKit hub. It is a Thread hub. It is a Matter hub. It could actually develop into a central a part of your sensible house. And that is one thing that I noticed I used to be going to overlook by not having an Apple TV in my sensible house stack.
Apple does a great job of building its walled garden to keep you in. And, whereas I do not use any Apple-exclusive providers on my Apple TV 4K, I do use loads of the options that they’ve constructed into the streamer. And I already owned it, which meant I did not have to purchase one thing else to perform these duties.
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