The New Apple TV 4K Makes Ethernet Standard (And It's About Time)

If you've never used an Apple TV device, then you may not know that it can actually handle certain tasks better than your smart TV. But the new fourth-generation Apple TV 4K is taking things a step further with standard Ethernet connectivity. This is a big deal, as the previous version required buyers to spend an additional $50 for the Ethernet feature.

Ethernet capability has been absent from the Apple TV base model since 2022, when the third-generation version no longer featured it. Getting Ethernet and Thread support at the time meant choosing the company's more expensive 128GB model. Before that, both the 32GB and 64GB versions of the second-generation Apple TV 4K included Ethernet connectivity. The new fourth-generation Apple TV 4K not only includes standard Ethernet capability but also supports Thread and can function as a smart home hub.

In addition to Ethernet and Thread, the new fourth-generation Apple TV 4K also has Wi-Fi 7 capability. This is a step above the previous model's Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, which means Apple chose to skip past Wi-Fi 6E. Additionally, the new Apple TV 4K costs $299, which is $100 more than the previous generation's entry-level model. The price of that model had actually increased in June 2026.

Connecting to the internet with an Ethernet cable while using the new Apple TV 4K can make a difference for your overall viewing experience. That's because Ethernet allows you to connect your device directly to your router instead of relying on Wi-Fi. Apple TV can encounter connectivity issues due to physical objects interfering with the device's ability to maintain a steady connection over Wi-Fi. An Ethernet connection can prevent those obstacles from becoming a problem.

Using Ethernet doesn't necessarily mean your connection will always be faster or that your Apple TV won't buffer at some point. Even though your device will automatically switch over from Wi-Fi when Ethernet is connected, there's no guarantee that you'll be able to achieve Apple TV's potential network speed of 1 Gbps. Your individual viewing experience can be affected by a number of factors, from the internet service you use to the network equipment you have installed.

Beyond its connectivity options, the new fourth-generation Apple TV 4K has several hardware upgrades as well. These includes the A19 chip, which is designed to be faster and more efficient than previous Apple TV models. The A19 chip also has a built-in AV1 decoder, a feature designed to improve streaming efficiency without requiring as much network bandwidth.