It’s no surprise that I think the Apple TV 4K is the best streaming box on the market. It does nearly everything I ask of it, and when it finally gets audio passthrough, I won’t have anything to complain about. Well, there will still be one thing.

Price is a big gatekeeper for the Apple TV 4K, and if I ever go to recommend a streaming box, I’m more likely to recommend something like the Roku Streaming Stick to the average person. For people looking to leave behind their sluggish smart TV UI, a stick will be more than up to the task. A third-gen Apple TV 4K costs $130 or $150, depending on the model, and the reality is you can get a streaming stick for a fraction of that price. You can even get the flagship Roku Ultra for $100, so the Apple TV 4K is a tough sell.

Something that helped me get over that hurdle is being open to buying a used model. While it’s likely common knowledge at this point, eBay is a great place to pick up a wide range of things, including streaming boxes. I grabbed my first-gen Apple TV 4K with a second-gen remote from eBay back in 2023 for just $51. It works perfectly fine, and I saved quite a bit of money by taking that route. In fact, I might do it again.

Brand

Apple

Bluetooth codecs

5.0

Wi-Fi

6

Ethernet

Gigabit (128GB model only)

Storage and RAM

64GB, 128GB

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Don’t be afraid to buy used

It’s saved me money, and it can save you some too

Pocket-lint / Apple

I understand that used electronics can be scary for a variety of reasons. The big one is that you have no idea what the previous owner did with their device or how long it ran for. For example, when crypto mining was huge, people would sell their old graphics cards that had thousands of hours of use running 24/7, and that set you up for failure if you bought one. These GPUs had much more wear and tear on them, and even if you did get one for a lower price than usual, it was potentially on its last legs by the time it arrived.

The Apple TV 4K I bought could’ve very well had the same issue, but I decided to roll the dice. The thing I was more worried about was whether it came from a home with a smoker, as electronics smell horrid when they’re exposed to smoke. Luckily, that wasn’t the case, and I’ve been using this Apple TV 4K for about two years now without an issue. It hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down, but considering it’s a device that dates back to 2017, the clock is ticking.

I’ve been holding out hope that Apple is on the verge of announcing a 4th-gen Apple TV 4K, because that’s something I would jump on right away. If that doesn’t end up happening, I might just look to eBay for a used third-gen model as that’s the device that’s still receiving all the updates. No matter what, I’m getting it at a cheaper price than what Apple’s selling it for, and if I plug it in, and it works, that’s all that matters. At the time of this writing, I can pick up a third-gen model for $105, and that’s the version that comes with an Ethernet port, making it a savings of $45. That’s no small chunk, but you run into the problem of not knowing how the previous owner treated this device or why they’re getting rid of it.

To help ease any fears you might have, just know that I’ve been picking up loads of electronics from eBay lately. I grabbed a Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color, and after doing shell swaps on each of them, both are in great shape. I suppose that’s different from picking up a used Apple TV 4K, as neither of these consoles are available new anymore, but it shows that if you find a reliable seller, there’s nothing to be concerned about. Thankfully, eBay has many protections in place as a buyer so that if you get something broken, you can easily get a refund.

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An Apple TV 4K of any gen is worth it

Don’t wait for too long

Pocket-line / Apple

If Apple doesn’t announce a new generation of Apple TV 4Ks on the horizon, I think it’s time to stop waiting and just bite the bullet. Whether you get a used model on eBay or grab a new one for $150, the third-gen Apple TV 4K is still quite a powerhouse. Even my first-gen model is still great, and I use it in my living room over my much-newer Roku Ultra from 2024. With that said, I’d say to go for at least a second-gen model if you can, because it’s still getting some of the cool tvOS features while the first generation is stuck with nothing. If you don’t care about Liquid Glass, then by all means go for the cheapest option available.

There aren’t very many Apple TV 4K sales throughout the year, so your options for getting one almost always require you to pay the full price. This is a big reason why I decided to take the used route, especially since I did some research into what I needed from mine. At the time of purchase, all three generations of the device were out, but I was looking for something that worked with Dolby Atmos on Apple Music. There were many older Apple TV models out there, but only the 4K iteration supported that, so I picked up the cheapest one.

Rumors have been swirling all year about a 4th-gen Apple TV 4K, and Apple is rapidly running out of time to not only announce, but release one this year. At this point, it feels like an announcement and release are coming within weeks of each other if there’s going to be a new one for the holiday season. With the first and second generation models missing out on some of the latest tvOS features, it makes sense for a new generation to be on the horizon, unless Apple just plans on throwing all the support into the third-gen box. Only time will tell, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that a new model is coming.

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