Longtime Apple TV fan says the device's $299 price is too much, so he plans to keep the hardware he already owns for as long as it works. He recalls buying a G4 Mac mini to replace burning DVDs and CDs, then watching Steve Jobs launch the Apple TV and call it a "hobby." That "hobby" grew into a large collection of Apple TV models over the years.
The author notes that prices fell over two decades, with one period when the box sold for $79. Now the price has returned to $299 for hardware released four years ago. He argues that the difference in performance does not justify the cost, especially given a second price increase in six months on Apple's lowest-end Apple Silicon. Google and Amazon streaming boxes are not a good alternative in his view, citing weaker performance and privacy concerns.
For budget buyers, he suggests used Apple TV 4K models for under $100 on eBay, or 1080p App Store-capable models for about $80. Older, thinner models have no future beyond AirPlay, he warns.
His preferred workaround is to connect a used Mac mini to the TV instead. An M1 Mac mini with 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage can be found for about $380 on eBay, and headless M1 MacBook Airs cost roughly the same. He concedes that users lose HomePod surround sound support, but gain flexibility and Siri AI.
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing