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If you’re an Apple user, you’ve probably been eyeing up the newest gear introduced at the company’s splashy spring event back in April. And though we appreciated all the latest devices, like the Purple iPhone 12 and rainbow colored iMacs, the one thing that stood out for streaming entertainment buffs was the new Siri Remote for the Apple TV 4K.
Yes, the Apple TV 4K (2021) is now shipping, and its upgraded A12 Bionic processor makes it speedier with better graphics. But, with the Apple software updates, you may not feel the need to purchase the upgraded hardware just yet. Lucky for you the highly functional redesigned Apple Siri Remote is available to purchase on its own.
Price and Availability: The Apple Siri Remote is available to buy now for $59 at Apple or preorder it at B&H Photo.
Why We Chose It: The previous 2017 Apple TV 4K Siri Remote was controversial, to say the least. Some people weren’t too bothered with the touchpad only navigation, but for others, it was a real pain (we were in the latter bucket). Once you got used to sliding around the screen, you could open your apps fairly easily, but if you wanted to get more precise with rewinding and fast-forwarding or finding an exact place in your movie, TV show or video, you were pretty much up a creek.
This new remote is a revelation. Crafted from aluminum, it sports a five-way clickpad and a swipepad in two concurrent circles and comes with an included Lightning cable for charging. The Siri Remote weighs in at 2.2 ounces, which is nearly double the old remote, but still feels good in your hand. Ergonomically, it also has a curved back with a black Apple stamped in the middle.
The Apple Siri Remote also comes with a new mute button and, lo and behold, an actual power button, which can turn off both your TV and soundbar with one long press. The Siri button now resides on the side of the remote to better mirror your iPhone and there is a play/pause button as well as volume controls.
Why You Need It: At $59, the Apple Siri Remote isn’t cheap. But if you don’t feel like spending the nearly $200 for an Apple TV 4K (2021), then it’s an affordable upgrade to your older box.
Yes, the Siri Remote is completely redesigned, but it’s the outer ring of the clickpad that does most of the heavy lifting—simultaneously bringing us back to the revolutionary wheel on the original iPod. Now you can forget that annoying all-encompassing swipepad on the older remote and simply use the outer circle to joyously move around the screen with ease. You also get a satisfying click then you select what you want. The inside circle is still a swipe pad and sometimes we did use a combination of click and swipe. In fact, both circles can be used as one big swipepad if you just can’t quit it.
The biggest change with this new remote is the ease of forwarding and rewinding. Just rest your thumb on the outer ring of the Siri remote for a beat and the Apple TV 4K’s software will pick it up and mirror the circle onscreen—with a dot in the exact spot your finger is on the remote. Then move your thumb clockwise and counterclockwise to go forward or back, fast or slow. When you find your place in your show or movie, simply release your thumb and press play/pause. You can also jump ahead or back in 10-second augmentations by pressing the outer ring’s right or left side. The accuracy is jolting in comparison with the old remote.
But best of all, the newly designed Siri Remote will work with the first and second generation of both Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.
What Others Are Saying: PocketLint thinks buying the new Siri Remote is a simple upgrade for your older Apple TV 4K, “Although you can buy the new remote on its own – which is a way to easily ‘upgrade’ the older box – the new one included in the box is the biggest and most visible change for the 2021 Apple TV 4K. It’s one feature that removes a lot of the pain barriers (first-world problems, we know) to using the Apple set-top box on a daily basis.”
Tom’s Guide is thrilled with the Siri Remote, saying, “Celebrate! The new Apple TV 4K 2021 comes with a brand-new Siri Remote that’s been completely redesigned. The new remote still has a similar slim rectangular shape but is now made of 100% recycled aluminum.”
Final Conclusion: Nobody can argue that the 2021 Apple Siri Remote is the star of the new Apple TV 4K. But at nearly $200, you may not be ready to make that commitment if your old streaming box is working fine. Apple’s decision to sell the remote separately allows you to upgrade for a whole lot less and get a chance to wield the eye-opening clickpad — and ditch that other awful remote once and for all.
