TV 4K (3rd generation, Wi-Fi + Ethernet)

Confirm the current Apple price. Buy the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model, not the cheaper Wi-Fi-only model, if you need Thread.

Hardware

Hardware for Apple TV 4K (3rd generation, Wi-Fi + Ethernet)
Storage	128GB on the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model. The Wi-Fi-only model is 64GB.
Video	HDMI 2.1
Radios	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) 2x2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, Thread. Thread is listed only on the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model.
Ethernet	Gigabit Ethernet on the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model only
Size	1.2 × 3.66 × 3.66 in. Wi-Fi + Ethernet model weighs 7.5 oz (214 g).

Software for Apple TV 4K (3rd generation, Wi-Fi + Ethernet)
Role	Apple Home hub. Thread accessories need a Thread-enabled home hub such as this model, a HomePod, or another border router.
App	Set up with an Apple device. tvOS and the Home app.
Not included	No Zigbee radio. Hue, Aqara, and other Zigbee devices still need their own bridge or hub.

What you buy with it for Apple TV 4K (3rd generation, Wi-Fi + Ethernet)
SKU trap	The 64GB Wi-Fi-only Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) does not include Thread or Ethernet.
What else you buy	A TV with HDMI, and a HomePod only if you also want a speaker in another room.
Account	Apple Account

Drawn from the published specifications and what else you have to buy. Not a lab score.

• Thread and Gigabit Ethernet are in the model that should be the Apple home hub.
• It is a TV box you would own anyway, so the hub is not an extra gadget on a shelf.
• Apple’s spec page draws a hard line: Thread is on the Ethernet model only.

• The cheaper Wi-Fi-only SKU looks similar and does not do the smart-home job.
• No Zigbee. A Hue bridge or an Aqara hub is still a separate purchase.
• The Home app is the controller. It is a poor fit if nobody in the house uses Apple devices.

A router can be compared with another router. It cannot be compared with a lock, a bulb, or a speaker.

Spec rows checked 2026-10-13. Street prices change after that date.