Greatest remotes for Apple TV of 2022

The primary-generation Apple TV Siri Distant has earned a … lower than stellar status over time. Notably, house owners have criticized its awkward touchpad and obtuse design, which makes it troublesome to determine when it’s going through proper aspect up. It’s possible you’ll not notice this, however you don’t should settle and use Apple’s distant. There are different choices on the market, although. When you’ve got an older Apple TV, the third technology Siri Distant on the Apple TV 4K is a major enchancment over the earlier mannequin. You may go even additional afield, although, together with old-school common remotes, gamepads, and even your telephone. In the event you’ve been annoyed utilizing Apple’s set-top field, you now not should undergo, as a result of we’ve rounded up one of the best remotes for Apple TV.

How we picked one of the best remotes for Apple TV

I’ve owned an Apple TV (HD) since 2015, and am intimately conversant in how dangerous its distant feels. The skinny design makes it uncomfortable to carry and simple to lose between sofa cushions, and the clickable touchpad may be finicky. It’s dangerous, however I nonetheless use it on a regular basis. And struggling by means of that has instilled a ardour for locating a greater means to make use of my streaming gadget of selection.

Past private satisfaction, I’ve been writing about know-how, together with streaming gadgets, for a really very long time. I began protecting client electronics for TechnoBuffalo again in 2011, and have written for a lot of publications, together with CNN Underscored, Gear Patrol, iMore, Android Central, and XDA Builders.

When deciding on our picks, I researched websites like Amazon to see what different remotes can be found for the Apple TV. I additionally thought of the opinions of internet sites which can be devoted to protecting Apple merchandise, in addition to critic opinions and person impressions.

Issues to contemplate when choosing one of the best distant for Apple TV

This was a tough one, people. Sadly, there isn’t an abundance of choices like there are different Apple equipment. In the event you’re proud of the distant that got here along with your Apple TV 4K—or simply use the iOS distant accessible on each iPhone/iPad—there’s no cause so that you can purchase one thing new. Apart from just a few extremely area of interest choices, just like the Channel Grasp Easy Distant, there actually aren’t a ton of choices. In the event you curse the older Apple TV Distant each time you decide it up, although, we’ve got some strategies for a way you would possibly ditch it.

Design

TV and set-top field remotes are usually very utilitarian, so their normal designs haven’t modified a lot over time. We checked out remotes of all styles and sizes and thought of every part from construct high quality to thickness and weight. A distant’s design shouldn’t go ignored, and because it’s one thing you’ll possible use day-after-day. We tried discovering choices that look good and really feel good in your hand. We additionally looked for choices that function greater high quality supplies, sturdiness, and buttons that don’t really feel mushy.

Options

A distant shouldn’t be sophisticated to make use of, however that doesn’t imply it will possibly’t supply just a few additional options. We regarded out for choices that, if doable, transcend fundamental menu navigation. Just a few of the common remotes on our record are smartphone-like of their capacity to not solely management the Apple TV, however sensible house gadgets. In the meantime, the Apple TV Siri Distant presents fast entry to Apple’s digital assistant. It’s these options that assist set these remotes aside, and supply a extra well-rounded expertise past merely altering the quantity.

Battery life

When researching our picks, we tried discovering remotes that promise long-lasting battery life. A distant is of no use if it’s always useless. Ideally, a distant ought to final just a few months earlier than it must be recharged or have its batteries changed. We additionally usually choose remotes with a chargeable inner battery, quite than AAs, in an effort to scale back e-waste over the lifespan of the gadget.

Worth

The Apple TV 4K is already dearer than most devoted streaming gadgets, so we tried prioritized remotes that don’t add an excessive amount of to the general price. Regardless of that, our picks vary in value from $20 to a number of tons of of {dollars}. We’ll be the primary to confess that spending greater than $100 on a distant is a giant ask, however the dearer picks have lots of utility for a lot of gadgets, not simply the Apple TV.

The perfect remotes for Apple TV: Evaluations & Suggestions

We dug into the small print to seek out one of the best distant for Apple TV that works for you. It’s an eclectic record, however one which we hope will lead you to discover a higher expertise along with your fave streaming gadget.

Greatest distant for Apple TV: Apple TV Siri Distant

Why it made the reduce: A stunning aluminum design and exact D-pad make this one of the best distant for Apple TV.

Specs:

• Measurement: 1.04 x 6.93 x 2.62 inches
• Weight: 0.28 kilos
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
• Battery life: Two months

Professionals

• Higher design than previous Apple TV remotes
• Jogwheel controls
• Clicky buttons
• USB-C charging

Cons

• Form of costly for a greater model of the factor you have already got

It took Apple a number of years to launch an Apple TV distant that individuals don’t hate. The newest Apple TV Siri Distant, which comes with the Apple TV 4K, is a major enchancment over the first- and second-generation Apple TV Siri Remotes, ditching the clickable touchpad for a way more intuitive D-pad. The brand new model is taller and thicker than the first-gen, so it’s extra snug to carry. The button structure has been tweaked barely and now features a mute button. The directional pad additionally options touch-sensitive “jogwheel” controls, which helps you to cycle by means of your content material by sliding your finger across the round navigation controls, such as you would on an old-school iPod. The third-gen mannequin prices by way of USB-C, which is a part of Apple’s gradual transition away from Lightning cables.

Greatest premium common distant: Logitech Concord Elite

Why it made the reduce: In order for you the last word common distant, you’ll be able to’t do any higher than the Logitech Concord Elite.

Specs:

• Measurement: 6 x 2 x 0.6 inches
• Weight: 0.75 kilos
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
• Battery life: 3-7 days

Professionals:

• Programmable buttons
• Assist for customized actions
• Show makes it simple to shortly entry customized actions

Cons:

• Expensive
• Not in manufacturing, so it’s troublesome to seek out

The Logitech Concord Elite was Logitech’s top-of-the-line common distant, with much more performance than the Concord Companion. Just like the Companion, it helps one-touch actions, customized actions, and large help for over 270,000 leisure and sensible house gadgets. The Concord Elite takes issues a step additional with a small capacitive contact show so that you can swipe by means of such as you would in your smartphone. The show places every part proper at your fingertips—together with the flexibility to show in your Apple TV—providing you with whole management over your leisure and sensible house gadgets. So far as client common remotes in the past, the Concord Elite is one of the best cash should purchase and is an effective way to interchange that pile of remotes sitting in your espresso desk.

The Concord model is formally useless, so Logitech now not makes the Concord Elite. As with the Companion, Logitech continues to help the distant, however they are going to be costly and, probably, powerful to seek out. Because the Elite was already $349.99 when it was in manufacturing, count on costs on new ones on Amazon to be very, very excessive. That is one the place you’re undoubtedly higher off shopping for used if you’re snug with that.

Greatest for avid gamers: PlayStation DualSense

Why it made the reduce: Sony’s next-generation console controller is snug to carry and contains a satisfying heft.

Specs:

• Measurement: 3 x 7 x 8 inches
• Weight: 0.95 kilos
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• Battery life: 10 hours

Professionals:

• Comfy design
• Wonderful haptic suggestions (in video games)
• Show makes it simple to shortly entry customized actions

Cons:

• In the event you don’t play video games, could really feel awkward in-hand

In the event you plan to make use of your Apple TV to play video video games, then your controller can double as a superbly nice distant. You need to use any Bluetooth-compatible gamepad to the Apple TV, however we’re significantly a fan of the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller. The DualSense options good textured grips on the again, a built-in microphone and headphone jack, and prices by way of USB-C. It’s barely bigger than the PlayStation 4’s DualShock 4 controller, filling the hand higher and that includes superior haptic suggestions. You have to to cost the DualSense greater than the common TV-style distant, however gamers who’re snug with a controller will really feel proper at house utilizing it to regulate your Apple TV.

In the event you’d choose a bigger gamepad, the Xbox Wi-fi Controller additionally works very effectively with the Apple TV. Many avid gamers have a powerful desire for an Xbox- or PlayStation-style controller, so it’s nice that each choices can be found.

Greatest funds common distant: GE Common Distant

Why it made the reduce: The GE Common Distant makes it simple to interchange that pile of remotes in your espresso desk.

Specs:

• Measurement: 1 x 2.24 x 7 inches
• Weight: 0.2 kilos
• Connectivity: Infrared
• Battery life: N/A (Requires two AAA batteries)

Professionals:

• Straightforward to make use of
• Connects to 4 gadgets without delay
• Grasp quantity management

Cons:

• Plastic design feels low cost

If you wish to go the common distant route with out spending tons of of greenbacks on a Concord, the GE Common Distant is a fundamental TV distant that solely prices about $10. It comes pre-programmed with help for hundreds of audio and video gadgets out of the field and may management as much as 4 completely different gadgets without delay—together with the Apple TV. It options grasp quantity management, permitting you to regulate for any gadget it’s related to with out hopping between connections. The GE Common Distant is a fundamental product—it doesn’t function probably the most elegant design—however it is rather reasonably priced and fashionable with customers, making it a hidden gem for thrifty Apple TV followers.

Greatest distant that’s already in your pocket: iPhone 14

Why it made the reduce: The iPhone 14 (or another present mannequin) supplies fast entry to the Apple TV Distant app in case your precise distant is nowhere to be discovered.

Specs:

• Measurement: 6.1 x 3 x 0.3 inches
• Weight: 0.4 kilos
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

Professionals:

• Minimal setup
• You most likely have already got one
• Straightforward to make use of Distant app

Cons:

• Costly
• “Carry your personal distant” setup may be inconvenient

Hear me out on this one. In the event you aren’t glad by any of our picks, think about using an iPhone (assuming you personal one or would need to personal one). You need to use an iPhone to regulate your Apple TV by means of the Apple TV Distant app, which may be accessed by way of Management Heart in iOS. Once you invoke Management Heart, click on on the Apple TV Distant icon, and an interface for the Apple TV will pop up. There are controls to show the Apple TV on/off, change channels, play/pause, and a contact space to swipe by means of tvOS. You may’t management your TV’s quantity by means of the Apple TV Distant app, but it surely’s a good choice in a pinch.

It may be annoying for those who set your telephone right down to cost, then notice you want it to work your TV, so understand that this could work with any up to date iPhone. You may breathe new life into an previous iPhone you could have mendacity round by making it your everlasting Apple TV controller.

FAQs

A closing phrase about one of the best distant for Apple TV

It seems, Apple nonetheless makes one of the best distant for its streaming gadget. The 2nd-generation Apple TV Siri Distant options a superb design, nice battery life, and a devoted button for invoking Siri. It might really feel like a ache to speculate extra cash in a streaming gadget, however optimizing little issues like this—the stuff you use day-after-day—will help clean out the bumps of on a regular basis life.