Each component that makes up electronic devices is important to ensure good performance and general operation of the same. In the case of the Apple TV it is no different, since despite being a less popular device than the iPhone and Mac, it is also composed of high-end components and on certain occasions it is relevant to know data such as the amount of RAM memory that has. In this article we get you out of your doubts and analyze the data related to each generation.
Apple TV RAM: First to Last
- Apple TV (original): 256 MB.
- Apple TV (2nd generation): 256 MB.
- Apple TV (3rd generation): 512 MB.
- Apple TV HD (4th generation): 2 GB.
- Apple TV 4K (5th generation: 3GB.
256 MB of RAM is, a priori, a very low capacity today for the vast majority of electronic devices. If we found this ability today in an Apple TV it would be at least controversial, but the truth is that it was not bad for the time when the first two generations of this equipment were launched. We can already see how the Apple TV HD, which is still on sale, was a relevant leap that was also accompanied by other improvements in tvOS, something similar to what happens with the Apple TV 4K, the most recent model of the Californian company.
What is the RAM in an Apple TV for?
A high capacity of RAM memory is vital in a computer where power is required for heavy processes such as video or audio editing. In an Apple TV it is not so necessary since you can hardly perform actions beyond the enjoyment of multimedia content. You can’t even use a split screen (unless we count Picture in Picture as such). In any case, Apple has increased this capacity in recent years in order to match processors with this component, thus allowing greater enjoyment in video games , since Californians are focusing a lot on this device with their Apple Arcade service. Therefore, that would be mainly the star function of these devices for which a decent RAM is required.
Reason why Apple does not provide this information
With the exception of Mac computers, Apple does not give the data of the amount of RAM of its devices. Neither iPhone, nor iPad, nor Apple Watch and not even these Apple TV have public data about it. The Cupertino-based company considers this data practically irrelevant compared to others such as the processor and this is due to a competitive advantage that they have over their competitors: being the ones in charge of the development of all these components that ensure good performance of the teams, in addition to creating the adapted software.
Making each component seamlessly integrate with the rest always guarantees better performance with components that, a priori, could lead to worse performance than competitive equipment. The reality is that Apple can afford to integrate lower RAM capacities into devices that compete with the Apple TV and yet perform better overall.
The fact of not showing the data publicly could correspond to an image issue, since in the end the numbers can be misleading and a consumer who does not know these facts could come to believe that apple devices perform worse just for having less capacity. Finally, these data are known thanks to the work of professionals who break up these devices and analyze the RAM memories, as well as with the use of specialized tools capable of measuring the performance of a device and giving specific data on its components.