There’s more than one way to stream most movies and TV shows in 2026, the year of the RGB Mini LED TV. Streaming devices like the Apple TV 4K are a great way to enjoy platforms like Netflix and Disney+, but what if you happen to own a PlayStation 5? This powerhouse of a gaming machine is internet-connectable, and it’s home to numerous entertainment platforms. Like most comparisons in the world of consumer tech, user preference is the ultimate deciding factor, but the r/appletv Reddit community has plenty to say on the subject.
Generally speaking, most folks seem to prefer the intuitive tvOS interface over the bigger, heavier streaming dashboard that Sony offers. As far as available apps go, both the Apple TV 4K and PS5 support most major services, and even some more unique platforms. However, Apple’s dedicated streamer takes up far less physical space, and the remote is designed around the streaming experience. The PS5’s menus and settings are less oriented toward streaming exclusively, and more toward actual gaming and system tools. Apps and streaming entertainment are part of the UI, too — they’re just not as “front-and-center” as they are on tvOS.
Apple and Sony hardware doesn’t skimp on connectivity either. Both the third-gen Apple TV 4K (Wi-Fi + Ethernet, 128 GB) and the PlayStation 5 have gigabit Ethernet ports; if your TV is close enough to your router, we definitely recommend wired internet over Wi-Fi. But there’s also this fact: From the ground up, the Apple TV 4K is engineered to deliver sharper, more colorful visuals than the PS5 — particularly when watching HDR content.
Dolby Vision and better energy efficiency give Apple TV a leg-up for streaming
The PlayStation 5 made it into the HDR generation, but the console only supports the HDR10 standard. It also doesn’t support frame rate matching, which could occasionally lead to playback stutter. This isn’t such a big deal for video games, but it might be a drawback if you stream a lot of movies or watch a lot of shows. The Apple TV 4K supports HDR10, too, but it also supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG, making it the more encompassing choice for HDR playback. Power consumption is another category where the Apple TV comes out on top, which you may have assumed by just looking at how small it is compared to a PS5.
When streaming a 4K HDR movie, the Apple TV 4K pushes up to 2.36 watts, then hovers around 0.48 watts when in standby. A base-tier PS5 draws up to 220 watts in an active gaming session, and up to 1.3 watts when it’s turned off but plugged in. If you stream for several hours per day, the lighter operation of an Apple TV will be easier on your energy bill. The upcoming fourth-gen Apple TV device gets a brand-new A19 processor, AI-powered Siri, and Find My integration, but the picture and sound deliverables are the same as the previous model; the newest Apple TV is also more than double the price of the 2022 iteration.
Should you already own the third-gen version, unless you’re determined to have the latest and greatest CPU and AI features, there isn’t much of a reason to upgrade. As for the long-rumored PlayStation 6, only time will tell how much of a picture quality and performance improvement the mystery hardware is over the PS5 era.
