There are plenty of smart TVs out there, from Roku to the Amazon Fire Stick, and modern TVs come with so many streaming services built in that it seems almost impossible to need an external device. However, there is one smart TV box that really stands out from the rest, and that is the Apple TV 4K. Not only does it give you access to all your favorite streaming services, but it also lets you access all the media stored on your Apple account – be it movies, music, or photos, but also games, guided workouts, and more. Oh, and it can handle 4K quality with Dolby Vision, HDR, and Dolby Atmos.

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Many Apple TV users only pair one thing with the device: the included remote. That’s logical, but there are plenty of other accessories that can enhance your Apple TV experience, and they’re not just electronic devices. In this list, we’ll highlight six different accessories available for your Apple TV 4K that you might want to get. We’ve chosen them based on actual user experiences and reviews from various publications.

If you already own an Apple TV 4K, chances are pretty high that you’re invested in the Apple ecosystem with iPhones and MacBooks. If you’re one of those people, you might also already own a pair of AirPods Max. Watching TV with Bluetooth headphones can be a tricky business, as they tend to have latency issues when paired directly with a TV (which is why most of the best wireless headphones for TV audio are RF headphones). However, Bluetooth works well when paired with an Apple TV, which reduces latency issues, and one of the best Bluetooth headphones on the market is the AirPods Max.

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The first big selling point of these headphones is obvious: they have active noise cancellation, and the ability to block out the world while watching everything can make the experience even better. The other benefit is that they can handle Dolby Atmos-enabled media, giving you as dynamic a listening experience as you can get with a pair of headphones. AirPods Max do cost a pretty penny, $549, but the quality you get while staying in the Apple ecosystem makes that price worthwhile. Of course, you don’t need to get a new pair – any AirPod model, like the upcoming AirPods 4, can pair with the Apple TV 4K. Honestly, any Bluetooth headphones you have should be able to pair with the device.

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One of the lesser-used features of the Apple TV is the ability to play games. Since you have access to the Apple App Store, you have thousands upon thousands of options at your disposal, both paid and free. The reason this feature is so overlooked is because most people only have their standard Apple TV remote, which isn’t really compatible with gaming unless its mechanics are incredibly simplistic. Well, it turns out you can use other devices instead. Thanks to Bluetooth, you can pair your PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller with your Apple TV 4K for the best gaming experience.

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As with the Apple AirPods Max, if you’re a PlayStation owner you may already have one of these controllers, so you can extend the use of your Apple TV 4K at no extra cost. If you’re not a PlayStation owner, you can pick up one of these gamepads for $74.99 in the base configuration. It’s not the only game controller that can pair with an Apple TV 4K, and it’s on the higher end in terms of price. But if you want to delve into the world of PlayStation, or even play a controller-supported game on the App Store or Arcade, it’s one of the best on the market.

TV setup varies greatly from person to person. Some like a large entertainment center with designated spots for every single device connected to their TV. Others simply place their TV on a table or dresser where it will fit. Others mount their TV on the wall and prefer a clean look without any distracting cables. For example, if you hook up an Apple TV 4K, you’ll have to deal with HDMI and power cables that can ruin the illusion of a TV floating on the wall. You need to hide the Apple TV behind your TV, but you don’t want to just tape it to the back. It could fall off or overheat. That’s where a company like TotalMount comes in with its Pro Apple TV Installation System.

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These mounts attach to the back of your TV, allowing you to easily slide your Apple TV 4K into a perfectly fitting slot. The mount is made with simple adhesives, and the model is also designed to regulate the heat of your device and allow enough airflow to keep it working properly. Because of the shape of the Apple TV, you can mount it in any direction you want for optimal access to your TV’s HDMI ports. Apple sells the TotalMount on its website for $39.95, and it also comes with a mount for your remote.

Not only can you mount the Apple TV 4K to your TV, but you can also mount your iPhone. Admittedly, this is a much more specialized matter. But in certain situations, the Belkin iPhone Mount allows you to interact with your Apple TV in ways you might not have thought possible.

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Why would you want to do this? The main reason has to do with video calling. Whether you’re using Apple’s FaceTime feature or a video conferencing platform like Zoom, you can put your iPhone on your TV and use it as a webcam while the people you’re talking to stream to your screen. This is mostly useful in a business setting where you want to have multiple people in the same office in one camera frame, rather than isolating each individual person in their own environment. But this could also be useful at home, for example when a family is contacting another family member who couldn’t make it to the meeting. Or maybe you just have trouble seeing the smaller iPhone screen and want to chat with someone on a big TV. Whatever the reason, you can grab a Belkin iPhone mount for $49.99.

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If you travel a lot, you’re sure to know the dangers of arriving at your hotel or private accommodation to find that the TV options are either extremely limited or non-existent. The channel selection may be very slim, or you may have to log into your streaming account on a strange device, potentially compromising your password on a public computer. These circumstances can be completely avoided if you simply take your Apple TV 4K with you and connect it to every TV you find on your travels. The problem is that in this scenario, you have to take quite a lot with you – you have the Apple TV itself, plus the remote, HDMI cable, and power cord. It can get unwieldy if it’s not packed properly. Fortunately, one company has a solution: the RLSOCO Hard Case for Apple TV 4K.

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For just $18.99, this is a specially designed case where one side is designed to keep your Apple TV and remote securely in place while the other side holds your two cables in a net. It’s very simple but effective. Plus, it’s a hard-shell design that gives your device extra protection when you’re dealing with particularly rocky travel conditions like turbulence or even a packed suitcase. With an overall rating of 4.7 stars on Amazon, this RLSOCO case is a great way to significantly improve your TV viewing experience on the go.

The Apple TV remote is incredibly simple and easy to use. Whether it’s the earlier model with the larger trackpad or the current model with directional buttons, it’s amazing what you can do with such a small device. If there’s one problem with the Apple TV remote, though, it’s the size. Because it’s so narrow and thin, it can easily slip out of your hands and end up in places you never intended it to be. Plus, you might not feel like you have a solid grip on the thin remote—it feels like it could break if you hold it too tightly, or shatter if you drop it. Like an iPhone, you can get a case for your Apple TV 4K remote, and one of the best on the market is Elago’s R1 Intelli Case.

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This case is made of thick silicone that will give you the best possible grip of your remote. If you’re worried that a case like this will block the Siri button on the side that lets you control your Apple TV 4K via voice, don’t worry – it has a perfectly cut-out hole so you can access it. Elago sells its R1 Intelli Case on its website for just $12.99, but you can get it even cheaper at Amazon for $9.99, where it has an average customer rating of 4.7 stars from over 5,500 reviews.

There are many other accessories available for your Apple TV 4K, especially from brands that offer similar products. For example, several companies make cases for the Siri Remote and compatible game controllers. To narrow down the selection to these six accessories, we considered several factors.

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The first factor was personal experience. As an owner of an Apple TV 4K who uses it daily, I have used the AirPods and PlayStation DualSense controller very often with great results. In addition, reviews from publications like Make Use Of were used to expand this list. Finally, we looked at customer reviews on sites like Amazon, as these reflect the opinions of people who actually use these accessories on a regular basis and not just during the testing phase required to write a published review. Taking all three factors into account, we were able to establish a sort of consensus and narrow down the candidates for our list.