6 Best TVs with Apple AirPlay Built-In
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Apple’s updated AirPlay 2 feature has some seriously impressive advancements – chiefly, it’s far more compatible with other devices like smart TVs, which makes it nearly effortless to cast your favorite show or music from an iPad, iPhone, or Mac right over to the TV for easy viewing when you’re ready to settle down for the night. The trick is getting a TV that works with AirPlay 2. We’re making that a whole lot easier with a quick round-up of our favorites, and what we really like about them.
Samsung TU-8000 – $348
This 43-inch TV is an excellent choice if you want a quality 4K TV for your home at a very affordable price. The UHD panel includes HDR technology for boosting image quality, and a 60Hz native refresh rate/120Hz motion rate. The model does come with the Tizen platform and built-in Alexa voice commands for an adding bit of fun (especially if you’ve lost the controller). We picked the smallest option because it’s a great fit for homes of all sizes, but not that you can easily upgrade to a larger display if you prefer. Get it here.
Sony X950H – $1498
Sony is well known for its reliable TVs, and this 65-inch, 4K, Android TV model is a great pick if you really want to upgrade to a sizable display that takes full advantage of its 4K resolution and buries you in detail.
It’s lit by a full array of smart LEDs and includes both Google Assistant and Alexa compatibility. There’s also a Game Mode that’s specifically designed to work well with your PlayStations. The motion rate also sits at 120Hz for this model, and HDR support is included. However, note that there’s no HDMI 2.1 support, so you’ll have to make do with older HDMI formats. Get it here.
LG 55SM8600PUA – $999
This 55-inch NanoCell TV offers 4K resolution backed by LG’s AI processor designed to enhance picture quality in all of the best ways. In addition to being compatible with both Google Assistant and Alexa, it also supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for intelligent audio improvements for the latest codecs. In other words, it’s really smart – and the full array LED with local dimming technology is just the cherry on top. The refresh rate on this model is also an impressive native 120Hz. “But wait, isn’t this TV from 2019? How does it have the latest AirPlay 2 technology?” LG is one of the companies working to bring AirPlay 2 backward compatibility to its best TVs, and this is one of the first models to benefit! Get it here.
Sony X800H – $698
If our larger Sony pick was too pricey, but you liked the idea of all those features, this is a far more affordable pick that still provides a 55-inch display and 4K resolution. It also gets those other plentiful smart features, including Google Assistant on the Android TV platform, Alexa, and of course AirPlay 2 with HomeKit support for controlling compatible devices. Both HDR and Dolby Vision/Dolby Atmos are supported. The LED backlighting isn’t full array, unfortunately, but there’s still a whole lot to like about this advanced HDTV. Get it here.
LG 55SM8100AUA – $499
Here’s another more affordable LG model that still offers a 55-inch display and 4K resolution. Google Assistant and Alexa are still supported, and the LED display supports local dimming for much-improved contrast results. Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10 are all supported for the best processing results, and the refresh rate is a native 60Hz. Get it here.
Vizio OLED55H1 – $1,299
We know, there’s one thing that’s been left off our list until now – an OLED TV. OLED remains the superior technology for lighting panels and showing up the most luminous, accurate colors possible (Quantum Dot technology tries to come close, but ultimately just isn’t the same). The problem is that the newest OLED TVs that are also compatible with AirPlay are limited and very expensive. This 4K Vizio model compromises with a more affordable price and AirPlay compatibility. The TV also includes HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support, as well as automatic optimization for gaming consoles and boosting to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother play. Get it here.
