Accessory · The Digital Hub · 2007
Apple TV (1st generation)
A little silver box with a hard drive that synced movies and music from iTunes to your TV. It barely sold, but it staked Apple’s claim on the living room.
Apple TV (1st generation): key facts
When was the Apple TV (1st generation) released?
The Apple TV (1st generation) was released in March 21, 2007. Apple discontinued it in September 2010.
How much did the Apple TV (1st generation) cost?
The Apple TV (1st generation) launched at $299 in 2007 — about $460 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the Apple TV (1st generation)’s specs?
The Apple TV (1st generation) used a Intel Pentium M running at 1 GHz, with 256 MB of memory and 39.1 GB of storage. It ran Apple TV "Take 1".
Why does the Apple TV (1st generation) matter?
Apple’s first living-room device — Jobs called it a "hobby."
Full specifications
| CPU | Intel Pentium M · 1 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 256 MB |
| Storage | 39.1 GB |
| Display | HDMI / component out |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 |
| Ports | HDMI, component, USB, Ethernet |
| Weight | 1.1 kg |
| Dimensions | Flat square |
| Operating system | Apple TV "Take 1" |
| Released | March 21, 2007 |
| Discontinued | September 2010 |
| Launch price | $299 |
How the Apple TV (1st generation) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 64× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 1 GHz, the clock is roughly 3.2× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro — and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 10,000 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $299 in 2007 — about $460 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.
Did you know?
It ran a stripped-down version of Mac OS X under the hood.
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Last updated: 2026-06-25