10 years later, individuals are nonetheless shopping for Nvidia’s Android TV streamer due to this
You have a number of decisions in terms of choosing a streaming gadget. Most folks go along with Roku and name it a day, whereas many others use the streaming supplied by their gaming console or constructed into their sensible TV.
But over ten years in the past, Nvidia, an organization that’s now synonymous with AI, made a streaming gadget that individuals are nonetheless making an attempt to purchase at present as a result of it was and nonetheless is without doubt one of the strongest streaming gadgets ever launched.
The SHIELD TV has 256 GPU cores
The Tegra X1+ SoC outclasses nearly each different streamer
|
Device |
SoC / Chipset |
GPU |
CPU |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Nvidia Shield TV Pro |
Nvidia Tegra X1+ (16nm) |
256 CUDA cores — NVIDIA Maxwell |
8-core — 4× Cortex-A57 + 4× Cortex-A53 |
|
Apple TV 4K (2026, 4th gen) |
Apple A19 (3nm) |
5-core Apple GPU |
6-core — 2 efficiency + 4 effectivity |
|
Roku Ultra (2024) |
Realtek RTD1319VR (quad-core Cortex-A55 household) |
2-core Arm Mali-G31 |
4-core Arm Cortex-A55 |
So why did Nvidia put a 256-core GPU into their streamer? For two causes.
(A little bit of a disclaimer on the above comparability chart: Apple does not publish precise GPU specs on its streaming merchandise. The above assumes that the A19 used within the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K is just like the iPhone 17.)
The SHIELD TV can upscale non-4K and non-HD content material
The first motive Nvidia put such a strong GPU in is for 4K upscaling. When the SHIELD TV got here out in 2015, the quantity of 4K content material was restricted should you recall, however some folks have been beginning to purchase dear 4K TVs.
Nvidia utilized the highly effective GPU of the SHIELD TV to make use of AI to upscale non-4K content material with neural networks to attempt to recreate picture information not current within the unique content material. And the outcomes are genuinely good: the SHIELD TV makes each HD and non-HD content material look remarkably sharper with upscaling turned on — positively not so good as native 4K, however when watching previous films, the upscaling actually cleans up the image high quality.
There’s even a built-in split-screen comparability device within the SHIELD TV, the place should you faucet and maintain the menu button on the distant, you may get a dividing line on the display that permits you to see the unique content material on one facet, and the upscaled content material on the opposite facet. This function reveals how assured Nvidia was of their upscaling. And it reveals: upscaling non-4K content material presents important enchancment in my testing. It’s not excellent, however I’ve discovered even Nineties content material from Netflix (together with older thrillers), as soon as upscaled, appears significantly better.
It’s additionally constructed for gaming
The second motive Nvidia used such a strong GPU of their streaming gadget is for gaming. In reality, many regard the SHIELD TV as primarily a gaming console that additionally occurs to be an Android TV streamer.
Not solely are you able to join a wide range of controllers to the SHIELD TV and play hundreds of video games from Google Play, however it’s also possible to entry GeForce NOW, which faucets into providers like Steam, Ubisoft Connect, Amazon Luna, Xbox/Microsoft and Epic Games. Not solely that, however the {hardware} on the SHIELD TV can natively run emulation for retro 8/16-bit methods, lending additional to its gaming versatility.
Overkill? Maybe, however do not you need the quickest streaming gadget?
Since it runs Android TV, you get entry to just about each main streaming platform you may consider, and the customizable homescreen allows you to get content material suggestions and arrange streaming apps as you see match. Nvidia additionally does a pleasant job with updates — whereas it is solely on Android TV 11, Nvidia frequently updates the software program with safety updates and patches. The general efficiency of the gadget is incredible — the whole lot is simply quick with nearly no lag.
But to be completely sincere, 256 GPU cores is certainly overkill for the typical individual. In my home, I’ve a wide range of streaming gadgets which might be far cheaper and so they work simply wonderful, largely from Roku (which is the most popular streamer in the US). But some folks need all of it, and the SHIELD TV presents that (although at a better value, after all).
The SHIELD TV additionally has ethernet
While I run my SHIELD TV off of Wi-Fi (it maxes out at Wi-Fi 5), it additionally has a ten/100/1000Mbps ethernet port for sooner information speeds. For video, the SHIELD TV has an HDMI 2.0b port with HDCP 2.2 and CEC help.
The SHIELD TV Pro provides expandable storage
While I personally personal the lower-tier SHIELD TV, which has been discontinued, however Nvidia nonetheless sells the higher-tier SHIELD TV Pro, which provides USB ports for expandable storage should you join an exterior exhausting drive.
How to purchase an Nvidia SHIELD TV
They’re getting exhausting to seek out
The SHIELD TV Pro was priced at $199, however costs are up, probably because of reminiscence shortages from the AI data-center build-out, such that you will have to pay round $299 for a SHIELD TV Pro, should you may even discover one as a result of they’re offered out at most retailers. Your greatest wager is to keep watch over Amazon and B&H, linked under.
