NVIDIA has revamped its Shield TV, and this year it comes in two versions. First, a dongle designed to take up minimal space and blend seamlessly into any environment. Second, the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro, with the same form factor, is designed for users who want more than just a simple media player. Having tested it over the past few days, I can only confirm that it remains one of the best, if not the best, devices to connect to your TV.
Nvidia Shield TV Pro 2019, video review
Nvidia Shield TV Pro (2019), features
The new Nvidia Shield TV Pro remains the kind of product designed to be placed next to your TV, transforming it into something more than just a simple screen. After testing it for the past few days, this set-top box has once again won me over, and I believe it's the best device for your television.
Before looking at aspects such as the user experience and why I think it is the best set top box, let's see its technical sheet and design.
Nvidia Shield TV Pro (2019)
- Processor Tegra X1 +
- 8 GB RAM memory
- 16GB storage
- Ethernet connection
- 2 x USB
- HDMI output
- Nvidia proprietary power connector
- Chromecast support
- 4K HDR video support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
- Google Assistant
In this year's box, unlike with the 2017 model, the Shield TV Pro only includes the device itself and the remote control, nothing of the gamepad that did include the 2017 version. The remote control has changed shape and instead of using a lithium battery now bet on two batteries.
The Shield TV Pro retains that same form factor from the previous generation. It is quite stylized and the green touch of that line at the top provides a striking point without being strident or tiresome. Made of plastic, with USB connections on the back and the possibility of placing it both vertically and horizontally (this last position is the natural and most stable one), there is little more to say about a product that looks better in photos.
A great content player with Android TV
The Nvidia Shield TV Pro is capable of playing 4K HDR content and Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD, DTS-X, and Dolby TrueHD sound . In other words, as a content player, both locally and via streaming, it's one of the most complete on the market.
This year also includes an improvement through artificial intelligence that analyzes each content in order to obtain better quality when it scales lower resolution content to play on 4K UHD displays.
This upscaling offers different levels, and while I think it can be a bit excessive at times, it mostly benefits the final image. In any case, there's an increasing amount of native 4K content, and AI-free upscaling of 1080p content isn't a bad thing if the file's bitrate is good.
But the best part is Android TV and the possibilities it offers in terms of apps. Virtually all video streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, Movistar+, YouTube, and Spotify, among others, are available. Therefore, you won't have any problems and you can enjoy whichever one you want.
That's in terms of streaming, but the advantages and possibilities of the Shield TV Pro increase when you can connect network drives or even USB hard drives directly. This last feature is its greatest strength, and the ability to read multiple formats without requiring any complicated setup like some other options is a huge plus.
In addition, the Pro model supports Plex Media Server , so you can create a media server for other devices you may have at home, such as mobile phones, computers, or any other device that has a client capable of reading content stored on Plex.
For all this, as a multimedia player, the Nvidia Shield seems to me as complete as previous years, and better for the update itself that, despite not being very prominent, adds what was asked of the 2017 model.
GeForce Now and its added value as a gaming platform
The Nvidia Shield is more than just a simple media player. If it were, despite its impressive performance, it would just be another one. One of the biggest advantages and most valuable features of this Shield TV Pro is its ability to connect with GeForce Now.
GeForce Now is Nvidia's streaming video game service. It is true that his evolution has not been what he would have liked, but for the casual player it is a very positive point.
By default we have a series of free titles with Shield. You will be able to play Tomb Raider, Batman, Bioshock, Borderlands and some other titles. But the games you have in your Steam library will also be accessible. That will open even more the range of games available that you can enjoy without the need for a powerful PC.
The only requirement is to have an internet connection with good bandwidth and low ping so that latency is not a problem and when we press a button on the controller the action is reflected instantly on screen and does not affect gameplay.
In my tests, and it's not the first time I've used it, it's still completely valid for individual games and titles where that extra thousandth of a second can make a difference. So if you're a casual gamer and don't want to invest in more expensive consoles or PCs, the Shield TV Pro is a great option.
In addition, the Play Store provides more options such as the Steam application to stream from PC to the Shield TV. Or support like SmartThings HUB.
NVIDIA Shield TV Pro, the best set top box?
At this point it is time to get serious and comment. The Nvidia Shield TV Pro seems to me the best device that you can connect to your television if you are looking for a powerful, versatile and very capable product.
If all you want is to watch content from Netflix, HBO, YouTube, and Prime Video, for example, options like the Amazon Fire TV Stick or Xiaomi Mi Box are affordable and do the job. But if you're looking for a higher-performance product, the two clear choices are the Apple TV and the Shield TV.
Of Apple TV, as a user too, had to say that it is not worth it. Its user interface and the experience it offers with the integration of the rest of Apple products thanks to AirPlay, HomeKit, etc. It's interesting, but not even with the arrival of Apple Arcade -which gave it more value- it convinces me at the moment.
However, despite its smaller storage capacity, the Nvidia Shield TV, at a similar price, is more appealing to me in terms of performance and features. That's why, if I'm willing to spend €219, I'd choose the Nvidia product.
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