Nvidia Shield TV

Nvidia announced the re-release of its streaming and gaming box Nvidia Shield TV. It has now shrunk considerably and comes with new software and improved accessories. We took a closer look at Nvidia Shield TV in the test.

Admittedly: We were a bit surprised when Nvidia announced a new version of Nvidia Shield TV at CES. Especially when we found out that nothing had changed technically compared to its predecessor, which was launched in mid-2015.

Well, the box has shrunk from 159 x 98 x 26 mm to 210 x 130 x 25 mm. That is a clear difference. Furthermore, in the new version the Micro SD card slot, Micro USB port and connector have been deleted - a proprietary power connector, Ethernet port, HDMI port and two USB ports are still on board.

The rest is identical. Same futuristic look with teasing green LED strip, same (and still excellent) Tegra X1 with 3 GB RAM, same software. Owners of the Nvidia Shield Android TV 2015 should be especially pleased about the last point. Because Nvidia updates all Nvidia Shield Android TV 2016 to Android 7.0 via OTA. Thus all new features are also available on the older versions.

Still 16 GB internal memory are used. And still this is clearly too little. We recommend above all gamers to buy a 64 GByte or even better 128 GByte USB stick for a few Euros and thus expand the memory. The stick can even be formatted as an internal memory. Because often a game occupies 4 GByte or more. For customers who want to load particularly memory intensive applications and data onto the Shield TV, Nvidia offers the Shield TV Pro with an integrated 500 GB hard disk for an additional 100 Euros.

The most important innovations include support for 4K at 60 Hz, decoding from the H.265 standard and HDR (High Dynamic Range). Youtube, Netflix and Amazon Video provide the corresponding content. Also very exciting: Nvidia Shield TV should receive another update in the next months and then also support Google Assistant. This could make the streaming console the central control unit for smart home solutions.

Nvidia Shield TV Controller

An enormous step forward is the new controller, which can also be purchased separately for just under 70 euros. It has shrunk considerably, but is still in better hands than its predecessor. It comes in an angular polygon design, which not only looks good, but also feels great. The keys and sticks are even more crisp and have a perfect pressure point.

The battery life has been increased from an already good 40 hours to 60 hours - despite new force feedback. The Android buttons moved to the lower end, as did the headphone jack.

Gambling rocks!

The included controller already indicates it: Zocken makes on the Nvidia Shield TV right mood! Basically there are three ways to play:

Downloading Android games optimized for Android TV from the Google Play Store is the most obvious. Compared to the classic Android, the range of games on offer is clearly limited. After all, every game has to be adapted for the large screen in landscape format and control via controller / remote.

In return, Nvidia also offers exclusive paid titles such as Metal Gear Rising, The Witness or Borderlands The Pre Sequel. The graphics level here is roughly comparable to that of the PS3.

As a second option Nvidia Shield TV offers home streaming from your own computer with Nvidia graphics card on the TV. This doesn't only work in your own WLAN, but should also work on the hotel TV, provided that you have a fast Internet connection - by the way in 4K and HDR.

The third option is Geforce Now. The games here run on Pascal-based, in-house servers and are streamed to the Nvidia Shield TV. Depending on the title and Internet connection, 1080p with 60 fps is possible. The service costs 10 Euro per month and offers many games included in the subscription price, which tend to be a bit older. These include countless Lego games, but also No Mans Sky, The Witcher 3, Tomb Raider and Batman games. Newer games have to be chewed.

Graphically, this is very impressive and in our opinion, graphically, it also passes current console generations by. You also don't have to struggle with lags or game delays. Especially this option is perfect for casual gamers who don't want to buy an expensive game computer.

streaming

In addition, Nvidia Shield TV can be used with various streaming services - including brand new Amazon Video. Here, however, the box does not come close to the comfort of a Fire TV. This is primarily due to the fact that the remote control included in the package, which is also new but hardly changed (batteries instead of rechargeable batteries, no headphone jack anymore), does not have its own buttons for winding. When spooling many apps, for example, an overlay menu is first called up, in which the fast forward button must then be pressed again.

Each application also uses its own user interface, which feels awkward and confusing. On the one hand, this is a fundamental problem of Android TV, which has been neglected by Google. On the other hand, Amazon Video deliberately seems to hold back various features so that customers are more likely to choose their own hardware Fire TV.

Costs

Nvidia Shield TV 2017 costs 230 Euro including controller and remote control and is therefore somewhat cheaper than its predecessor, which cost 260 Euro together with the then optional remote control. The Shield TV Pro with the 500 GByte hard disk costs 330 Euro. An additional controller costs 70 Euro.

Conclusion

Nvidia Shield TV 2017 can do a lot. Especially the gaming aspect will delight many. The new controller feels incredibly right, Geforce Now works perfectly and the Android TV games open up new possibilities.

The Nvidia Shield TV can stream in beautiful 4K 60fps and HDR, but the inconsistent operation of the different apps confuses. A pity are the deleted ports, especially the Micro-SD-Slot. We think it's great that owners of the old Nvidia Shield TV can also enjoy all the new features.

If you want to use the gaming aspects of the Nvidia Shield TV in addition to streaming, the Nvidia Shield TV is a clear recommendation. We don't know of any Android TV box that offers as many possibilities as Nvidia Shield TV. With the introduction of Google Assistant, a very exciting feature is added. Nvidia Shield TV is a true all-rounder and therefore worth every euro.

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