Nvidia Corp. is to launch an upgraded Shield TV Pro box and a brand new Nvidia Shield “tube” device later this month with a 25% faster Tegra X1+ chip, support for Dolby Vision and Atmos and a new remote control.
Details of the new devices were leaked via listings that were mistakenly posted to Amazon and Newegg ahead of their October 28 launch date. The listings, which revealed pretty much every detail of the two devices, were taken offline shortly after the mistake was noticed.
The new Nvidia Shield TV Pro will come with a Tegra X1+ processor that’s 25% faster than the current X1 chip used in the older model. The device supports 4K and HDR10 and now also Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, though on-board storage remains a tad limited at just 16GB, though that can be expanded thanks to the two USB 3.0 ports.
The tube-shaped Nvidia Shield TV is a lower-priced offering that measures 16.5 cm in length and comes with many of the same features as the Pro version. The only real difference is there’s less storage – just 8GB – and no USB ports, with the device relying on a microSD card slot for expansion memory purposes instead.
Both new devices will come with Nvidia’s redesigned remote control, which incorporates motion-activated backlit buttons and an IR blaster that allows users to control the TV screen. There’s also a new, dedicated Netflix button on the remote, and it now integrates with Google Assistant.
Like the older Nvidia Shield Pro, the new devices are both expected to be running Android TV, which provides access to streaming apps and games from Google’s Play Store and built-in Chromecast capabilities.
Nvidia’s listing on Amazon also highlighted the company’s cloud-based gaming service Geforce Now, and there are rumours that the device will be one of the first to support Google’s upcoming Stadia service too.
That’s just as well because the modest 25% chip performance boost suggests that Nvidia doesn’t see the Android gaming ecosystem taking off anytime soon. Clearly, Nvidia would have come up with a far more capable chip if it believed it were necessary.
The Nvidia Shield Pro was listed at $199.99 (about £155) on Amazon, while the Nvidia Shield was priced at $199 CAD (around £122) on Newegg before the listings were taken down.
