As expected, Nvidia Corp. has announced two new Shield TV devices featuring a 25% faster processor and support for Dolby Vision HDR, in addition to its existing support for HDR10. The boxes no longer ship with Nvidia’s games controller, but are compatible with PlayStation and Xbox controllers instead.
The original Nvidia Shield was widely considered to be one of the best Android TV platforms around, and so today’s update has been eagerly anticipated for some time.
But those hoping for a major update on the original might be disappointed, as the new models (The Nvidia Shield Pro and the regular Nvidia Shield) do not offer a whole lot more than the older version.
As well as the slightly better performing chip and support for Dolby Vision, the new devices also support the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive sound formats for those who like their audio to be as realistic as possible.
There’s no more Nvidia controller bundled with the Shield. That probably won’t be a problem for anyone who owns a PlayStation or an Xbox One console, but it might be for anyone else. One reason for this decision is that Android gaming has never really taken off. But at the same time it’s slightly puzzling as Nvidia continues to position the Shield as a premium streaming device with gaming features thrown in.
Also new is an “AI upscaling” feature that helps to render regular HD content in something close to 4K resolution, although it looks as though this will be limited to a maximum of 30fps. The remote control also gets a makeover.
"These new models provide a big step up for Shield, which has consistently delivered groundbreaking innovations in the living room since its introduction five years ago," said Jeff Fisher, a senior vice president of Nvidia’s Consumer Business. "They deliver unquestionably best-in-class entertainment, supported by Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and our breakthroughs in using AI to improve video streaming playback."
The Nvidia Shield Pro retails at $200 (around £155) in the U.S. and offers 16GB of storage and 3GB of RAM. The cheaper Nvidia Shield is priced at $150 (£116) and sports a new, cylindrical design but has just 8GB of storage and 2GB RAM.
