Nvidia’s entry-level Shield streaming box is officially out of stock and can no longer be purchased through the official Nvidia Store, nor at many of its official retail partners, such as Amazon. It looks like it’s the end of the road for the cheapest version of the chipmaker’s popular Android TV hardware, but it’s not clear what the decision to discontinue the device means for the future.
Android Authority was the first to notice that it’s now almost impossible to purchase the base model of the Nvidia Shield TV hardware, though there may still be a few devices knocking around at smaller retailers. The device, which used to cost £129 through Nvidia’s official store, cannot be found there nor at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo and Newegg.
Nvidia has not totally denied that the device is being discontinued, but its official statement to Android Authority is not encouraging. It says the device is out of stock as a result of high demand, and adds that there’s “nothing to say regarding future availability,” for now, at least.
In its statement, Nvidia reminded users that both the base and Pro version of the Nvidia Shield continue to receive regular software updates, even though the first iteration of the device was launched over a decade ago.
The basic Nvidia Shield TV and the Shield TV Pro were both refreshed in 2019, and the Pro model remains in stock and can be bought at all of the above retailers. But it’s not clear if Nvidia is also planning to let its stock of Shield TV Pro devices run out too, or if it will continue manufacturing more of them.
Both models have always had strong reviews, and the devices are generally seen as some of the best Android TV boxes that money can buy. They support hundreds of apps and games through Nvidia’s GeForce NOW game streaming platform, they have beefy processors and plenty of onboard storage, and it’s possible to customize the user interface too.
Even though the Shield TV was last refreshed in 2019, it’s still just about as capable as anything else on the market. For instance, the Google TV Streamer, which launched in September 2024, is pretty much on the same level as the Nvidia Shield if you’re looking at its performance specifications.
We do wonder if the global memory chip shortage and the skyrocketing costs of those components may have had something to do with Nvidia’s decision to retire the basic model. Then again, Nvidia’s senior vice president of hardware engineering Andrew Bell said in an interview earlier this year that the company has not ruled out the idea of launching an all-new Shield TV at some point in future. "We've played with new concepts for Shield and we'll continue to play, and if we find something we're super-excited about, we'll probably make a go of it,” he said.
Could it just be that Nvidia is clearing out its old stock to make room for a new model? Or is the Nvidia Shield TV set to be retired from sale permanently? Or will the Pro model continue to be sold indefinitely? We don’t have the answers to these questions, but we’re optimistic that Bell will one day make good on his promise.
