Whenever there's a new "shopping event" such as Prime Day, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday, I try to look and see if the NVIDIA Shield TV or TV Pro are on sale. This is despite having a literal basket full of streaming devices, along with a few smart TVs around the house. Well, it seems that today is my day, and it can be yours too, as both the Shield TV and Shield TV Pro are on sale, making this one of the best Black Friday streaming devices deal.

These ten year old streaming devices retail for either $149.99 or $199.99, depending on if you want the regular Shield TV or the Pro model. But currently, the Shield TV is down to $124.99, while the Shield TV Pro comes in a $169.99. Plus, you're not limited to just one retailer, as this deal is available at both Amazon and Best Buy.

✅Recommended if: You want a reliable streaming device that is getting regular updates, has expandable storage, and runs Android TV.

❌Skip this deal if: You're on a budget, or just don't see the need in buying a streaming device that's focused on gaming.

There's a good chance that at least someone reading this rolled their eyes, but I'm actually going to buy the Shield TV Pro for myself before the deal expires. You might be wondering why would anyone buy a device that's ten years old, especially a streaming device, since there are much newer options.

I don't know, call me a fan of the classics. That's what these dinosaurs are to me, but instead of being put up on a shelf or tossed in a bucket, I'm actually going to replace my Google TV Streamer 4K with the Shield TV Pro in my home office.

Looking at the functionality, the Shield TV Pro checks pretty much all of the boxes one could want from a streaming device, and then some. For one, it's equipped with 3GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, which is more than you'll find on competing devices. There are also two built-in USB ports, which allows me to plug in my hard drive full of ROMs.

The power and flexibility surpasses almost every other streaming device I have, besides the Apple TV 4K that's tethered to the TV in my living room. But what's even more impressive is that despite its age, NVIDIA just keeps rolling out new updates.

Just earlier this month, Shield Experience 9.2.2 arrived, bringing with it another batch of "stability improvements," along with "new accessibility additions." Are these major updates? Of course not, but I'll be damned if you can find any other streaming device that's still getting updates ten years after its release.

Black Friday 2025 - quick links

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What you need to know

• Nvidia has released a new Shield Experience 9.2.2 update, continuing support for the decade-old Shield TV.
• The update focuses on stability improvements and fixes several user-reported quality-of-life issues.
• New accessibility additions include a pairing alert sound and a settings UI for adjusting timeout options.

It's been over a decade since the first-generation Nvidia Shield TV launched, and the company is still supporting the device with a new update for the streamer.

There are many streaming devices on the market where the company releases them, rolls out a couple of updates, and then ends support. The Nvidia Shield has been the complete opposite. The company has continued supporting the device for years. It rolled out an update around the same time last year, and now it is rolling out another update.

Nvidia detailed the update on its community forum, calling it Shield Experience Upgrade 9.2.2. There are no major new features as expected, but the company says the update addresses many quality-of-life issues reported by users and brings improved stability.

Nvidia keeps the old Shield TV alive with new update

Nvidia says Shield and Shield Pro are now more accessible to people with disabilities thanks to new features added in the update. For example, there is a new pairing alert sound to assist users when pairing the Shield Remote and Controller in Settings. The update also adds a settings UI for accessibility timeout.

The update also brings a new Bounce Keys feature, although Nvidia has not explained what the feature actually does. The company notes in the changelog that a bug where audio would drop out when watching Disney+ content should now be fixed.

The update is rolling out widely for "all" Nvidia Shield users, which means it is not only for the first-generation Shield TV but also the second-generation Shield TV and the Shield TV Pro.

If you own a Nvidia Shield device, you can manually check for the update by going to Settings > About Shield > System updates, and selecting Check for updates. The changelog was posted on 12 November, and the update has already begun appearing for some users on Reddit.

What you need to know

• NVIDIA just dropped a surprising update for its Shield TV experience that's still going nearly ten years later.
• The update, titled as the "second hotfix," solves a GeForce Now crash problem, fixes an issue with "Match Frame Rate," and more.
• The NVIDIA Shield TV has remained in contention amongst the best streaming devices in 2024 — and it's no surprise why.

We bet you didn't see this coming; NVIDIA is rolling out a fall update for its Shield TV experience.

NVIDIA detailed the patch notes for the October update for its Shield TV (Android TV-based) streaming experience. The company packages this update as a hotfix, which is reportedly a continuation of the initial v9.1.1 variant from July 2023. Starting from October 8, users can begin downloading/installing the "second hotfix," version 33.2.0.252.

NVIDIA states it's updating the "Match Frame Rate" beta feature for its Shield TV devices. The October patch also rectifies an issue with the "SHIELD drive filling up." A "no audio" problem experienced on Shield TV via headsets connected to a controller should also be fixed.

A crash concerning GeForce Now was fixed alongside a "distortion" effect seen when using the "RGB 8-bit Rec.709" display mode.

The remainder of NVIDIA's changelog is as follows:

• Ability to clear HDMI 1.4 flag via factory reset
• Resolved USB HDD/Flash drive showing corrupted after hotplug
• NAS folder info shows 0 B and not the actual capacity
• Mounted storages aren't listed after upgrade
• Fixes occasional crashes in DRM apps

It's a wonder the NVIDIA Shield TV is still receiving upgrades nearly ten years after its original model launched. The company has continued to improve the series as it released a 4K variant in 2020. What's keeping this device relevant is its amazing upscaling capabilities for 4K content, thanks to AI. There was even the Pro model from 2019, which arrived as a secondary choice to the base version.

In 2019, it was stated that the NVIDIA Shield TV was an Android device with the longest support life that wasn't a phone. Keep in mind this was when phones received an abysmal two years of OS and security updates. Now, we're seeing upwards of seven. What's funny is that NVIDIA's Shield TV is still a long-living Android-supported device. It's nearly 2025, and the original model launched in 2015.

The device has also continued to find ways to remain in contention for one of the best streaming devices of 2024 (at #4).

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Imagine an Android device that was released in 2015 but has received over 25 full-fledged updates, still works great during daily use, and didn't cost $1,000. You don't have to imagine because it's real — the Nvidia Shield TV is a legend of longevity.

It's been refreshed over the years with minor hardware updates, and the one you can buy today was introduced in 2019, but even the original models are still seeing active software support. If you want to use Android TV, it's also the device you should buy.

I have a veritable landfill of Android-related junk here, but my two Shield TV boxes are ones I use regularly. There are more than a few Android set-top boxes among the e-waste but none are as good. It's amazing that a company releases a product and supports it, but it's more amazing that this is surprising. All tech products should be like this and work well until they disintegrate in my opinion. But they don't — except for this one.

I'm not trying to shill for Nvidia here. The company has no idea who I am nor does it care about me. I'm just a life-support system for a credit card as far as any company that makes tech products is concerned. Having said that, I really like the Shield TV. On both of my televisions, it's hooked up to the HDMI input one.

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The Shield TV isn't the only Android-powered streaming device you can buy and it's certainly not the cheapest. It's also not without issues — there are ads on the home screen (thanks, Google), the audio will stutter if you're using aptX-HD on your Bluetooth headphones, and you might see a set of black bars on some content if your TV is 16:10 instead of 16:9. There are probably more bugs too because all tech products are riddled with bugs.

What makes it great though is that it's super easy to install and set up, and then it just works — and keeps on working. The current models have cool features like AI upscaling so 1080p content looks really good on my 4K television, and the HDR Dolby Vision magic sauce looks great on my living room TV.  

The Black Friday Buying Olympics are here and you might be looking for a new streaming device. The Shield TV is one you should definitely look at since the "Pro" model with two USB ports is on sale for $170. 

It's a little more expensive than a Fire TV Cube and a lot more than a Chromecast with Google TV, but it works a lot better and will last a lot longer than either. If I had a TV without one plugged in, it's what I would buy.

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What you need to know

• NVIDIA has released a new update to all Shield TV devices.
• The latest update fixes a lot of bugs and added a few enhancements, including a new power control option.
• It also includes fixes for the Shield TV app on Android phones and more.

The NVIDIA Shield TV is pretty much an old streamer, but that doesn't stop NVIDIA from pushing updates to the device. The latest one includes a host of bug fixes for audio, video, storage, Android app, accessories, and more.

NVIDIA's Shield Experience 9.1.1 update is now available to all of its best streaming devices, including the Shield TV and its Pro sibling. A notable change is the addition of a power control option that enables the device to wake when the TV input is switched to Shield.

There are also new developer options for improving HDMI-CEC volume control for AVR/soundbars and force-enabling Dolby Vision low latency if available. NVIDIA adds that the developer option menu has been reorganized to look a bit tidier.

On top of these improvements, the update includes a slew of bug fixes that address previous display issues. For example, you should now be able to view protected content when external storage is connected. Prior to the update, this type of content would not play under similar circumstances.

For the Android TV streamer's 2019 models, audio should now function normally. Previously, when Dolby Audio Processing was enabled, a bug caused audio to be missing until reboot and prevented it from playing at a faster rate.

The update also fixes a bug that previously made it hard to detect files on connected removable storage. In addition, mounting NAS using IP addresses for accounts with empty password should now work fine.

NVIDIA has also fixed a problem with the Shield TV app on Android phones that was preventing it from properly launching on Samsung Galaxy devices. The complete changelog can be found here.

There are a ton of streaming boxes available for your TV from several different manufacturers, so it can be hard to find the right one for your setup. This Android TV box has a built-in 4K Chromecast, a wide range of streaming apps like Netflix, and Plex support for playing local content. The NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro is 15% off at Amazon, that’s $169.99, down from $199.99.

NVIDIA has taken a slightly different approach with the SHIELD TV Pro giving it a fast CPU, a powerful GPU, and 3GB of RAM. This allows the SHIELD TV Pro to support 4K HDR streaming, as well as AI-enhanced upscaling to make older lower-resolution TV and movies look sharp on a modern TV. 

While just about any streaming box can play movies from common streaming apps, NVIDIA has packed in a few extra features that sets the SHIELD TV Pro apart. One is the ability to play back local content via Plex. 

Plex lets you stream your movies and videos from a local source like a hard drive or flash drive in full quality. This is helped by the dual USB 3.0 ports on the back of the SHIELD Pro, so you can plug in either a USB flash drive or an external hard drive. Best of all, Plex Server is supported so you can stream these videos on other devices with Plex installed.

Gaming is another strength for the SHIELD TV Pro, with support for Android games as well as games streamed via GeForce Now. You can use either a mouse and keyboard, or a game controller. You can also stream games from a local NVIDIA-powered gaming PC, so you don’t have to move your PC tower to play in your living room.

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Stream movies and play PC games with one box

With consistent updates and high-end hardware for its time of release, the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro is still a solid buy in 2022, especially if you can get a good price on it. You can even use Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to search and control your other smart home tech.

If you’re looking to make the most of in-home media streaming, you’ll want to check out the best Prime Day NAS deals. If you’re looking to get back into gaming, you can also check out a new dimension with Prime Day Oculus Quest deals.

Amazon's introduction of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max shows a new contender for the best streaming devices is on the block. NVIDIA's Shield TV has held the top spot pretty much ever since it was released, so how do these two streaming sticks stack up?

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs. NVIDIA Shield TV: A lot to consider

Before we get to the elephant in the room, let's check out how the Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs. NVIDIA Shield TV 4K stack up from a hardware perspective. 

Notably, both are small and compact, with Amazon's option plugging directly into your TV, while the Shield TV was designed to be placed out of the run. But the Shield TV still requires you to run a cable from your television to the tube and then plug it in. This may not be the best way to handle things if you're looking to cut down on the cables coming from your TV.

Under the hood, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is powered by MediaTek's MT8696 and 2GB of RAM, which Amazon claims is 40% faster compared to the "normal" Fire TV Stick 4K from 2018. The upgrade in speed is a big deal considering how old its predecessor is, but it's definitely the upgrade that was expected. On the other hand, the Shield TV uses NVIDIA's Tegra X1+ paired with 3GB of RAM and a 256-core GPU.

Both of these streaming sticks are equipped with 8GB of storage and support 4K HDR10 resolution, along with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Additionally, the Shield TV gains a point for providing some pretty great AI Upscaling, turning that old 1080p or lower video into something enjoyable on the best 4K TVs.

Amazon and NVIDIA also include voice-activated remotes with either model, with Alexa handling the heavy-lifting for the TV Stick. NVIDIA's Shield TV is rather interesting as it's powered by Google Assistant out of the box, but you can install and use Amazon Alexa instead, giving the Shield TV the upper hand.

Jumping back to storage, the Shield TV has one more trick up its sleeve that the Fire TV Stick 4K Max can't match up with: expandability. As we mentioned, 8GB of storage is the default on both of these streaming devices. However, there is no way for you to plug in an external hard drive to expand the Fire TV Stick 4K Max storage. 

With the Shield TV, you have the option of grabbing one of the best microSD cards, thanks to the onboard slot. So you can quickly turn that 8GB into much more, while being able to also use it as a home theater system with the movies and shows you've downloaded and collected over the years.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs. NVIDIA Shield TV: Addressing the elephant

Up to this point, it would appear as though the Shield TV is the clear-cut winner. Even with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max being the newer streaming device of the two, it just misses out on some of the most important features. However, there's one enormous point that the Fire TV Stick 4K Max has in its favor, that the Shield TV simply can't match: price.

Amazon's Fire TV Stick lineup is extremely popular, as it provides a way to stream your favorite content without breaking the bank. And even though the 4K Max is the most expensive TV Stick available, it comes in at just $55. Comparatively, when it's not on sale, the NVIDIA Shield TV starts at $150.

The Shield TV is arguably the more powerful device of the two and includes expandable storage, Android TV over Fire TV, and Google Assistant integration. But if we had to pick, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is "good enough" to save yourself some cash and use that towards a couple of family movie nights.

The NVIDIA Shield TV Pro is one of the few electronic devices that has managed to stay relevant even after all these years, which just shows how ahead of its time it really was. Not only that, NVIDIA is still issuing updates for it as needed which is more than what most other manufactureres do these days. The beauty of the Shield TV Pro is that supports all the popular HDR streaming standards up to 4K, and has two USB 3.0 ports for expanding the onboard storage with external drives.

You can easily turn your Shield TV Pro into a local media machine for all your files with the right external drive. Depending on what you wish to store, pick from a desktop drive with terabytes of storage to a portable SSD that can remain tucked away behind the Shield TV Pro. No matter your need, here are all the best external drives for your streaming box.

Here are the best external drives for NVIDIA Shield TV Pro

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Boost the storage space of your NVIDIA Shield TV Pro

Whether you intend on using an external drive to replace the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro's internal 16GB storage or augmenting it for bringing downloaded/offline content from your PC to your TV, these are all some incredible NVIDIA Shield TV Pro drives. That said, if you're looking to max out the streaming player's onboard storage, we'd suggest using a fast SSD as the default storage for the Shield TV Pro. The Samsung T7 SSD fits the bill in this case perfectly, offering good thermal management for continuous operation, as well as a rugged body, and a range of storage capacities and colors.

If you want to save a bit on SSD storage, the Crucial X6 offers similar capacities as the Samsung T7 SSD and even the same connection interface, but at a lower cost. A standard portable hard drive is recommended when you'll be doing mostly read operations from the drive (e.g., viewing content), and if you already have a ton of offline media that you'd like to watch on your TV, the WD Elements Portable hard drive is a reliable yet affordable option that comes in large capacities. Need more storage? In this case, the WD My Book external drive offers up to a staggering 24TB of storage.

Don't really like cables dangling out of the back of your Shield TV Pro? A simple flash drive is what you need in this case. We like the ADATA UV350; it's quite a robust option thanks to the metal build, sleek design, and large capacities of up to 512GB. You can also add a bit of color to your streaming media setup with the KingSpec Z5 RGB. It's fast, stylish, and flashy!

The NVIDIA Shield TV Pro can also double up as a solid cloud gaming console, all thanks to the GeForce NOW cloud game streaming service. However, make sure you go and grab one of these best gaming controllers for the most optimal gaming experience.

Most modern smart TVs sold today tend to have Google TV built-in but the experience is not always great. This is because TV manufacturers tend to have their own custom interface along with Google TV which can make usage feel laggy and unintuitive at times. This is why the best streaming devices still have a place in your home entertainment setup as their sole purpose is to stream content.

With so many fresh and affordable streaming devices to choose from, we're breaking down the options to help you find the one that will fit your needs best. Our best overall pick is the Google TV Streamer (4K) as it replaces the Chromecast with Google TV (4K) dongle. Whether you need something more affordable and versatile or something specifically for your preferred ecosystem of tech, below are all the very best streaming devices in the market today.

At a glance

Best overall

The Google TV Streamer (4K) is Google's flagship streaming box with improved performance, way more storage, and a more functional remote than the Chromecast dongle before it. The device now sits on your entertainment console rather than dangling from your TV's HDMI port, and it's inconspicous enough to blend in with your home decor. It also comes in two colors, which is a first.

The specifications and ports are all there. The Google TV Streamer can output up to 4K 60fps and supports all the major HDR formats like Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG. The same goes for audio formats which include Dolby Atmos. The box supports dual-band Wi-Fi 5, has 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage for apps. What's new is the support for Matter and Thread devices, making it kind of futureproof. One thing that we didn't quite like is the fact that at $99, you don't have an HDMI cable in the box.

Best 4K

Most of our top streaming picks cater to Android or Apple users or are universally compatible but don't specialize in any one tech ecosystem or voice assistant. But many people consider Alexa to be the best voice assistant available today, and if you want a streaming dongle with built-in Alexa commands, then your best choice is, of course, a Fire TV Stick.

Of the Amazon Fire TV family, we selected the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) as the device that most shoppers should choose, as a close rival to the Chromecast with Google TV in specs and features. Both streaming dongles have identical support for 4K, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos. Each lets you contact their respective voice assistants with the touch of a button. We actually like the Alexa remote more because it has dedicated rewind and fast-forward buttons. Our Fire TV 4K Max (2023) review did find the ads to be a bit too much using this device however.

However, we didn't hesitate to put Chromecast with Google TV above the Fire TV Stick 4K on our best streaming device list. For one thing, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is powered via micro-USB, while Chromecast with Google TV uses USB-C; with the latter, you can connect your Chromecast to a USB-C hub. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max also supports Wi-Fi 6, so your videos can stream in higher quality with less time wasted on buffering.

One interesting addition to the 2023 model is Ambient Mode, which allows you to choose from thousands of pieces of museum-quality art and photography to display on screen when you aren't watching. This effectively turns your TV into a painting or framed photo on the wall.

Nevertheless, if you prefer Alexa and Fire OS 8, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) gets you an excellent level of quality in a tiny, bargain-priced streaming device.

Best for Apple ecosystem

For regular Apple users, the choice of the best streaming device is a simple one. Apple TV 4K (2022) is built to accommodate your iOS devices with AirPlay 2, serve as a HomeKit hub for your smart home cams, plays or displays your iTunes purchases or iCloud photos, allows you to play Apple Arcade games, do Apple Fitness+ workouts, and puts Apple TV+ shows front and center. With the latest OS update, you can even continue or initiate a FaceTime call on the big screen. For everyone else, however, the Apple TV 4K is a rather expensive streaming box that doesn't cater to other tech ecosystems.

That said, Apple TV 4K doesn't just coast on its brand name, cramming several useful features into its premium streaming device to try and justify the high cost. For instance, one version has a gigabit ethernet port for consistent internet speeds while streaming Dolby Vision and Atmos content with support for HDR10+ as well. This 2022 version has a powerful A15 Bionic chip that makes menus and searches move faster than the norm.

It also has a Picture-in-Picture mode that lets you use two different apps at once on your TV; and it supports several live TV services, including Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV, Sling TV, and Charter Spectrum. The improved Siri remote has a touch-enabled click pad for ease of use and precise control. You can also use your iPhone to color calibrate the screen.

As for its negatives, they're fairly predictable. The price is still a bit steep, as you get many of the same specs that you'll find on the Google TV Streamer at a quarter of the cost. You must also rely on Siri for voice commands, instead of Alexa or Google Assistant.

Best upgrade

Before Chromecast with Google TV hit the streaming scene, there were other companies offering for Android TV streaming dongles, and NVIDIA Shield TV was at the top of our best Android TV boxes list. Now, new Chromecasts have the retooled Google TV streaming library, while Android TV devices lack the new Knowledge Graph of personalized recommendations.

So why have we kept the Shield TV on our current list of best streaming devices? That's thanks to its still-impressive specs highlighted by its unique upscaling tech. We break down NVIDIA's AI-enhanced upscaling in greater detail here, but the gist is that NVIDIA can take 720p or 1080p content and enhance it in real-time to 4K at 30 FPS. All 4K TVs upscale non-4K content by default to fill in the missing pixels, but this process does this intelligently, so that it looks to be shot natively in 4K.

Upscaling aside, Shield TV has Google Assistant built into the remote, plays content up to Dolby Vision and Atmos, has two Mimo Wi-Fi antennas or Gigabit Ethernet for fast streaming, and lets you expand its storage via the microSD card slot. Gamers can also take advantage of GeForce Now, the game streaming service that lets you access your Steam library of games wirelessly on your television.

Best versatile

Roku is one of the most popular streaming brands in the world because of its near-universal compatibility with various apps and tech companies. The Roku Ultra hosts all of the major streaming platforms, has Bluetooth 5.0 support to connect with any phone, and works with both your Alexa or Google Assistant speakers. Moreover, it supports Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, making it a good future-proof choice for Apple users.

It's also true that the Roku Ultra is somewhat pricey, considering the Roku Streaming Stick+ also offers 4K HDR video at half the price, and neither has an embedded voice assistant. Yet we still consider the Roku Ultra the best Roku device to buy. The cheaper Stick+ model lacks the Ultra's USB port for expandable storage, 100 Mbps ethernet port, Bluetooth connectivity, and vastly improved remote control.

The Streaming Stick+ comes with a basic remote featuring TV controls and a button to activate your smart speaker's listening mode. But the Roku Ultra remote has a built-in headphone jack and ships with JBL headphones to listen to your TV audio privately, as well as two customizable shortcut buttons that let you jump immediately to your favorite streaming platforms. Plus, if you ever lose the remote, the Roku Ultra has a button that activates a noisemaker on the remote to help you find it.

If you want a streaming device that doesn't bother with TV and film recommendations and displays a simple interface of your favorite apps (not to mention you get access to tons of free content via Roku Channels), then you should strongly consider the Roku Ultra.

Best bar

Sticks, dongles, TVs — all the typical names for streaming devices fixate on how small they are or the video content they can stream. Yet certain streaming devices go far beyond that, bundling in other useful features like smart speaker tech. Of these hybrid devices, our favorite is undoubtedly the Roku Streambar SE. The standard Streambar seems to have been phased out in favor of the cheaper SE model.

Along with all the streaming capabilities of a Roku Streaming Stick+, the Roku Streambar SE is also a fully functional 2.0-channel sound bar. It has two 1.9" full-range speakers which deliver decent volume and clarity.

While not as advanced as the Roku Ultra — the Streambar SE can stream 4K HDR10 and 10+, but not Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos. With Bluetooth 5.0 support for your music streaming, an ethernet port for consistent internet, and continued support for Alexa and Google Assistant, the Streambar SE is more than worthy of sitting under your living room television.

Best cheap

The new budget Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select is a brilliant addition to the Fire TV Stick lineup as it costs just $5 more than the basic HD model but offers way more features. As the name implies, you can stream 4K HDR videos but Dolby Vision support is restricted to the higher models. Even if you plan on using this with an old HDTV today, it'll still be useful once you do upgrade to a 4K TV in the future.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Select ships with the Alexa Voice Remote, has 8GB of RAM, and supports Wi-Fi 5 connectivity. This is model also works with Alexa+ which means you'll be able to take advantage of the more natural language search features. What makes this model particularly great is that it retails for just $40 and more often than not, you can find it on sale for under $20.

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Make your TV smarter without compromise

If this guide shows anything, it's that the further a streaming device's price tag rises above $50, the harder it becomes to justify the amount. Google, Amazon, and Roku sell excellent devices at that threshold or lower, and they often incorporate tech like Dolby Vision that was once reserved for "pro" devices, at no extra cost.

Of these supposedly budget streaming options, the Google TV Streamer should be one of your first considerations. It has an excellent user interface thanks to Google TV and it's one of the more affordable streaming devices available. We also love that Google Assistant or Gemini is available right from the remote.

What you need to know

• The NVIDIA Shield TV is picking up a new update.
• The update includes a number of bug fixes, including an issue with pairing gaming controllers.
• File transfer speeds have also been improved, and external storage bugs have been addressed.

NVIDIA Shield TV owners are being treated to a new update on Tuesday. Shield Experience Upgrade 9.0.2 has begun rolling out with a number of bug fixes and a few quality improvements.

You can check out the full changelog at the NVIDIA forums, but some notable changes are arriving with this update. For one, the update brings improved file transfer speeds while fixing various bugs related to external storage. Additionally, Shield Experience 9.0.2 adds "helpful notifications when connecting or formatting removable storage."

Another notable fix addresses problems connecting to various gaming controllers, such as those from Xbox consoles and the Switch Pro controller. The update also fixes an AI upscaling problem for the Netflix app on the 2019 NVIDIA Shield TV.

Below is the list of more notable enhancements and fixes that NVIDIA provided us with:

• Adds Plex support for latest Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD DVB-T tuner (in EU only)
• Adds helpful notifications when connecting or formatting removable storage
• Fixes bug where AI upscaling could not be changed in Netflix app (applies to 2019 SHIELD devices only)
• Fixes bug where surround upmixer would stop working after playing Dolby audio streams
• Improves file transfer speeds
• Fixes bug when copying files over local network from Mac to removable storage on SHIELD
• Resolves issue pairing Dual Shock 3, XBOX One S, XBOX Series S/X, and Switch Pro controllers

The NVIDIA Shield TV continues to be one of the best streaming devices thanks to its continued software support. However, earlier this year, NVIDIA users were plagued with various bugs after updating their devices to Android 11. Shield Experience 9.0.1 rolled out in February to address the problems, but it seems not everything was fixed. Hopefully, with 9.0.2, users should continue to notice improvements with their devices.

What you need to know

• NVIDIA is releasing a new update to its Shield TV devices.
• The update addresses storage problems and playback issues introduced alongside the Android 11 update.
• The 9.0.1 update should roll out over "the next few days."

One of the best streaming devices has been marred with a buggy Android 11 update, but it seems NVIDIA is finally ready to address the problems thanks to a new update that's rolling out to its Shield TV devices now.

NVIDIA states that Shield Experience 9.0.1 is rolling out to address issues that were introduced when the company pushed Android 11 to its Shield TV devices in January. This includes playback problems as well as issues with storage permissions and PLEX Media servers.

While NVIDIA previously released hotfixes to address the problems, those required a bit more effort and were not Google certified. They also have some limitations, such as the inability to roll back from the HotFix or download/update Disney+ from the Play Store.

Fortunately, this official update should do the trick, as per the changelog provided on the NVIDIA blog. These are the most notable fixes included in the update:

• Resolves PLEX Media Server issue
• Fixes storage permissions on media player, file browser, and emulator apps
• Fixes stutter when playing interlaced content

The update also includes fixes to YouTube TV, restores access to Kodi system files, and plenty of other bug fixes related to audio, accessories, and more. SHIELD Experience Upgrade v9.0.1 (33.1.0.283) is arriving now on Shield TV devices and will roll out over the "next few days." With any luck, Shield TV devices should be back to normal with this update.

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What you need to know

• NVIDIA has announced the SHIELD Software Experience Upgrade 9.0 for all its SHIELD TV devices.
• The update brings Android 11 and a new Google Keyboard that lets users use their voices to discover content in search boxes.
• The September 2021 Android security patch is included as well.

NVIDIA is rolling out its Software Experience Upgrade 9.0 to all SHIELD TV devices — including the original models released in 2015. The update brings Android 11 to the devices, which have been running Android 9 Pie since July 2019.

In addition to Android 11, NVIDIA's Software Experience Upgrade 9.0 brings an updated Gboard keyboard that lets you use your voice and the Google Assistant to find content in all search boxes. NVIDIA has also added support for aptX-compatible Bluetooth headsets to its best Android TV boxes, giving users even more higher quality listening options. For GeForce NOW members, the update brings support for additional Bluetooth keyboards and mice.

Some of the other notable highlights of the latest update include the ability to automatically disconnect Bluetooth devices on sleep, an option to match content audio resolution (high-resolution audio), a new Energy saver setting for additional power customization, and the September 2021 Android security patch. Additionally, the update adds Stadia button support for Xbox, PlayStation, and Shield controllers.

NVIDIA has also announced that new SHIELD TV owners in the U.S. can now get six months of Peacock Premium for free. To redeem the offer, buyers will have to log into their Google account and subscribe through the Peacock Premium banner on the For You or Apps tab on their SHIELD TV.

NVIDIA Shield TV (2019)

The NVIDIA Shield TV (2019) is still among the best streaming devices you can buy, packing a powerful Tegra X1+ chipset and a wide range of features. It also comes with Chromecast 4K built-in and lets you play the latest games via NVIDIA's GeForce NOW service.

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What you need to know

• The TiVo Stream 4K could be receiving its Android 10 update soon.
• References to Android 10 appeared via the Stream 4K's Google Play Console listing.
• Meanwhile, NVIDIA has confirmed the Shield TV will not be updated.

An updated listing in the Google Play Console suggests that Android 10 could be coming soon to TiVo's streaming dongle (via 9to5Google And while many of us are awaiting the official release of Android 12, there are plenty of Android TV devices out there that are still running Android 9. So the possibility of an upgrade will be great because those devices include some of the best streaming devices such as the TiVo Stream 4K and NVIDIA Shield TV.

Truthfully, the Android 10 update is a rather minor one, but it's still great to see TiVo remaining committed to providing software updates. The only unfortunate thing about this is that there is no indication as to when the update will begin rolling out to Stream 4K owners.

On the other side of the coin, the team at NVIDIA has confirmed that it does not plan on updating the Shield TV or TV Pro to Android 10. Instead, a forum post states that it was skipped as there was essentially "no impact to end users other than the version string changing." This doesn't mean that all hope is lost for major releases in the future. The same forum post says that "there is still a lot of development going into SHIELD".

This is great news, as it seems that the NVIDIA Shield team is working on bringing more updates to the platform. The lack of an update to Android 10 or Android 11, likely suggests that NVIDIA is focusing more on the Android TV 12 update that is slated to arrive this fall.

With Android TV 12, Google is planning on bringing a "smoother viewing experience", along with some of the best privacy features coming to the standard version of Android 12. Once the update arrives, you'll be able to toggle microphone and camera access, while also viewing which apps have recently accessed the microphone from your streaming device or connected remote.

What you need to know

• NVIDIA Shield TV devices are now receiving a UI refresh with Android TV's "Discover" home screen.
• The revamped homescreen UI began rolling out to a few Android TV devices in February.
• NVIDIA expects the rollout to be completed by June 24.

NVIDIA has started rolling out a new update for its Shield TV devices with the refreshed Android TV homescreen. The revamped user-interface was announced in February and has already made its way to a few devices — including the best Android TVs from Sony.

The update brings a new "Discover" tab, which includes personalized content recommendations based on your viewing history. There's also a new "Apps" tab that replaces the previous "All Apps" view on the home screen. The new tab is shown in full screen to allow more apps to be shown at once.

The rest of the interface, however, remains largely unchanged. You can still customize the channel listing by adding or moving around channels within the guide. In many ways, Android TV's revamped homescreen experience is similar to the Google TV software that was introduced with the fourth-generation Chromecast last year.

The update will be available for Shield TV devices in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Australia, and the UK. In Italy and Spain, the update will be rolling out without the Discover tab.

This is actually the second update that NVIDIA has rolled out to the Shield TV in the last one month. It had released a smaller update in late May with the April 2021 security patch and support for more controllers and accessories. As confirmed by Google last week, the Shield TV and Shield TV Pro will also gain Stadia support by the end of this month.

NVIDIA Shield TV

The NVIDIA Shield TV still remains one of the most impressive streaming devices in 2021, thanks to its powerful specs and ability to upscale content to 4K. It also lets you access NVIDIA's GeForce NOW game streaming service and comes with Google Assistant built-in.

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NVIDIA Shield TV Pro

The NVIDIA Shield TV Pro is our favorite streaming device for a multitude of reasons. It works the best with Google's ecosystem, includes the ability to expand the storage, and is better for those who want to game on their main TV.

Apple TV 4K (2021)

Apple made a lot of right moves with the Apple TV 4K (2021) while finally upgrading the included remote. You'll get 4K HDR support with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, and will eventually allow you to view content in 4K at 120Hz.

Now that Apple has finally updated and upgraded its flagship Apple TV model, it's a much more formidable opponent when compared to the best streaming devices. Our upgraded pick, the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro, is a fantastic option as it stands, even without including 4K/120Hz support. But how does the best Android TV streaming device stack up against the best Apple TV? Let's find out.

Shield TV Pro vs. Apple TV 4K (2021): Break it down now ...

From a specification standpoint, it's a mixed bag here. The Shield TV Pro is using the latest NVIDIA Tegra X1+, but the Apple TV 4K (2021) does not use the latest Apple chipset. Instead, Apple opted for the A12 Bionic, which launched back in 2018 alongside the iPhone XS. That doesn't mean that the A12 is a slouch, it's just kind of surprising to see Apple using outdated internals for its latest streaming device.

Apple gains the edge when you look at onboard storage, as you can opt for either 32GB or 64GB. But that's it. As soon as the storage is filled up with games, apps, movies, or other content, you'll be relegated to deleting some things. Meanwhile, the Shield TV Pro sports just 16GB of onboard storage, but it can be expanded thanks to the dual USB 3.0 ports on the side. This means that you can use one of the best external drives for the Shield TV Pro and really beef up the storage. With this ability, you'll be able to use the Shield TV Pro as a Plex Media Server, which gives it another advantage over the Apple TV 4K if you have a massive library of content.

So we already have a basis of where the new Apple TV 4K stands in terms of performance, but how does it stack up in terms of capabilities? Well, Apple seems to have made a lot of the right moves in terms of playback quality, and we aren't just talking about the 4K resolution.

Both the Shield TV Pro and Apple TV 4K (2021) are compatible with all of the usual content compatibility suspects you look for. This includes the HDR10, the most common form of High Dynamic Range found in many streaming devices and television. Dolby Vision support is also onboard both of these streaming devices, to go which pairs quite nicely with Dolby Atmos support. Basically, you can't go wrong either way when trying to get the best picture or sound quality with either of these options.

There is one area where NVIDIA gains the upper-hand and that's with its AI Upscaling functionality. Apple's TV 4K (2021) does feature upscaling support for 1080p content, but NVIDIA uses a propriertary method that has turned out to be quite impressive.

The final difference when comparing the Shield TV Pro to the Apple TV 4K is the price. The Shield TV Pro is priced at $199, while the TV 4K starts at $179 for the 32GB model and goes up to $199 while doubling the storage to 64GB. If you want to get one of the best streaming devices and don't really care about storage, then the base model Apple TV 4K (2021) is a great option. You'll just miss out on the Android TV experience, while being limited to using Siri for your requests.

Shield TV Pro vs. Apple TV 4K (2021): Moving the focus to gaming

Considering that getting a new PS5 or Xbox Series X is still practically impossible, this has left users looking to other methods for playing games on the best gaming TVs. Apple has a vast library of games with the help of Apple Arcade, and NVIDIA's Shield TV Pro can take advantage of the Advanced Android gaming selection of games.

While the TV 4K may have an upper-hand thanks to Apple Arcade, the Shield TV Pro fights back with cloud-gaming and NVIDIA GameStream. As you might expect, you can use NVIDIA GeForce Now with the Shield TV Pro, streaming all of your favorite AAA games in your Steam library right to the big screen. Meanwhile GameStream provides 4K HDR gaming at 60 FPS right from your desktop computer. The only real requirement is that you must be using an NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics card in order to take advantage.

The Apple TV 4K (2021) will be just fine for the casual gamers who are fine playing titles from Apple Arcade. But if you want to get into some more intense gaming sessions, then the easy pick is the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro.

When you think of Android TV, what comes to mind? For many of us here at AC and many of you reading this, it's probably the NVIDIA Shield TV. NVIDIA has been one of the few companies supporting Android TV with streaming hardware that's powered by the operating system, with its two latest Shield TV and Shield TV Pro offerings being downright excellent.

Here's the thing, though — NVIDIA isn't the only answer when it comes to getting Android TV inside your home. While the company's streaming gadgets are great, there are other options out there. Specifically, televisions with Android TV built right into them. Many TVs from the likes of Sony, Hisense, and TCL feature the Android TV platform right out of the box, and in some cases, having it preloaded like that can make the whole experience that much better.

If you've been thinking about picking up an NVIDIA Shield TV for yourself, here are five reasons why getting a television with Android TV instead is a better choice.

Your entertainment stand is less cluttered

Everyone's living room is a different shape and size, but for a lot of folks, you can probably relate to having a cramped entertainment stand. No matter how neat and tidy you try to keep it, things quickly get out of hand as you start adding streaming devices, game consoles, a soundbar, etc. Right off the bat, this is one of the biggest perks of getting an Android TV television over a standalone NVIDIA Shield TV.

If you get a Shield TV, that means needing to find room behind your television for the regular model or a spot on your stand for the Pro variant. Either way, you're taking up precious space that could likely be used for something else.

A television with Android TV built-in means you don't have to worry about that, seeing as how a separate device isn't required to get the Android TV interface on your screen. Furthermore, this all-in-one package also means one less power cable you need to manage. As someone that is in a constant losing battle with my living room's cable management, I cannot stress how nice of a perk this is.

It frees up an extra HDMI port

On the subject of saving space, ditching the Shield in favor of a full television results in you freeing up one extra HDMI port. HDMI ports are a highly valuable currency in the living room, with consoles, soundbars, and other devices eager to take up a free spot if it's available.

Most TVs have between three and four HDMI-out options available, and while that might be more than enough for some people, it's the bare minimum for others. By choosing a television with Android TV built-in, you ensure you have a free HDMI port for other gadgets you may have now or plan on getting down the road.

Everything is more tightly integrated

With streaming devices like the NVIDIA Shield TV, HDMI CEC controls allow you to use the Shield's included remote to control your television's power and volume. It's a great touch that makes the whole experience feel more seamless, but if you're after top-notch integration from top to bottom, there's no beating the built-in Android TV setup.

In addition to controlling the Android TV interface, the remote you get with your Android TV television allows for all of the other hardware-focused controls you're after. You can use it to change picture settings, switch between inputs, adjust the backlighting, etc. It allows for all-in-one controls you just can't get with a Shield TV, and the convenience of all this is pretty amazing.

Not only that, only having to worry about one remote and not two is pure bliss. Juggling a couple of remotes might not seem like the end of the world, but in day-to-day use, having just one is so much nicer.

Some TVs have hands-free Google Assistant

While Android TV is pretty similar across all types of devices, televisions with the OS built-in sometimes offer exclusive features you won't find on the NVIDIA Shield TV — one of the coolest being hands-free Google Assistant.

If you want to talk to the Assistant on the Shield TV, you have to press the Assistant button on the remote. You can still do that with televisions that have Android TV built-in, but some of them allow you to do just that by saying "Hey Google" or "OK Google" at any time. I have this on my Hisense H9G, and I honestly can't envision living without it.

When it comes time to turn down the lights, adjust the volume, or open Netflix, I can do all of that without having to ever grab the remote. It's not a feature I use all the time, but I'm so thankful it's there when I do use it.

The overall value is a lot better

Last but certainly not least, getting an Android TV television can be a much better value than a Shield TV — seriously. The Shield TV and Shield TV Pro will set you back $150 and $200, respectively, and all you're getting there is a device to access Android TV.

Then you have something like the Hisense H8G. It's a television with Android TV built-in, and it can often be found for just $400. While that is $250 more than the regular Shield TV, you have to remember you're getting an actual television and not just a streaming device for that price. This specific variant of the H8G touts a 50-inch 4K HDR display, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, four HDMI ports, and a sleek design. And, of course, the Android TV software is fully integrated throughout the entire television.

The amount of money you spend for something like the Hisense H8G is greater than a Shield TV, but considering that one gives you an Android TV device and a full-on television for just a bit more cash, it's clear to us which gives you better bang-for-your-buck.

The NVIDIA Shield TV (2019) and Shield TV Pro may have radical new tube designs, but you're probably wondering what are the best NVIDIA Shield TV Pro compatible controllers are. Thanks to the fact that not only is it the best Android TV box, it's also a capable gaming console that can access games from the Google Play Store or from NVIDA's GeForce NOW game streaming device. For all of that, you'll need a controller. Luckily, NVIDIA offers solid support for Bluetooth controllers, which means that you've got a slew of options to choose from.

Is it worth it to buy NVIDIA Shield TV Pro compatible controllers?

You really can't go wrong using NVIDIA's own gaming controller, which was redesigned in 2017 the last time NVIDIA refreshed the Shield TV. It's a comfortable controller that easily pairs with the new NVIDIA Shield TV Pro (2019) and offers features like a touch-sensitive slider for controlling volume and a headphone jack for full immersion while you game. You can also use it for gaming on other Android devices, which is cool.

NVIDIA used to offer a gamer's bundle that includes a gaming controller with older models of the Shield TV, but so far there's no such bundle available for the NVIDIA Shield TV (2019) or the Pro model. Instead, the controller is sold separately and, unfortunately, it's among more expensive controller options available for the Shield TV.

This is unfortunate because frankly, as nice as the controller is, it can be hard to justify the price when there are other options available that will work just as well, with

You may already own some NVIDIA Shield TV Pro compatible controllers that will work just fine

While there are some advantages to using NVIDIA's own controller, it's just as easy to connect pretty much any other Bluetooth controller that you already own. That includes compatible PS4 or Xbox One controllers that run on Bluetooth.

However, if you're looking add a new Bluetooth controller to your collection, I'd recommend the SteelSeries Stratus Duo. It's a really well-designed controller that can be used with the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro (2019), your Android smartphone or tablet, and even your PC using the included USB Wi-Fi dongle. It's powered by a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery that offers over 20 hours of battery life so you can get your game on across all your favorite Android devices.

But another great option comes in the form of the GameSir G4 Pro. While there is a built-in phone holder (for screen sizes up to 6-inches), you can use the GameSir as a traditional Bluetooth controller for just about every gaming device you can think of. This includes the likes of Android, iOS, PC, and even the Nintendo Switch. The GameSir G4 Pro is a great option if you're looking for some new NVIDIA Shield TV Pro compatible controllers.

The NVIDIA Shield TV just got its 25th update over the course of five years. Let that sink in — it's like the phone you bought in early 2015 still seeing significant updates and new features. It's also something you never expected to see in the world of Android, let alone with the Android TV platform.

You might be wondering why NVIDIA does this. Building, testing, and sending out an update to all devices is not cheap. Yet, NVIDIA does it over and over again for a sub-$200 device. It's because NVIDIA is a gaming hardware company and the Shield TV is a vehicle for NVIDIA's gaming platforms.

We want to think that NVIDIA does it because they care about the customer, and there are surely plenty of people in the company who do care. But at the corporate level where the dollar is the king, everything comes down to the bottom line, and the profit comes from more than just the device's selling price.

NVIDIA has it a little easier than some other companies who make Android devices because it uses in-house hardware for the processor and graphics. That means it has control over how the firmware that is embedded in those parts is developed, and it doesn't have to depend on any other company to do it for them. While that makes the cost of pumping out 25 updates a little easier to swallow, it's not the whole story.

NVIDIA built its reputation as a gaming company. In recent years it has branched out into things like smart cars and AI/robotics, but NVIDIA got where it is today because the company makes very good PC graphics cards that have a hefty profit margin. PC video cards are like religious symbols to gamers, and the competition is fierce. Any company developing hardware with a faithful following that expects the best needs to have a trick or two up its sleeve.

For NVIDIA, those tricks are game streaming services. GeForce Now is the company's cloud streaming service, and while it will work on most modern phones, it also works on the Shield TV. NVIDIA Game Stream lets you install a game on your PC with an NVIDIA-powered graphics card and play it using the Shield TV and big-screen television in your living room. Think of the Shield TV as an accessory instead of an Android TV, and you can see why it's important to NVIDIA.

In addition, NVIDIA works with developers to build optimized games for Android TV that only work with the Shield or work best with the Shield. You'll find games from the Borderlands series, Devil May Cry 4, and even HD Wii games like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Punch-Out! are available exclusively for the Shield TV. NVIDIA knows that its customers enjoy gaming, and the company has turned an Android TV box into a console in its own right.

Don't be fooled into thinking that these experiences aren't great, either. While GeForce Now might not be the most popular streaming service, the quality and responsiveness on a Shield TV are every bit as good as it is on an expensive gaming PC. Game Stream needs a fast Wi-Fi network or a hard-wired LAN to work best, but once you have that sorted, you'll love that a $200 device plays more games than any console. These services may not win any popularity contests, but they work really well on NVIDIA's only Android product.

In 2020 as hardware costs are on the rise and it seems like all the gadgets we want to buy keep getting more and more expensive, services are the way forward. Even Apple, who has the highest profit margins in the industry, has figured out that it needs to jump on the services bandwagon in case the retail market for consumer hardware nose dives.

NVIDIA has a product that is the best in its class, and since it's built all in-house, it can keep developing its software year after year. This level of support, combined with the services NVIDIA has to offer, keeps people buying NVIDIA graphics cards and paying for GeForce Now. That translates into profit when the accountants are crunching the numbers.

NVIDIA Shield TV 2019

NVIDIA's Shield TV was always a great device, and the presence of updates like this can reassure users that they'll be able to keep trucking along for a long time.

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NVIDIA Shield TV (2019)

The NVIDIA Shield TV (2019) has been redesigned to be more compact and easier to hide behind your TV setup while continuing to deliver the best Android TV experience. The new Shield remote is a significant upgrade, and NVIDIA offers support for Google Assistant, which is baked into the software. It can also be controlled via Alexa.

Amazon Fire TV Cube (2019)

The Fire TV Cube (2019) offers a bit of everything that makes Amazon's smart home offerings so appealing. You get an improved set-top streaming box that also works as a smart home hub for your other connected devices. It also still works as a voice-controlled Echo speaker when the TV is not in use.

NVIDIA has delivered a fresh new look for the Shield TV, which ditches the classic Shield TV hardware in favor of a sleek, tube design that's almost a dongle, but still makes sense behind your TV. This is in contrast to the Amazon Fire TV Cube, which is clearly meant to be put on display and pull double duty as an Echo speaker that also connects to your TV to deliver Amazon's Fire TV platform.

Choosing which one to buy might just come down to your allegiance to Google Assistant or Alexa, and how much value you place on the gaming capabilities of each device. Let's put the NVIDIA Shield vs. the new Fire TV Cube to see which comes out on top.

NVIDIA Shield vs. New Fire TV Cube More than just the specs

The days of comparing products only by their internal processors and specs are over. Both the Fire TV Cube and Shield TV (2019) do a great job streaming content in up to 4K quality, offer limited internal storage that's buoyed by external expansion, and let you stream practically anything with relative ease.

Where the two differ is in software and operating systems. Amazon has its own Fire OS, which it uses for its tablets and smart TV products. It offers a clean and polished user experience that's backed by the power of Alexa. Meanwhile, NVIDIA is using the best optimization of Android TV. It also offers the best access to everything the Google Play Store has to offer for Android TV, along with NVIDIA's own game streaming services.

With the Fire TV Cube, you'll get seamless integration with any other Amazon Echo products in your house and smart hub capabilities. You also get added benefit of the Cube acting like another speaker when the TV's off. This means the Cube can really be the central hub for Alexa and all of your connected devices, like smart bulbs, switches, Ring security cameras, and more. It's also the cheaper of the two options, as Amazon continues to undercut the competition with its smart home offerings.

The NVIDIA Shield TV, meanwhile, runs on Android TV and has Google Assistant baked right into the core operating system. That means you can pull up personalized results from your Google account and have the information displayed on your TV using the microphone built into the new Shield remote and NVIDIA's game controller. NVIDIA also offers an Alexa Skill that lets you control the Shield, control volume, open media apps, and navigate around the UI using Alexa voice commands. It's not quite the all-in-one hub that the Fire Cube TV is — NVIDIA does offer smart home hub capabilities with the Shield TV Pro — but it can still control your existing smart home devices as long as they've been previously set up through the Google Home app.

One of the more unique features of the new NVIDIA Shield TV models, made possible because of NVIDIA's updated Tegra X1+ processor chipset, is AI-enhanced upscaling. NVIDIA used machine learning to train the Shield on 4K content so that it knows how to fill in details while upscaling HD content to 4K. In practice, you'll notice textures and human features in close-ups enhanced with sharper details and more definition. It's a system-level feature that works across most streaming apps — as long as the video content is the right format and you're using a 4K TV — and the effect is noticeable. Both the Shield TV and Amazon Fire TV Cube support 4K content, but only new Shield TVs are capable of this slick upscaling trick.

The Shield TV is still marketed as an Android-based gaming console, although again, the updated NVIDIA Shield TV Pro is probably a better option if you're keen on a streaming box that goes all-in on gaming. The tube Shield TV is still capable of playing most Google Play Store titles and streaming select games from NVIDIA GeForce Now. There is also a growing list of Android TV games. This has always positioned the Shield as an intriguing streaming box with added value for casual gamers who don't have the money to keep up with console gaming but still want to enjoy some fun couch gaming from time to time.

NVIDIA Shield vs. New Fire TV Cube Bottom Line

Both the Amazon Fire TV Cube and NVIDIA Shield TV (2019) are great products that are more than capable of streaming all your favorite media in up to 4K HD resolution. Amazon and NVIDIA each offer a radical take on streaming box hardware design, with the Fire TV Cube designed to be more forward-facing and the Shield TV sporting a tube design that's meant to be set up and left behind your TV.

The main differentiators in terms of user experience are the specialized features that each company brings to the table. It should come as little surprise that Amazon wants the Fire TV Cube to act as a central hub for Alexa in your living room, and is a better fit if your home is already outfitted with other Alexa-enabled devices.

By contrast, the Shield TV runs on the latest version of Android TV, which includes full integration with Google Assistant, but it can also work with Alexa via the NVIDIA Shield TV Alexa Skill. NVIDIA is also a venerable presence in the PC gaming community. It continues to focus on making the Shield TV an ideal hub for all forms of digital entertainment, whether that's streaming video, music, or games. However, the Shield TV is not quite as powerful as the Shield TV Pro, which will be the one you want if you're after NVIDIA's full suite of features for gamers.

Even if NVIDIA Shield TV's gaming chops aren't as important to you, I'd still recommend it over almost any Fire TV product unless you're firmly entrenched in the Alexa ecosystem. As an Android user, I'm quite comfortable with everything offered in the Google Play Store and rely on Google Assistant far more than I do Alexa. If you're in the Alexa camp, you'll love the idea of a 4K streaming box that also doubles as an Echo Plus with built-in smart hub functionality making the Fire TV Cube a natural choice.

While there are some Android TV boxes that are cheaper, or smaller, or maybe come with an extra feature or two that seem like fun, it's difficult to recommend anything other than the NVIDIA Shield TV. It's by far the most feature complete set top box running Android TV, due in no small part to the company's tireless efforts to fill in the gaps where Google has fallen short with its own operating system.

That having been said, the Shield TV is starting to show its age. Much of the competition has caught up to what were once state of the art features, and a hardware profile that is frankly a little on the bulky side in 2019. Knowing that, the new Shield TV is here, complete with a new hardware design and significantly updated upscaling and HDR capabilities.

Well, sort of. It's complicated.

NVIDIA Shield TV What I love

At its core, this new NVIDIA Shield TV is everything I already loved about the best Android TV box ever sold but in more convenient packaging. As useful as the original was for so many enthusiast users, with all of its ports for adding hard drives and keyboards and cameras, I never really used any of it. And I'm pretty far from the only one who viewed those extras as largely unnecessary for my personal use, which is why NVIDIA now has this streamlined version of the Shield TV for the rest of us and the Pro version with all the ports for the folks who want to play around and have some fun.

NVIDIA had the opportunity here to make yet another dongle that hung off the back of the TV, but it didn't. In fact, NVIDIA made it clear it wanted to avoid that design altogether to avoid issues with WiFi interference. So instead of a dongle we get a cylinder and a long power cord with no wall wart adapter. The power supply is contained within the cylinder, and all you really need to do is connect an HDMI cable. There are no lights, no sounds, just a plain cylinder you can place wherever you like. The only bit of extra going on is the microSD slot just in case you have local media you want to play or the onboard 8GB of storage isn't enough for your apps. And honestly, I love that. I don't need to display my streaming box, I just need it to work.

As much as I appreciate the new design for the console itself, the real joy here is in the updated controller. Gone is the slim, glossy remote with too few buttons and a complicated to replace battery. Instead, NVIDIA has designed something with some real presence. It's a triangular wand with dedicated buttons for rewind, pause, volume, a great big Netflix button and a button you can customize to do whatever you want. The keys on the remote light up when it detects motion, and runs on a pair of AAA batteries NVIDIA says will last up to six months. The remote still does voice commands just like its predecessor, and now includes IR controls so you can use it to adjust the volume and power on your TV with just this one remote. Put simply, this is a solid remote, easily the best included with any streaming box I have ever used.

Top 5 things you should know about the new NVIDIA Shield TV (2019)

While there doesn't seem to be any grand revelations in the software if you've used Android TV recently, the truth is there's quite a bit going on under the hood. Google Assistant is more tightly integrated, delivering the same level of content from your Google Account you'd get from a dedicated Assistant display like a Nest Hub. The main UI pulls offerings from your favorite streaming services and makes it easy to see things you can watch or play without diving into individual apps. Once you're in those individual apps, however, it's a fairly standard Android TV experience. The only real difference is the dedicated media control buttons on the remote, which make things like fast forward much simpler and faster to access than just about every other Android TV box.

The biggest standalone feature here, however, is the way NVIDIA has enhanced every streaming app to make the visuals that much more appealing. NVidia has offered upscaling features in the past, but the added power of the new X1+ processor means the company can start pushing the envelope a little. If you choose to enable it, NVIDIA has an AI-based enhancement mode that genuinely works wonders on everything you use it on. The software analyzes content in the foreground of your stream and applies intelligent sharpening where it makes the most sense to do so. Details like hair and fabric and facial features immediately become sharper and look much nicer, especially on 4K sets. This feature has its limitations, the largest of which being it only works with 30FPS 1080p content at the moment. But because it's a system-level function and not something developers have to opt-in to use in their apps, there's a ton of content available to play with.

NVIDIA Shield TV What could be better

While I totally get the cylinder design decision, and I think being able to position the console in a way that maximize wifi connectivity for things like game streaming and 4K content, I feel weird setting this thing on the ground. It's not passively cooled, there's a small fan in this cylinder keeping everything running, and that means laying it on the floor puts it that much closer to dust and debris from my living room. Pet hair, for example, collects behind my entertainment center in ways that make me worry I'm going to break this console long term. I may make some sort of mount for this so it connects to the side of my entertainment center instead of laying on the floor or on a shelf, and it's a little awkward for NVIDIA to give me a craft project instead of including something in the box.

On the subject of things included in the box, NVIDIA gives you the console and the remote and the power cord and that's it. There's no HDMI cable, no real instruction manual, and it's not immediately clear how to access the batteries in the remote. The packaging is extremely minimalist, which considering this is designed for the less gadget-hungry and more novice techy among NVIDIA's audience is a little frustrating.

One feature NVIDIA included in its remote that I haven't talked about yet is the location command for it. And the reason I haven't brought it up is I'm not going to use it, at least not in its current configuration. If you have a Shield TV Gamepad or the Shield TV app installed, you can use one of these to ping the remote and have it beep to find it. But if I have one of those to things at hand already, I don't really need the remote for whatever it is I am doing. What I would really prefer is a Google Assistant instruction to find it. NVIDIA says it's working on one, however, so this might be a short-lived complaint. And If I'm honest, the updated design of the remote makes it considerably more difficult to lose in the couch anyway.

NVIDIA Shield TV: Should you buy it? Hell yes

We've been asking for a refresh to the Shield TV for a while now, and what NVIDIA delivered is frankly not what I expected. This simpler, more polished experience is fantastic on nearly every level, and doesn't deviate terribly from the things we already enjoyed about this system. And for its price, the new console checks a lot of boxes. If you want a dead simple streaming box that occasionally includes some fun gaming to it as well, this is without a doubt the box for you. And if you have been waiting to upgrade to a new Shield TV from the original, this and the more capable Pro variant are the only real options to consider.

4.5 out of 5

Bottom line? NVIDIA nailed this refresh, and it's going to make a lot of current and future Android TV users very happy.

This week, Apple announced iOS 14 and of course listed all of the devices which are going to get it, which is the worst image of the year for Android users and manufacturers alike because it reminds us of how absolutely horrendous long-term support is for most Android devices.

Unless you own a Pixel, you're lucky to see two years of Android system updates. Two years of security patches are just barely starting to become the norm — and even that has taken a lot of poking and prodding from Google to get manufacturers to comply with. While iPhones from 2015 are going to get iOS 14, there's only one 2015 Android device that even has a chance at seeing a manufacturer update to Android 11, and it's not an Android phone.

It's the original 2015 NVIDIA Shield Android TV, and not only do I still own mine, but I also use it every single day.

My NVIDIA Shield has been with me since my first apartment, so it's been through three moves — including my move from Texas to Florida — through two jobs, four and a half years, and truly countless hours of YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, Funimation, Crunchyroll and now Disney+. When the original controller gave out, I bought the upgraded 2017 model, which is now also starting to lose battery capacity because I've just used it so much in the last three years.

The Shield TV itself, though, is still going strong. I still get the app updates through Google Play, and every few months, a new system update comes down from NVIDIA with a smattering of new features, new apps, and of course, security patches. I use Ethernet to avoid a small Wi-Fi bug that cropped up several months ago, but otherwise, my Shield is even better today than it was the day I got it.

It's interesting that the longest-supported Android device is from a subset of Android devices that is something of an afterthought to most Android users. After all, if a TV or soundbar didn't come with Android TV already installed, the only standalone Android TV worth recommending is the current generation of the NVIDIA Shield TV. While Google may be unveiling its own Android TV dongle soon, I'll still recommend splurging for the NVIDIA precisely because of the long support life my 2015 model is still receiving.

NVIDIA's ability to update the Shield TV for so long is for exactly the same reason that Apple can update iPhones for so long after they release: they made the processor running the show. Manufacturers are reliant on chipset and component makers — like Qualcomm — to ensure that updates are compatible with the hardware inside your phone before it can even think of pushing it out to a user.

The NVIDIA Shield is a showcase device for the power and dependability of NVIDIA's X1 — and now X1+ — chipsets, and because NVIDIA develops, sells, and is in charge of supporting these chips, it makes it easier to ensure that Android updates won't break anything hardware-wise. And when things do end up broken after an update, NVIDIA's Shield TV team can reach out to the hardware teams to figure out what went wrong and fix it quickly, something we've seen them do after a few updates gone awry.

NVIDIA has a much higher degree of control over its components, and thus, NVIDIA controls its own update destiny. It also doesn't hurt that NVIDIA's been more strict about Android TV updates than Google, such as when NVIDIA refused to update to Android Oreo until it could work with Google to ensure that it would actually be beneficial to users. Speaking of, if the new interface leaked for the upcoming Google-made Android TV will be coming to all Android TVs, I hope NVIDIA shows the same dedication to ensuring the home screen remains useful to its users.

Do I wish more manufacturers had the same update history that NVIDIA does? Absolutely, but even if manufacturers took chipmaking into their hands — something that would take years to branch into and even then still might not work out well — it's still hard for companies to see the value in supporting 2-4-year-old phones over having you spend hundreds of dollars on a new one.

Then again, if a $200 Android TV from 2015 can still get updates, what the hell is stopping Samsung from giving its $1000 flagships 3-5 years of system updates?

For a limited time, B&H has the latest NVIDIA Shield Android TV streaming media player on sale for $129.99. This sale saves you $20 off its full cost and matches the best price we've seen for this 4K streaming device since its release. Shipping is free. You can also snag this deal at Best Buy and its eBay store.

Our review gave the new 2019 NVIDIA Shield TV 4.5 stars out of 5 and a badge calling it The Best. Russell Holly said, "This simpler, more polished experience is fantastic on nearly every level, and doesn't deviate terribly from the things we already enjoyed about this system. And for its price, the new console checks a lot of boxes. If you want a dead simple streaming box that occasionally includes some fun gaming to it as well, this is without a doubt the box for you."

The NVIDIA Shield TV uses an advanced Tegra X1+ processor for 25% faster performance than the previous NVIDIA Shield TV generations. It's the fastest Android TV streaming media player. Plus it comes with support for Dolby Vision HDR content and Dolby Atmos, which lets you enhance your surround sound for an excellent audio experience. The processor also has AI upscaling so all of your content is in 4K and looks great.

The new design makes the NVIDIA Shield TV super compact. It will fit behind your entertainment center with all the other stuff you don't really need to see. Plus, despite the much smaller size it still has a Gigabit Ethernet port for stable, speedy streaming, and a microSD card slot so you can add even more storage if you want. There's a built-in power supply and dual band Wi-Fi as well.

Even though NVIDIA no longer bundles its own gaming controller with the new NVIDIA Shield TV, you're still able to use the tubular streaming device for gaming — you just need to connect your own Bluetooth controller.

Our review gave the new 2019 NVIDIA Shield TV 4.5 stars out of 5 and a badge calling it The Best. Russell Holly said, "This simpler, more polished experience is fantastic on nearly every level, and doesn't deviate terribly from the things we already enjoyed about this system. And for its price, the new console checks a lot of boxes. If you want a dead simple streaming box that occasionally includes some fun gaming to it as well, this is without a doubt the box for you."

The NVIDIA Shield TV uses an advanced Tegra X1+ processor for 25% faster performance than the previous NVIDIA Shield TV generations. It's the fastest Android TV streaming media player. Plus it comes with support for Dolby Vision HDR content and Dolby Atmos, which lets you enhance your surround sound for an excellent audio experience. The processor also has AI upscaling so all of your content is in 4K and looks great.

The new design makes the NVIDIA Shield TV super compact. It will fit behind your entertainment center with all the other stuff you don't really need to see. Plus, despite the much smaller size it still has a Gigabit Ethernet port for stable, speedy streaming, and a microSD card slot so you can add even more storage if you want. There's a built-in power supply and dual band Wi-Fi as well.

Even though NVIDIA no longer bundles its own gaming controller with the new NVIDIA Shield TV, you're still able to use the tubular streaming device for gaming — you just need to connect your own Bluetooth controller.

For just one day only, Amazon has the latest Nvidia Shield Android TV streaming media player on sale for $129.99. This sale saves you $20 off its full cost and is a price-match of a one-day deal at Best Buy, so be sure to get your order in now if you've been waiting for a discount on this streaming device.

The deal given is no longer valid and we do not have a better one. However, we have found some similar deals

NVIDIA Shield TV Stick

$129.99 $149.99 Save $20 1629209244

This powerful Android TV 4K streaming media player is now $20 off at Amazon. Bring a cinematic experience to your living room with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound at one of its lowest prices in history.

Nvidia Shield Android TV Pro 4K HDR streaming media player

$179.99 $200.00 Save $20 1607952887

Uses Nvidia's Tegra X1+ chip and can enhance video up to 4K with next-gen upscaling. Has two USB ports for storage expansion and such. Includes Plex Media Server built in, 3GB RAM, and 16GB storage. Supports Dolby Vision and Atmos. Voice controlled.

NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro Home Media Server

$359.99 $299.99 Save $-60 1485752400

NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro Home Media Server

$357.38 $299.99 Save $-57 1485752400

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Founders Edition Graphics Card

$829.99 $899.42 Save $69 1562817600

Our review gave the new 2019 Nvidia Shield TV 4.5 stars out of 5 and a badge calling it The Best. Russell Holly said, "This simpler, more polished experience is fantastic on nearly every level, and doesn't deviate terribly from the things we already enjoyed about this system. And for its price, the new console checks a lot of boxes. If you want a dead simple streaming box that occasionally includes some fun gaming to it as well, this is without a doubt the box for you."

The Nvidia Shield TV uses an advanced Tegra X1+ processor for 25% faster performance than the previous Nvidia Shield TV generations. It's the fastest Android TV streaming media player. Plus it comes with support for Dolby Vision HDR content and Dolby Atmos, which lets you enhance your surround sound for an excellent audio experience. The processor also has AI upscaling so all of your content is in 4K and looks great.

The new design makes the Nvidia Shield TV super compact. It will fit behind your entertainment center with all the other stuff you don't really need to see. Plus, despite the much smaller size it still has a Gigabit Ethernet port for stable, speedy streaming, and a microSD card slot so you can add even more storage if you want. There's a built-in power supply and dual band Wi-Fi as well.

Shipping at Amazon is free on orders over $25 or more, though you could receive your order even faster with an Amazon Prime membership. If you've never been a member before, you can start a free 30-day trial to score free two-day shipping with no order minimum, along with acccess to Prime perks like the Prime Video streaming service, exclusive members-only discounts, and more.

The Nvidia Shield TV is the best way to do Android TV period. Yes, you can buy televisions with Android TV built-in and there are a few other companies making Android TV-powered boxes, but if you want to do it right, you should just buy a Shield TV and be done with it.

If you're the type who likes to do a bit of PC-class gaming, you just got another reason why it's the only box you should buy — GeForce Now is officially official and out of beta, ready for anyone with a game library to start playing.

GeForce Now is a little like Stadia, but it's different in a lot of ways, too. You're mostly going to be playing games you already own through services like Steam, UPlay, or EA Origin. At launch, there are a handful of free-to-play games like Fortnite (of course there's Fortnite), but the service is really meant to take the game library you already own and let you stream it to almost any Android phone, Mac, PC, or Shield TV. Yes, Chromebook support is also coming soon, too.

While playing a game like Metro Exodus with RTX on at 1080p at 60fps on your phone or MacBook Air sounds cool, imagine how much better it would be on the big television you probably already have through a little black box that connects to a virtual Nvidia GPU.

And Nvidia's not blowing smoke up our you-know-whats, either. I am part of the 300,000 people who used the beta, and I can tell you that besides any internet lag spikes that can happen with any multiplayer game (yes, GeForce Now lets you play multiplayer with your existing friend list), it's a pretty amazing service. Besides the frame rate — which is locked at 60fps through GeForce Now — games I own and play locally aren't really any better than they are through the service. There's none of that weird upscaling that Google seems to be doing with Stadia, none of the connection wonk, just an awesome way to use gigabytes of data streaming high-end games on less-than-stellar hardware.

In fact, I think GeForce Now and a Shield TV is far better than any console, especially if you already do a little PC gaming and have a library of games. You get to play with the friends you already have through Steam or Epic Games, you're not stuck at 30fps, and you aren't locked into a single ecosystem because you buy the games through the normal channels and can play them on any PC.

The final kicker is pricing. There are two tiers of GeForce Now — Free and Founders. The biggest penalty for the Free tier is that you have to save and quit every hour because the session length is capped. You also have "standard access" compared to "priority access," and there's no support for RTX. In regards to the capped session time, Nvidia has told us that you can have as many one-hour sessions as you want a day with the Free tier. In other words, you can use the five minutes of downtime to grab a Red Bull.

The Founders tier is equally great. It's priced at $4.99 per month after a free three-month trial and has no session length and includes RTX (Ray-Tracing) support for games that have it. Don't listen to people who say Ray-Tracing is trash; they probably don't have a powerful enough GPU to use it at high settings. But with GeForce Now and a Shield TV, your living room console does.

My biggest beef with most cloud-gaming services is that you buy and play your games through a single service's cloud. I want to own my games. With GeForce Now and my Shield TV, I not only own my games but can play them anywhere, too. I'll see you on the battlefield or at the track, gamer.

The Nvidia Shield TV 4K HDR streaming media player is down to $124.99 at B&H thanks to a $20 price drop and the $5 off on-page coupon. That is the lowest price around, but that's just B&H undercutting the competition because several retailers have the $20 price drop. Get it for $130 at Amazon or Best Buy. This is a great deal no matter what retailer you go with because, since it was introduced last year, this device has not gone on sale before.

The deal given is no longer valid and we do not have a better one. However, we have found some similar deals

NVIDIA Shield TV Stick

$129.99 $149.99 Save $20 1629209244

This powerful Android TV 4K streaming media player is now $20 off at Amazon. Bring a cinematic experience to your living room with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound at one of its lowest prices in history.

Nvidia Shield Android TV Pro 4K HDR streaming media player

$179.99 $200.00 Save $20 1607952887

Uses Nvidia's Tegra X1+ chip and can enhance video up to 4K with next-gen upscaling. Has two USB ports for storage expansion and such. Includes Plex Media Server built in, 3GB RAM, and 16GB storage. Supports Dolby Vision and Atmos. Voice controlled.

NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro Home Media Server

$359.99 $299.99 Save $-60 1485752400

NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro Home Media Server

$357.38 $299.99 Save $-57 1485752400

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Founders Edition Graphics Card

$829.99 $899.42 Save $69 1562817600

Our review gave the new 2019 Nvidia Shield TV 4.5 stars out of 5 and a badge calling it The Best. Russell Holly said, "This simpler, more polished experience is fantastic on nearly every level, and doesn't deviate terribly from the things we already enjoyed about this system. And for its price, the new console checks a lot of boxes. If you want a dead simple streaming box that occasionally includes some fun gaming to it as well, this is without a doubt the box for you."

The Nvidia Shield TV uses an advanced Tegra X1+ processor for 25% faster performance than the previous Nvidia Shield TV generations. It's the fastest Android TV streaming media player. Plus it comes with support for Dolby Vision HDR content and Dolby Atmos, which lets you enhance your surround sound for an excellent audio experience. The processor also has AI upscaling so all of your content is in 4K and looks great.

The new design makes the Nvidia Shield TV super compact. It will fit behind your entertainment center with all the other stuff you don't really need to see. Plus, despite the much smaller size it still has a Gigabit Ethernet port for stable, speedy streaming, and a microSD card slot so you can add even more storage if you want. There's a built-in power supply and dual band Wi-Fi as well.

What you need to know

• NVIDIA unveiled the new remote design as part of Shield TV refresh in 2019.
• Features triangular design with motion-sensing back light, a remappable button, and built-in relocator function.
• It is now available for individual purchase direct from NVIDIA for $30.

You can now buy the new NVIDIA Shield TV remote for $30, available direct from NVIDIA.

When NVIDIA decided to refresh the Shield TV line up late last year, the new remote was easily one of our favorite new features. The fresh triangular design makes it way more comfortable to hold and the inclusion of remote basics such as a power and media control buttons — all which come to life with backlighting as soon as you pick it up — was a marked upgrade over older Shield remote's minimalist (to a fault) design.

NVIDIA also included a user-programmable button that can be customized to perform a long list of handy functions. Other useful features include a remote locator function (that required setup through the Shield TV app) and an IR blaster that allows the remote to control your TV as well.

The remote connects to the Shield via Bluetooth and should work just fine with the older 2015 and 2017 Shield TV models. For anyone holding off on upgrading to the new Shield TV, you can now at least upgrade to the new remote and improve your Shield TV experience with the convenience of backlit buttons and programmable controls.

Even though NVIDIA no longer bundles its own gaming controller with the new NVIDIA Shield TV (2019), you're still able to use the tubular streaming device for gaming — you just need to connect your own Bluetooth controller. Here's how to get things set up.

Products used in this guide

• Best Android TV: NVIDIA Shield TV (2019) ($150 at Amazon)
• Game on!: SteelSeries Stratus Duo ($36 at Amazon)

How to pair a Bluetooth controller with the NVIDIA Shield TV (2019)

1. From the Shield home screen, go to Settings.
2. Select Remotes & Accessories.Source: Android Central

1. Select Add Accessory.
2. Make sure your controller is in pairing mode and it should appear on the list of available accessories.Source: Android Central

If you're having trouble getting your controller to pair, try to place the controller closer to the Shield TV. This might be easier said than done given that the new Shield TV is designed to live behind your entertainment center among the cables, but it fixed the pairing issue that I was having.

Once paired, you can navigate through the NVIDIA Shield menus with the controller, too, which can be quite comfortable

Our top equipment picks

If you haven't upgraded to the new NVIDIA Shield TV yet, now's a great time.

The NVIDIA Shield TV might not ship with a gaming controller, but it still delivers a great experience for gamers with full support for Bluetooth controllers. Whether you want to download your favorite games from the Google Play Store or stream games from services such as GeForce Now, Steam Link, or Project xCloud, it's still one of the most capable entertainment streaming devices you can buy.

Choose your favorite controller

You'll also need a Bluetooth controller. I used the SteelSeries Stratus Duo but we've rounded up the best controllers for the Shield TV if you want more options.

There's no shortage of smart TV platforms, but in our household, we went all-in on Android TV. It started with a Sony 950D back in 2015, and over the last four years, we amassed three additional TVs that ran Android TV out of the box.

The end result is that I didn't need a standalone Android TV box. I bought a Mi Box S to use with my Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector (the U.S. model comes with Android TV, but not the Chinese variant), but aside from that, there wasn't a good enough reason to get a device like the Shield TV.

That changed earlier this year when I noticed just how laggy Sony's Android TV interface has gotten. The TV still gets security updates from time to time, but it is running Marshmallow. And while the Mi Box S is a decent product for under $50, it doesn't handle 4K content well. That meant I had to look for an alternative, and I inevitably ended up with the Shield TV Pro (2019).

I used the Shield TV for just over two months, and in that time, it has become my favorite purchase of 2019.

At first glance, the Shield TV doesn't make that much sense. It costs three times as much as Android TV boxes that offer the same set of features, but the difference is in the details. The Shield TV is powered by NVIDIA's Tegra X1+ chipset, and you have to use it to see how much faster it is than any other streaming box or the native user interface on your TV.

I had no idea Android TV could be this responsive, and the Shield TV is on an entirely different level when it comes to the hardware side of things. There's a level of immediacy here that you just don't get with any other streaming media player. There are other features that make the Shield TV stand out: it has 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos, and the new AI upscaling mode is a game-changer.

It has all the basics that you're used to seeing from an Android TV box — you can easily talk to Google Assistant for everything from controlling smart home devices to getting weather updates and sports scores. The Shield TV also has your favorite streaming services, with everything from Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and others included out of the box.

But what makes the Shield TV truly stand out is the software updates. The first-gen Shield TV has been updated for over four years, considerably more than any Android phone or tablet. Because NVIDIA uses its custom Tegra chipset in the Shield TV, it is able to work closely with Google to deliver continual updates. So even though you're paying a premium for the streaming box, it pays for itself over the course of four years.

Another great feature with the Shield TV is GeForce Now, NVIDIA's cloud gaming platform. The service is in beta right now, and you can stream a host of free AAA games or link your Steam account to play games that you already own. All you need to do is pair a controller over Bluetooth, and you can jump into your favorite games. The convenience on offer makes the Shield TV the ideal showcase for GeForce Now.

Oh, and the bundled remote is pretty great too. The triangular design makes it easy to hold and use, and there's even a remote finder feature that lets you locate the remote should it go missing.

My coworkers have constantly raved about the Shield TV over the last four years, and I never understood the enthusiasm. But after using it for two months, I now understand that all the praise the streaming box has received is fully justified.

Best answer: The NVIDIA Shield TV (2019) was trained using machine learning algorithms to know how to add 4K details to enhance HD content from 720p or 1080p at 30 frames per second (FPS). Because this is a system-level feature, AI-enhanced upscaling will work with content across any streaming app you use.

• Best gets better: NVIDIA Shield TV (2019) ($150 at Amazon)
• Go Pro: NVIDIA Shield TV Pro (2019) ($200 at Amazon)

What kind of sorcery is this?

Video upscaling is a necessary requirement anytime you're watching standard HD content on a 4K display. If your source video is running at 1080p, with 1920x1080 pixels, and you play it on a 4K device that displays 3840x2160 pixels, there are more pixels being displayed on screen than available from the source material. Upscaling attempts to fill in those missing pixels as best as possible.

Older NVIDIA Shield TV models already offered basic upscaling to support 4K displays. What makes NVIDIA's AI-enhanced upscaling different is that it knows when and where to add extra details. You'll notice the effect of the AI-enhanced upscaling best in well-lit scenes that feature a lot of textures or human features like eyes, skin, and hair. The Shield will analyze the frame and try to enhance the details on anything that's in focus.

You can tweak AI-enhanced upscaling in the Shield settings, with three enhancement levels to choose from — low, medium, and high. It's worth testing out each level based on the on the type of content you're watching, as the upscaling effect can vary based on the source video's resolution and the age of the content.

You can remap the settings button on the Shield remote to turn on AI upscaling, or even turn on the demo mode, which is a really great way to see the effect in real time. The demo mode includes a slider so you can split the screen between the original source and the upscaled result so you can see the effect.

Demo mode is the best way to see the effect that AI-enhanced upscaling has on content from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and Disney+. Odds are you will love it and just leave it turned on.

It's been long overdue for NVIDIA to give us a substantial update to the Shield TV line up, and they did not disappoint with the refreshed NVIDIA Shield TV for 2019. Both the standard and Pro versions include updated processor chip sets and a completely redesigned remote which makes the using the Shield TV easier and better than ever before.

NVIDIA's AI-Enhanced 4K upscaling is pure magic

One of the most exciting new features on the NVIDIA Shield TV (2019) is the upgraded Tegra X1+ processor chip set, which boast an extra 25 percent processing power over its predecessor.

This extra power has allowed NVIDIA to innovate with its new AI-enabled upscaling that uses machine learning to upscale 720p or 1080p HD at 30fps video up to 4K. In layman's terms, your Shield knows what native 4K content looks like in lower resolutions and can analyze what you're watching and use that extra processing power to heighten the details in real time. If you're watching on a 4K TV, that means you'll see lower resolution content magically bumped up to near 4K quality.

Russell Holly calls it the biggest standalone feature of the new Shield TVs, most importantly because its a system-level feature that works across any video streaming apps you use without requiring any update from the developer's side.

AI upscaling needs to be turned on manually in the Shield settings, but once you do you'll probably never turn it off. If you really want to see the difference for yourself, you can remap the AI upscaling demo mode to the customizable settings button on the remote. Not only are you able to toggle between basic and AI-enhanced upscaling in real time, but you can also do a live side-by-side comparison that really shows off the difference it makes.

You're going to love the features on the updated remote

Anyone who has ever seen or used the old Shield remote should agree it was a victim of prioritizing aesthetic style over functionality. The sleek, all-black design meant it was incredibly easy for it to slip between couch cushions, and the novelty of the volume control slider wore off pretty quickly.

As part of the Shield TV refresh, NVIDIA has delivered a brand new remote design that's better in nearly every way. It's more substantial to hold in your hand and features backlit buttons that are activated by motion, and actually features dedicated buttons for media control and volume.

It also includes dedicated buttons for Netflix button and Google Assistant along with the settings button next to the power button that can be remapped to open the apps menu or launch a specific app, mute volume, access a quick setting, toggle AI-enhanced upscaling and much more.

The new remote still connects to the Shield TV via Bluetooth, but NVIDIA has added IR control so you'll be better able to control volume and power on your TV, soundbar, or reciever. NVIDIA has also ditched rechargeable batteries in favor of a trusty pair of AA batteries.

It might just be my favorite new feature of the updated Shield TV lineup. It will also works with all older models of the Shield TV after a forthcoming software update and will then be made available to be purchased separately.

You can use a third-party app to swap out the Netflix button for another app

Netflix is great and having a dedicated button for it on a remote control is fairly common these days. But what if you're not a Netflix subscriber or simply want to remap the button to another app or function that you'd use more often? There's a fix for that, as long as you're okay doing a little software tinkering with your Shield TV using a third-party app.

The app in question is called Button Mapper and it lets you remap any physical buttons associated with the Android device it is installed on. It first rose to prominence around the time that Samsung first introduced the Bixby button, but it can be just as useful on Android TV to remap buttons on the new NVIDIA Shield TV.

Once you've got the app installed on your Shield TV, the process to remap the Netflix button is pretty straight forward. Simply select "Add button", press the Netflix button on your remote so that it appears as an option on screen, and then select a new action or app for the button.

GeForce NOW still lets you stream games from the tube

NVIDIA has always boasted about the Shield TV's capabilities as a gaming console, and that still caries over to the tube redesign.

The Shield TV will always has a full library of Android TV-compatible titles from the Google Play Store, but NVIDIA also offers more ways to play via its GeForce NOW game streaming service, which is currently available for free on the Shield. You'll need to supply your own Bluetooth controller or keyboard/mouse combo for the Shield TV tube, while the Pro model includes two USB ports which can be used to connect accessories.

GeForce NOW lets you connect your Steam or Uplay libraries and stream your favorite games from an NVIDIA cloud center where the game data is process and beamed down to your Shield TV. NVIDIA has provided a collection of free-to-play games and also features select games that Shield owners can stream and play for free. There's also NVIDIA GameStream, which lets you cast gameplay from a PC running a GeForce RTX graphics card straight to your living room.

Despite downscaling the standard version of the Shield TV to the size of a 6-inch tube, the Shield TV is still capable of streaming games from GeForce NOW which is an incredible feat whether or not you ever play them. If those gaming features are really important to you, it's probably worth spending a bit extra for the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro which offers USB ports for connecting controllers, keyboards, and mice and features spec bumps that are better suited to provide the best gaming experience.

It's the most compact and affordable NVIDIA Shield TV model yet

Not to overstate the obvious, but NVIDIA did an incredible job redesigning the "non-Pro" NVIDIA Shield TV to a form factor thats so easy to stash behind your TV. It's a pretty radical departure from the Shield TV design that still manages to outperform the competition. If you don't need the extra USB ports or the Pro's extra features, the standard Shield TV should serve you nicely.

NVIDIA has also managed to keep the price down for the updated versions of the Shield TV and Shield TV Pro. Priced at $150, the tube-style is an incredible value considering the older style Shield TV's were available for around $175 on discount. The 2019 Shield TV is certainly catering to a more casual audience but it still manages to deliver the same overkill performance that NVIDIA is known for.

If you've been holding off on buying an NVIDIA Shield TV because you were waiting for this refresh, you've got two great options to choose from. The tube designs offers a compact and portable design that will perform all it's magic tricks while remaining tucked away behind your screen. Meanwhile, the Pro version continues with the Shield TV's hardware design with enhanced gaming performance and that amazing new remote.

Best answer: Yes! The NVIDIA Shield TV 2019 is based on Android TV, which natively supports all major Bluetooth game controllers, including the Shield Controller. You can easily pair the Shield Controller to the Shield TV 2019 and play your favorite games on the streaming box.

• Designed for gamers: NVIDIA Shield TV 2019 ($150 at Amazon)
• A great controller: NVIDIA Shield Controller ($42 at Amazon)

The NVIDIA Shield TV 2019 works flawlessly with your Shield Controller

The Shield TV 2019 comes with a refreshed tubular design and enticing new features like AI upscaling, and the internal hardware has also been updated for 2019. It now comes with a Tegra X1+ chipset that's touted to be 25% faster than the X1 in the first-gen Shield TV, and you also get a microSD card slot for boosting the onboard storage.

While NVIDIA didn't release a new controller, the older Shield Controller works flawlessly with the Shield TV 2019. The Shield Controller works over Bluetooth, and with Android TV picking up native support for Bluetooth game controllers, you can easily pair the Shield Controller with your Shield TV 2019 and stat playing your favorite games.

The Shield TV 2019 has a lot to offer on the gaming front, and you'll be able to try out NVIDIA's exciting new game streaming service, GeForce Now, on the device. Think of GeForce Now as NVIDIA's take on Stadia, with the service serving up access to over 400 titles, including the likes of PUBG and Fortnite. Best of all, you don't have to pay anything to use GeForce Now as the streaming service is still in beta for the time being.

In addition to the Shield Controller, you can pair an Xbox One controller or the PlayStation 4's DualShock controller with the Shield TV 2019. The fact that the streaming box runs Android TV makes it that much more versatile when it comes to connecting your favorite Bluetooth accessories.

What you need to know

• NVIDIA's latest Android TV-based Shield streaming devices are now official.
• The new Shield TV and Shield TV Pro come with the Tegra X1+ processor and offer Dolby Vision as well as Dolby Atmos support.
• While the new Shield TV is priced at $150, the Shield TV Pro is available for $200.

NVIDIA today introduced its newest streaming media players based on the Android TV platform – Shield TV and Shield TV Pro. The new Shield devices are powered by the new Tegra X1+ processor, which NVIDIA claims is 25% faster than its predecessor.

Thanks to the improved computational power, the new Shield TV and Shield TV Pro use AI to upscale HD video stream into 4K resolution. Both new Shield devices also come with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support.

NVIDIA's smaller Shield TV offers a stealthy design that can easily blend in or simply disappear behind entertainment centers. It ships with an all-new Shield remote and has Google Assistant built-in. Some of its other key features include 2GB of RAM, 8GB storage, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and dual-band Wi-Fi support.

The Shield TV Pro, on the other hand, has been designed for more demanding users. Apart from a sleeker design, you get two USB ports, 3GB of RAM, 16GB storage, and the ability to function as a Plex server.

NVIDIA's new Shield TV and Shield TV Pro are now available for purchase in the U.S., Canada, as well as a few European countries. In the U.S., Shield TV carries a $150 price tag, while the Shield TV Pro is priced at $200.

NVIDIA Shield TV Pro

NVIDIA's Shield TV Pro is a fantastic new media streaming device that has the ability to upscale HD video to 4K with the help of AI in real-time. The new Tegra X1+ processor also brings Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos support for a truly immersive experience. You even get Google Assistant built-in and support for NVIDIA's GeForce NOW game streaming service.

• From $150 at Amazon
• $150 at Best Buy

What you need to know

• There are two new devices from NVIDIA, the Shield TV Pro and a smaller Shield TV.
• Availablity for these new NVIDIA Shield streaming devices is reported to be October 27.
• Pricing is going to be $200 for the Pro and $150 for the regular version.

We've had previous leaks about the unannounced new products, but now we are getting what looks to be official pricing and release dates. A source told Android Police that the on-shelf dates for the new NVIDIA Shield Pro and NVIDIA Shield will be October 27 and 28, with pricing being $200 and $150, respectably.

Source: Reddit and Android Police

Even more interesting, according to a report on Reddit and a post on Liliputing, it seems that some folks have already gotten their hands on the devices. If you were interested in picking these up, you might be able to try your luck by explicitly asking for the SKU (stock keeping unit) and could end up taking them home. The SKU on the Pro is 6370425 and the new Shield TV is 6370422. While some Best Buy employees may know these aren't due out yet, some may not.

Source: Android Police

While the new NVIDIA Shield TV Pro doesn't look much different than the current version, aside from the remote, it does have some pretty significant upgrade inside. It will be running the new Tegra X1+ chipset, support Dolby Vision HDR, and have some AI upscaling for 4K, also including 3GB RAM and 16GB of storage. The new Shield TV is set to be called just the "Shield TV", and it will include a USB-C port that should allow you to add storage to the onboard 8GB. Running the show will be a Tegra X+ for upscaling and a Tegra Z1+ for the rest of the processing.

Best cheap Android TVs in 2019

What you need to know

• This is a relatively small but important maintenance release.
• It paves the way for a few apps that broke 4K playback to work again.
• But some may still require server-side updates.

NVIDIA today has rolled out a maintenance release for the Shield Android TV box (which, by the way, remains the only Android TV box you should buy). It's chock full of bugfixes, but there's one in particular worth focusing on. It's a platform-based fix for some 4K playback gremlins that surfaced after the initial Android Pie update at the end of July.

Here's the take from NVIDIA itself, via its forums:

The update is available now and takes just a few minutes to download and install.

Here's the full changelog, also via the forums:

Bugs Fixed

System

• Redesigns Volume UI for android P
• Resolves occasional video playback issues
• Fixes bug with IR volume control when accessibility features enabled
• Resolves system navigation sound lower than android O
• Resolves "Drive address format is not valid" message seen when connecting to NAS
• Resolves USB DAC issue where audio volume would be set low after reboot/DAC hotplug
• Resolves issue where side loaded apps appear as system apps

Display

• "Match content color space" feature now displays correct format
• Fixes bug where "Match content color space" would not work when display set to Rec709 by default
• Resolves issue playing VC1 content

Storage

• Resolves Sdcard/InternalStorage accessibility issue when adopting storage
• Resolves issue where storage is reported as full when using NVIDIA share after adopting storage

Network

• Improves 4K streaming issues when network connected over Wifi
• Resolves rare Wi-Fi disconnect issue
• Fixes bug where manual DNS entries would not be saved

Accessories

• Improves IR control reliability on some Denon and Sony receivers
• Improves SHIELD Remote App connection and control issues
• Resolves SHIELD Controller 2017 OTA stability issues
• Fixes issue where forgotten SHIELD accessories still appear in SHIELD accessory list
• Resolves automatic centering issues on some controllers
• Adds support for STRQUA G20 keymapping
• Resolves mouse issues in PUBG Mobile on SHIELD

Miscelaneous

• Fixes Google Play Store crashes issue
• Restores option to set default launcher

Open Known Issues

• YouTube 5.1 PCM audio not available
• Launcher app Icons appear zoomed/cropped
• Unable to re-enable location services being disabled
• TV loses sync HDMI sync to SHIELD during modesets (power on, wake from sleep, refresh/resolution changes)
• HD Audio dropouts
• USB DAC passthrough not working in Kodi
• Rare Netflix stutter issue
• Disconnect when connecting to SHIELD from PC
• Failure during 2015 Controller firmware update

Best answer: Yes, Hulu is available on Android TV. And it's finally been updated to a full-fledged app with all the features — including live TV.

• Hulu: From $6 a month (Free trial, then $6 a month or $45 a month with Live TV)
• Amazon: NVIDIA Shield TV with remote ($179)

Two phoenix rising

Hulu offers Cord Cutters a bit of everything. You can choose a huge catalog of the most popular TV shows and movies, or combine it with a live TV streaming service filled with sports, news, and entertainment. It even offers a version of the a la carte TV dream, with access to premium channels like Showtime and HBO on a single bill.

Android TV has grown and evolved in ways similar to Hulu. What began as Google's over-the-top OS for streaming devices morphed into a smart TV OS. Through it all, the NVIDIA Shield TV has been the flagship of Android TV, in the truest sense of the word. Few modern tech devices have the longevity of performance and updates the Shield TV has on Android TV.

And starting in August 2019, Hulu finally has updated its Android TV app with all the features the service can throw at you — and that includes the ability to stream live TV.

All the features, and then some

The reason this is a big deal is that until the update in in August 2019, Hulu had a pretty hamstrung app on Android TV. Sure, it worked for the back catalog. But it was missing all kinds of other features.

The biggest of those was Hulu with Live TV. It's quickly become one of the go-to options for anyone looking to streaming live network shows, thanks in no small part to it being integrated with the rest of Hulu. But the old Android TV didn't have it. it also didn't have other features like support for multiple accounts, or the "My Stuff" section that helps you personalize your Hulu experience.

With this update — which first rolled out in an update to the NVIDIA Shield — the Hulu app on Android TV is now on par with other platforms.

And not a moment too soon.

The Nvidia Shield TV 4K HDR gaming edition streaming media player is down to $176.45. This deal comes thanks to a price drop from its $190 street price and an on-page coupon you'll need to clip that takes an extra $2.03 off. This is one of the lowest prices we've seen on the Nvidia Shield TV since January, and it's even less expensive than the normal version that doesn't include a controller.

The Shield TV 4K device functions not just as a streaming player but also as a media server and a smart home hub with fully customizable settings. It offers 4K HDR video quality along with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound pass-through. It can download apps like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, NFL, YouTube and so many more once connected to your Wi-Fi network at home. This version adds a gaming controller you can use to play games you've downloaded to the player.

You can also use a device with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, like the Echo Dot or Google Home Mini, to control the Shield TV using your voice.

What you need to know

• The Shield is being updated to Android 9.0 Pie today.
• It'll have the new Hulu With Live TV app built in.
• Plus improved color for HDR-enabled TVs.

NVIDIA Shield — which remains the only Android TV box you should buy — just keeps getting better and better. Never mind the fact that it's more than four years old — ancient by today's tech standards. (Also never mind that there may finally be an updated version waiting in the wings.) Today the Tegra X1-powered system becomes first Android TV box to be updated to Android 9.0 Pie.

As is the usual case, the "NVIDIA Shield Experience" version is number doesn't quite match up, but don't let that bother you any. Update 8.0 has a lot going on.

In addition to the Pie update — and the Android security updates that come with it, you'll also find:

• A new featured called Match Content Color Space that will give more accurate colors on an HDR-enabled TV.
• The new and improved Hulu app — which sports an updated user interface and features, and also has Hulu with Live TV. (You'll still need a subscription, of course.)
• Updates "Display and Sounds" advanced setting info into two easier-to-navigate menus
• Adds option to match content color space (Settings > Display & Sound > Advanced).
• Improves volume dynamic range for USB and Bluetooth-connected headsets
• Enables 720p refresh rate switching on supported apps
• Adds "Disconnect Bluetooth accessories" option to quick settings
• Adds IR power control options to customize on/off functionality
• Adds option to turn off USB Power when Shield sleeps
• Adds option to connect to 2.4 GHz or 5GHz Wi-Fi network with shared SSID
• Updates accessory firmware versions

The update is rolling out to Shield boxes now.

Additionally, the NVIDIA Shield TV Android app has received an update. It's not directly tied to the Shield Experience 8.0 update, but here's what's new anyway:

• Better pairing with Bluetooth assisted discovery
• Lower latency and better performance
• IP pairing is now always an option
• Allows for user feedback
• Minor updates to the UI

Hulu With Live TV (From $45 a month)

The best originals, plus live TV

Hulu long has been known for its extensive back catalog and original shows. Now it's getting even better with its live TV service.

What you need to know

• Finally, a full Hulu app on Android TV.
• Previously it'd been stuck with a legacy app that was missing features.
• Premium add-ons will be supported.

Exciting news for Hulu subscribers and Android TV owners. Hulu has announced that, beginning in August of 2019, the new Hulu with Live TV app is coming to Android TVs, including the NVidia Shield TV and Android smart TVs from Sony and Hisense.

This will be a big improvement over the current Hulu app on Android TV for all Hulu subscribers. Subscribers to Hulu's on-demand service will have a better experience on Android TV as well. This new app will be the Latest Hulu app with all of the best features, including multiple profiles and support for My Stuff instead of the older watchlist. Currently, Android TV has only had the Classic Hulu app, which only supported one profile and lacks the Premium Add-ons from HBO, Cinemax and Starz.

This is big news for Hulu and for Android TV as a platform. Hulu has been growing their Live TV platform, and recently passed AT&T TV Now, a.k.a. DirecTV Now, to become the second largest live TV streaming service by subscribers. Adding support for another major platform will open the service up to users who previously couldn't consider signing up without sacrifice. The app has had support for Casting to Android TV, but for a Live TV service that can become a chore.

Android TV continues its year of great development, adding new and upgraded app support and new hardware. The platform has added new apps from Amazon Prime Video, the NBC channels including NBC Sports and had major app upgrades launch from Fox as well as TNT and TBS. Also, Android TV has seen new products launch like the JBL Soundbar and AirTV Mini. A new NVidia Shield is reportedly in the works, and it may have just passed through the FCC. This is besides the impressive growth that Android TV has seen on the Operator Tier, replacing traditional cable boxes with hybrid boxes that can also stream from apps.

This news leaves us looking with side eyes at a few media companies. AT&T made a lot of news today, with changes to their streaming offerings. However there is still no Android TV app for the newly rebranded DirecTV Now turned AT&T TV Now. Also, Discovery has yet to launch any of their channel apps on Android TV. Even worse, they have left HGTV and Food Network Android TV apps to rot. Those apps have lost features like live streaming, and seen many popular shows disappear from the apps without explanation. Hopefully, if peace and progress can be made on this platform for Hulu and Amazon, the others will come along eventually.

NVIDIA Shield TV with remote ($180 at Amazon)

Power to run any app or game with ease

NVIDIA built a marvel almost 4 years ago, as that same hardware runs flawlessly with many OS upgrades and new advanced TV apps. This box can also be your DVR, home server, smart home hub, and game console, and soon the latest from Hulu.

I've gone through a lot of phones, Chromebooks, headphones, and a verifiable flood of phone cases in the last four years, but my NVIDIA Shield TV is my constant entertainment companion. I've banged out hundreds of articles while listening to old episodes of this show or that — I like quoting along to shows as I work, it helps keep my vibes up — but I've also burned hours and hours at a time when I should've been cleaning my kitchen, baking something to eat, or lately, getting out of my apartment.

NVIDIA did a bang-up job on the Shield TV and four years on, it remains the best and only real contender for getting Android TV unless yours came with the software installed. In fact, with the NVIDIA Shield TV Controller and the ability to quickly navigate search results and multiple seasons of a show for the perfect episode, it's easier than ever to keep the stories flowing and get whatever emotional or comedic punch I need. That's why I really hope that for Android TV, the next major update brings the same Digital Wellbeing we've enjoyed on our phones to the TV.

YouTube has technically had Digital Wellbeing for almost a year now, allowing you to see how much you watch and can encourage you to take breaks, but the "Take a break" setting is not available on the Android TV version of the app. I imagine this is because if you're watching YouTube on a TV, Google assumed you've got time to kill — or because features often take a while to get to the Android TV app.

Even if YouTube had "Take a break", which it doesn't, YouTube isn't the only app on Android TV, and binges hit me in Hulu and Funimation just as often. And unlike a phone, which can serve a functional, useful purpose alongside distracting the user from the absolute insanity happening in the world, the entertainment apps on Android TV want you to use them as long as you can.

There's no real incentive for them to police themselves — especially on a platform that is designed first and foremost for content consumption — but Digital Wellbeing would take the onus away from app developers and instead give users the controls they need to help rein in the viral video and ONE MORE EPISODE addictions.

Digital Wellbeing on Android TV would also be a great place for a new feature I really hope comes to Android phones eventually: a cumulative screen time limit. Currently, you can only set time limits on a per-app basis, but hitting the time limit on a single app in Digital Wellbeing would make me behave no differently than Funimation's servers going down for the fifth weekend in a row: "Okay, let's see what's good on Hulu tonight."

I know that this is a personal problem and at the end of the day, personal responsibility must win out, but I do wish the tools were out there for Android TV the way they are for phones. Between Autoplay and the clock not appearing unless you're on the home screen, it's very easy to lose hours at a time — days, when you start a show like Critical Role with its massive 4-hour episodes — and as someone who's forgetful by nature, it's very easy to get sucked in while making dinner and then look up episodes later wondering where the last eight hours went.

I'm already using Google Assistant to help me break these cycles, using Google Routines to turn out the lights around midnight and three alarms in two apps to make sure I take my sleepy-time drugs at a reasonable hour, but the more tools I could use, the more visibility and control I can exercise to get a grip on my viewing habits. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who could use them.

What you need to know

• New variant of the NVIDIA Shield TV showed up on the Google Play Developer console.
• It's codennamed mdarcy and is running Pie.
• We could see an updated Tegra chipset powering the new device.

The NVIDIA Shield TV hasn't received much in the way of updates following its launch all tthe way back in 2015, and although NVIDIA rolled out a new slimmer option, the internal hardware hasn't changed between the two models.

It looks like we're finally going to see a new model sometime this year, as a new variant of the Shield TV with codename mdarcy has showed up on the Google Play Developer console. As spotted by Android Police, the new model will run Android 9.0 Pie out of the box.

NVIDIA Shield TV vs. NVIDIA Shield TV Pro: Which Should You Buy?

The current Shield TV is codenamed darcy, and while it is still one of the best Android TV boxes money can buy, NVIDIA will be looking to update the aging platform. It looks like the upcoming Shield TV will feature a newer t210b01 version of the Tegra X1 chipset that has better power usage and higher clocks for the GPU, according to the folks over at XDA.

We'll have to wait and see what NVIDIA has in store with the Shield TV refresh, but in the meantime, what would you like to see from the device? Sound off in the comments below.

TNT and TBS recently upgraded their Android apps with a new interface, but lost Android TV compatibility in the process. Now, Turner has quickly responded with updated apps. TNT and TVS are once again available for Android TV, including the NVIDIA Shield TV.

Watch TNT and Watch TBS first arrived on Android TV back in August of 2017. The apps let users watch shows and movies from the networks on their Android TV devices. It also offered the live stream of the East Coast and West Coast feeds of the channels.

Turner Entertainment updated the TNT and TBS apps to version 5 just three weeks ago. When they released the new update, the app was no longer compatible with Android TV devices. If you already had these apps installed on an NVIDIA Shield TV, they continued to work. However, the apps disappeared from the TV Google Play Store, and no longer showed up in search results. The loss of these apps was mentioned in a recent interview Android TV senior director Shalini Govil-Pai had with Jared Newman of Techhive.

Now version 5.1.2 is available, and it returns TNT and TBS apps to Android TV. Previously installed apps will update automatically to the latest version. The apps are back in the TV Play Store as well as search results. The new version has a fresh look, with new minimalist menus and all the same features as before. As an added bonus, once I signed in to the TNT app with my live streaming login, the TBS app was auto logged in when I opened it.

It may be a coincidence that these updated apps appeared just as Google I/O is about to begin. However, there has been real movement in Android TV apps recently, with apps like NCAA March Madness and NBC Sports arriving in the last few months. Also, Google has promised a renewed focus on Android TV, and new hardware announcements soon. While I wish for a Made By Google device to combine the simplicity and size of Chromecast with the power of Android TV, most current Android TV users are happy to just get more and better apps. Fingers crossed that Hulu and DirecTV Now are paying attention.

Check out Watch TNT on Google Play Store

Check out Watch TBS on Google Play Store

Streaming sports are becoming more and more accessible to CordCutters. Sports channels and services are at their best when they are available for all of the streaming devices we love to use. Just in time for their big spring events of the NHL Playoffs and Kentucky Derby, NBC Sports now has an official app for Android TV, including the NVIDIA Shield TV.

The NBC Sports app arriving on Android TV is a big deal, because the NBC Sports app is much bigger than a single channel streaming video. The app provides national sports streaming video and on demand content from NBC broadcast network, NBCSN, Golf Channel, Olympics Channel, and Telemundo Deportes. These networks have some of the biggest sports and events year round, including NFL Sunday Night Football, NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, Ryder Cup, Premier League Soccer and extended Olympics event coverage.

The NBC Sports app also includes access to NBC Sports Gold, a streaming sports subscription service that doesn't require any cable subscription. NBC Sports Gold offers subscription passes to individual sports, including PGA Tour, Premier League Soccer, IndyCar, Motocross, and Olympic-style sports like skating and track & field. The Passes can be added on a monthly or season long basis.

The NBC Sports app can additionally enable access to live streams and clips from NBC Sports regional sports networks. You will need a login from a live streaming service, or cable package, that includes one of the regional sports networks on this list.

• NBC Sports Bay Area (San Francisco Giants, Golden State Warriors)
• NBC Sports Boston (Celtics, New England Revolution)
• NBC Sports California (Oakland Athletics, Sacramento Kings, San Jose Sharks, San Jose Earthquakes)
• NBC Sports Chicago (Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Bulls, Sky, Fire)
• NBC Sports Northwest (Portland Trail Blazers, Vancouver Canucks)
• NBC Sports Philadelphia (Phillies, 76ers, Flyers, Union)
• NBC Sports Washington (Wizards, Capitals, Mystics)

Android TV continues to be on a roll, adding new apps and major feature updates. NCAA March Madness Live arrived just two weeks ago. Other major recent additions include the NHL app, as well as the CW and CW Seed apps, all within the last four months. Google has also been increasing the capabilities of the Google Assistant on Android TV, adding more voice control and languages.

NBC/Comcast hasn't been great about supporting Android TV, with only apps for NBC, NBC News and CNBC previously supported. With the arrival of NBC Sports, we will keep an eye open for any news on Android TV apps for their other channels, like SyFy, USA, or Bravo. All of these new apps run great on the NVIDIA Shield TV, which is a great streaming device that the company has been constantly improving.

NBC Sports for Android TV is available in the Android TV Play Store, if you can find it, It usually takes a few days for new apps to show up on the TV Play Store. You can get it now by installing it to your device by visiting the web listing for this app. As first noted by Android Police, this is not the same app listing as the NBC Sports app for Android phones and tablets, but they both have the same name. Hopefully, NBC will clear this up in the future.

Check out NBC Sports on the Google Play Store

NVIDIA Shield is getting a small but welcome software update today. In addition to new apps — we've already detailed the NCAA March Madness app (and the NHL app actually has been available for a couple months now), there also are a few nerdy improvements worth noting.

• Adds the option to restart Wi-Fi service if wireless APs aren't visible (Settings > Network > Restart Wi-Fi)
• Improves customizability for HDMI-CEC Power controls
• Adds support for the wired XBOX Elite controller
• Controllers and remotes get updated software, too

That first one's kind of important because Wifi wonk is definitely a thing. All in all, a nice little update on what still is the only Android TV box we recommend you actually buy.

Whether you've owned an NVIDIA Shield TV for a while now or are thinking about picking one up as a Christmas present (Pst, it's on sale for just $142 right now) everyone's favorite Android TV box is about to get even better thanks to the new SHIELD Software Experience 7.2 that's rolling out to users now.

One of the biggest things included with this update is the addition of the Amazon Music app. Currently limited to Shield TVs in the U.S., the Amazon Music app allows you to access your songs from both Prime Music and Amazon Music Unlimited. If you're not already signed up, you can do so here and get three months of Music Unlimited for just $0.99.

If you watch a lot of YouTube, you'll be happy to know that this update includes support for 5.1 audio when streaming all of your favorite videos — making the Shield TV the first media player to offer this.

Also included is the December Android security patch, customizable Quick Settings, SMBv3 support when using the Shield TV with a PC or NAS, and the option to turn on automatic downloads when new software updates land.

Last but not least, the 7.2 update brings the Google Assistant to our friends in Canada, Germany, and Spain.

NVIDIA Shield TV vs. NVIDIA Shield TV Pro: Which Should You Buy?

You can now control your NVIDIA Shield TV — that's the uber-powerful streaming/gaming box that runs Android TV with Google Assistant — with Amazon Alexa.

Just in case you'd rather use an Amazon Echo to control the box that works directly with Google Assistant, which already can be triggered with an Android phone, or a Google Home speaker, or with the NVIDIA Shield TV remote, or hands-free with the NVIDIA Shield TV game controller. If you're on the mailing list for NVIDIA Shield TV updates and offers, you can even get the new 3rd gen Echo Dot from Amazon.com for $30 thanks to a one-time-use $20 off code NVIDIA has emailed out to celebrate the occasion! Just copy the code from the email and input it into the promo code section when checking out on Amazon.

Says NVIDIA:

So, there's that. Hit the link below to get things set up, then get your Alexa on.

Get the NVIDIA Shield Alexa Skill