Nvidia cofounder and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang unveiled several compelling products during the company's keynote presentation at CES 2017, Tech Times reported. One of those items is the updated Nvidia Shield TV.
The new version of the Shield TV is 40 percent smaller, runs on the Android 7.0 Nougat operating system — we already know how much more remarkable the Nougat is compared to its predecessor — and can stream 4K HDR content, which is really a treat for those who definitely want amazing visuals.
Nvidia Shield TV: Best For Streaming And Gaming?
After testing out the updated version of the Shield TV, experts now have a verdict on whether spending at least $199 is worth it.
Note that, along with the new Nvidia Shield TV, the company also introduced a new game controller to go with the device, but it can be purchased separately. The media streamer comes in two versions: the standard 16 GB streaming device and the Pro version, which is a 500 GB home media server.
The Nvidia Shield TV was tested for both its streaming and gaming capability, and all three experts were quite happy about the results, especially since there was no lag as it streamed Titanfall II from a high-powered gaming computer during demo. But more than the updated Shield TV, the real winner is the new controller that comes with it.
Chris Martin - PC Advisor
Chris Martin is not sure whether current Nvidia Shield TV users will want to upgrade to the new version; however, he was very impressed with the detailed and smooth 4K HDR playback. He also noted how smoothly the Shield TV streamed Titanfall II in 4K HDR quality.
"We haven't tested all the features yet but the new model of the Nvidia Shield TV is certainly impressive with its ability to stream various different things in different ways, whether you own a GTX PC or not. Users will benefit from the 4K HDR quality and Google Assistant will make it even more useful when it arrives," Martin wrote.
Darrell Etherington - Tech Crunch
Darrell Etherington noted how much more optimized the 2017 Nvidia Shield TV seems to be and adds that both gaming capabilities and content have greatly improved compared to the 2015 version. Likewise, he was excited about the new gaming controller.
"It's a big improvement overall, made even more impressive because most of the features will come to existing Shield devices via a software update," Etherington noted.
Chris Burns - Slash Gear
Chris Burns is also amazed by the 2017 Nvidia Shield TV's 4K HDR streaming capability, but he feels that the older version is still impressive, and those who don't mind watching at 1080p don't really need the upgrade. What he suggests, however, is to purchase the new game controller since it can be bought separately.
"This new model is not one that an original Shield owner will need to upgrade to — not unless they like the idea of a slightly smaller piece of hardware to set beside their television," Burns wrote. "Instead, people who already own an Nvidia Shield Android TV will want to consider buying the new gaming controller on its own."
