The Nvidia SHIELD Still Rocks!
If you have been thinking about getting a Nvidia SHIELD as your next media streamer you've made a good choice. Maybe you've been tempted to buy a lower cost Android box like a Fire TV, or Mi Box with the hope it will be able to do everything the SHIELD can for much less.
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| Three Years Later The Nvidia SHIELD Still Rock! |
While cheaper boxes like the Fire TV or less expensive Android boxes work fine for streaming on a budget, don't be fooled, they are not in the same league as a Nvidia SHIELD.
Here's Why The Nvidia SHIELD Continues To Rock
- Constant Android Software Updates from Google
We have had other Android boxes and after a few updates, the manufacturer no longer supports them and you will. be forced to buy a newer box. Nvidia has supported their SHIELD models including the first one for over three years now and they are continuing to release updates and features to continue making it better and better.
- New Features And Apps Added Often
With new software updates come new features and apps, recently with the 7.2 update, Nvidia added Amazon Music. The SHIELD is exclusively one of the first Android boxes to offer this on their platform. It is also the only Android box that can run both the Plex Server software and the Plex app so you can enjoy Plex from a single box without needing to use a PC. Both Fire TV and Roku are unable to do this.
- It's Amazingly Fast
What separates the Nvidia Shield from Roku and Fire TV is their Tegra X1 processor. When you use a SHIELD for a while, going back to using other media streamers makes them feel a little sluggish in comparison. That's because the SHIELD was not only designed to play your media, it was also designed to be a fully competent gaming console.
- Simple User Interface
The Android TV operating system is great for watching and controlling your apps on your TV from the couch. All the icons were designed to look great and can be controlled by the included remote. On typical Android boxes which don't run the Android TV OS, you will find yourself juggling between using a mouse, and a remote. It's because regular Android boxes were designed to work on the phone OS which uses a touchscreen so the remote does not work all that well with these devices. The Mi Box is an exception which also uses the same Android TV OS, but it does not have the powerful hardware running under the hood that you will find inside a Nvidia SHIELD.
- Full Access To All Android Apps
For those of you that love watching Free TV and don't care where it's from the Android platform continues to be one of the least restrictive. Apps like Kodi and others run great on a SHIELD. You won't find these apps on Roku.
- Live TV
Use an HDHomeRun and you can watch Over the Air local channels. It supports MPEG2 for OTA and this alone makes the SHIELD worth it over a Roku. If you only plan on using streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. Roku is still a better value. Apps like YouTube TV will load a little faster on a SHIELD than on Roku.
- Smart Home Automation
Use a Nvidia SHIELD as the brain center behind your smart home. We put together a list of devices that will play nice with your SHIELD and let you control lights, thermostats, doorbells and more. Be sure to see our Smart Home Automation Guide for the Nvidia SHIELD
Chose from Several Nvidia SHIELD Models
The SHIELD can be bought in three different ways. The least expensive model only comes with a remote and no game controller. Perfect if you only plan on streaming with your SHIELD and don't plan on playing any games. Check Current Price
The next step up offers you both a game controller and also a remote. That's the only difference and it will cost you a little more for this package. Check Current Deals
The Pro model will set you back another hundred dollars and includes a 500 GB hard drive. Unfortunately, this is not an SSD drive and to achieve top performance replacing the internal drive with a solid state drive will make this one of the fastest and best performing SHIELDs you can own.
Here's how to Upgrade your SHIELD Pro with an SSD Drive
While Pro models are getting a bit scarce, they can still be found. Check Current Price
If you want the best Android Box available today, you won't go wrong with a Nvidia SHIELD. You can pay less, but you won't get more than what the SHIELD offers even years later after it was released.
Squeeze Every Last Ounce of Performance From Your SHIELD!
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Use of third-party trademarks on this site is not intended to imply endorsement nor affiliation with respective trademark owners.
We are Not Affiliated with or Endorsed by Roku®, Apple, Google or Other Companies we may write about.
