Nvidia Shield TV Review (2019): Best Android TV box for all

TRIV from Nvidia’s SHIELD TV has been a broadcast box chosen by Android Nerds to continue in half a decade, and for a good reason: it has abundant power, a lot of features, and programs that are always distinguished. Now, the company has introduced two new copies with a little development. This primary man, this tube -shaped man, fills a specialized role: the distinguished Android TV box (cylinder?) Do everything you want to do remarkable also Softness. I am not sure of the exact number of people looking for it, but I am sure anyone will feel overwhelmed with this year SHIELD TV.

Specifications

Goodness

Not very good

Design, devices, what is in the box

So, yes, the new Shield TV is a tube. it’s not completely Dongle – does not hang from the back of the TV. (NVIDIA says this is because the devices behind your screen directly contain the optimal Wi-Fi reception.) Instead, you can connect the HDMI cable to one side and a power cable in the other, and move to anywhere you have a space for that. The design is really elegant, just as you run one cable from the wall to the TV.

HDMI and Micro SD at one end and Ethernet in the other. That’s it.

This slow design means that there is no place to place USB ports. Without these, SHIELD TV cannot be used as a smart center or a Plex server – if you want to do any of these things, you will need to drop an additional $ 50 for Shield TV Pro. The primary model maintains its ETHERNET port, and features a SD Micro Card Speed ​​next to where you stick to HDMI cable. Micro SD support may take some bite from the last 2019 version: eight GB, a scanner of storage.

Ram is another step back from previous models. While Shield TVs for 2015 and 2017 had three vehicles, this year only had two. This change does not affect the performance of the broadcast in any concrete way, but it makes some intensive exclusive Android games such as DOOM 3 and Half-Life 2 incompatible. (You can still run all Android control unit on NVIDIA on SHIELD TV Pro, which keeps three vehicles of RAM and 16 storage.)

Perhaps there was no room for sufficient storage or memory, but NVIDIA was able to install the power source in the shield structure. I love this. Through the huge exterior display of the previous model, there was no direction that did not prevent at least two ports behind a TV. I mean, just see the difference:

Leave: TV 2019 power transformer. right: Shield TV 2017.

There is a new remote control as well, and in line with the subject of the funny shapes that the shield itself has placed, it is trilogy – which, yes, makes it very similar to a specific candy bar. As it turned out, this shape is really comfortable; The bottom corner settles naturally in your hand.

Leave: A new shield remotely. right: New Shield Remote next to the old Remote (very beating).

A remote control device has more buttons than its predecessor. New additions include the energy switch. A multi -purpose buttonable button; Fast forward play/stop. Return appropriate size controls; Netflix and a dedicated. (The latter is the result of a partnership between the broadcasting service and NVIDIA. – But there is little NUBS on the operating key/temporary stop and the microphone button to help direct your thumb. The buttons illuminate when the remote control device is also captured, which keeps trouble in the dark. Even with the rear lighting keys, NVIDIA says that two battery AA will keep running for six months.

You can set a multi -purpose button to the top right to do almost anything you want, whether it is to open fast settings, run an application, or switch the absence of artificial intelligence (more about it later). The new volume or sound system is directly modified – no more wrestling with the preparation of the Android TV software. and if When you lose a remote control, you can use the newly designed SHIELD TV application to make it a high whistle loud loud enough to hear the sofa pillows. ((Side note: It seems that the test of this feature really confirms my dog.))

programming

Aside from helping to locate the missing remote control device, the new SHIELD TV app allows you to run applications and control the device. Running applications is fast, and you can choose to use your phone screen as a traditional directional pillow, pass pad, or a tracking plate similar to the laptop-the last of which is to determine things on the TV device with an indicator. Everything is very thoughtful.

On the big screen, it is Android TV as you know – the same wide selection of applications, the same customizable home screen, etc., etc. If you have used Android TV last year or so, you know what you are. It is a clean and smooth experience, although modest SHIELD devices on paper. The applications are downloaded quickly and run without hiccups, even at 4K/HDR.

The same OL ‘Android TV.

When talking about HDR, this year SELD TV supports the Dolby Vision standard plus HDR10 already supported by previous models. Only certain applications provide Dolby Vision Streams – applications like Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ Next – and some TVs are just compatible with the standard. But if the content you want to watch is presented at Dolby Vision and your TV can display, this is good news for you.

Dolby Atmos surrounding also here. The previous models supported the passage of ATMOS, which means that the ATMOS surrounding sound works under certain circumstances, but it did not work with some settings or applications of devices-especially Netflix. It is a little complicated, but ready -made meals are that the things you see will look better on the ammos loudspeakers often, especially if what you see comes from Netflix.

Nevertheless, the most Shield Bestheng News is an artificial intelligence upgrade. Stay with me here.

Any content should be less than 4K resolution to play on 4K screen; More pixels need to fill more than in the source data. What NVIDIA did here, though, is to train the artificial intelligence model on the real 4K content, then set it on the task of filling the lost details based on this set of data. Frankly, it looks like nonsense, but the results are really impressive.

AI Upscaling is evident with a lizard.

There are three levels of artificial intelligence you can choose from – low, medium and high. In my experience, each of them is better for different types of content: Disney features on Netflix, for example – animation, as well as Marvel and Star Wars movies – all in 1080 pixels, all of which look great with height mode. Berger Bob looks better on Holo. It is better to leave the older shows and movies, down.

Disney Coco with an uprising (left) and on (right). Click or click Zoom. (Pictures because screenshots are only 1080 pixels.)

The upgrade is more than one unified candidate. It only imposes additional details as it is logical, so parts of the irrational or excessive dark frame will not change. It really makes the textures pop, and beautiful human features like eyes, skin and hair looks high resolution convincingly than they are already. It is not magic. It only works for 720 pixels and 1080 pixels at 30 frames per second; Width of the content is 60 frames per second or in 1440 pixels that does not work at all. (Video in 480 pixels Technically It works, but it does not look good.) The higher the content, the better the search.

You can adjust the setting from the shield settings panel, or set the customizable button for a distance control device to show the height menu with one pressure. There is also an experimental mode that allows you to transfer the scrolling tape across the screen – the original content on one side, disposed on the other hand. The NVIDIA story of this option is that it was originally evidence of the concept of the company’s CEO, and he loved it a lot in retail units.

I am a skeptical believer, but if you are after the experience of the end of artificial intelligence, it is convinced that the whole thing is Woo, you can turn it out completely and do not think about it again.

A lot of games to play.

Although its luxurious recovery cannot be applied to games, and despite its lower horse strength, the new Shield TV still has some respectable gaming slices. You will play a set of games from the Play Store finely, and GeForce Now – NVIDIA cloudy service, which is currently in Beta closed – incredible. Playing heinous movement titles such as Borderlands and Ultra Street Fighter IV with their maximum settings on Wi -Fi in a medium -flying suburb, have been subjected to severe pressure to distinguish teams in exchange for playing games locally. You have already won the Fortnite match for the first time ever while playing on GeForce now. ((Update: I reported that this victory was likely to be against robot players. However, the games broadcast on Shield TV feel very natural.))

GeFORCE is now amazing Lom.

The new SHIELD does not come with a galaxy plate, but the old console is still compatible, and you can use any third-party wireless plate-including one made for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. If you are looking for a game that also flows video, you should just buy one of these keyboards, but there is a lot of fun you can get here.

Should you buy it? Rating 8/10

Nvidia Shield TV 2019

Yes. If you want the best Android TV broadcast experience and do not need additional bells and SHIELD TV Pro, this year, Base SHIELD TV is a great choice. Dolby’s HDR standards and peripheral sound standards are a blessing for buyers who have compatible settings, and AI Upscaling adds a real value.

It is less clear to the owners of the oldest TV boxes than SHIELD. Do you play computer ports in NVIDIA like Doom 3? Do you use your shield as a PLX server or SmartTHINGS? If the answer to these two questions is no, this is likely to be a better device for you – but whether its new features are worth $ 150 dependent on your priorities.

Purchase it if …

You have 4K TV and look to the upgrade from Roku or Chromecast, or-God helps you-integrated TV app. Shield TV is a significant improvement.

Do not buy it if …

Your entertainment setting does not support new features or you have a former shield TV. In the last case, the upgrade may It is still suitable for you, but this depends on the individual state of use.

He buys: Nvidia, Amazon, Best Buy, B & H