It’s pretty rare in the fast-moving world of tech that anything getting on for five years old could still be considered the best, and yet that absolutely applies to the Nvidia Shield TV. The Android TV box is simply better than all of its rivals, as it was so monstrously over-specced on its release in 2015 that the innards didn’t need an internal upgrade in 2017: it was still leaps and bounds ahead of its rivals.
And that’s also the reason it clings stubbornly to its £180 RRP: people are still happy to pay it. That makes its current price of £159.49 at Amazon something of a bargain .
For those that aren’t aware, the Nvidia Shield TV is more than just a simple Android TV box, which may seem like a bit of an anachronism in days when plenty of TVs have streaming apps built-in. So yes, it can run Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer flawlessly, but its main appeals lie elsewhere.
Firstly, it can stream games from your PC to let you play them on the big screen. In fact, Nvidia has its own gamepad you can buy to use with the Shield, but as you can connect any Bluetooth device to it, there’s no need to pay extra here.
Secondly – and the reason I ended up buying one (for full price, alas) – is that the Nvidia Shield can double as a Plex server. No need to keep your PC on at all times to stream your video or music files: the Shield is a low-power solution that supports external hard drives, so plug one in and away you go.
As Vaughn wrote in his review, it’s “an Android-powered games console that holds its own against pricier counterparts with a lengthy list of games at your fingertips.
“That, along with a decent selection of 4K and HDR-enabled streaming content, and handy smart-home integration, should make for one of the best buying decisions you can make.” Buy now from Amazon
