Nvidia's Shield TV and its Pro version have been around since 2019, but they've undergone significant changes over the years. The regular Shield turned into a cylinder-like device, while the Shield Pro retained its basic design. This is due to Nvidia's focus on gaming, which makes sense given that it's an NVIDIA company.

Nvidia has always prioritized power and performance in its devices. With the Tegra X1 processor, which was more powerful than what you needed for a streaming box like the Shield TV, Nvidia made sure that the device stayed current with software updates for years. This is in contrast to Apple's approach with their Apple TV, where they also focus on staying current but with less emphasis on raw power.

The current hardware behind the Shield TV is three years old, which is impressive given its capabilities. This makes it an ideal platform for Nvidia's cloud-based GeForce Now gaming program. However, this also means that the device may not be the best option for everyone, especially those looking to stream Netflix or YouTube without breaking the bank.

The Shield Pro, on the other hand, is designed for serious gamers and cloud gaming enthusiasts. It's capable of running AAA games, making it a top choice for those who want the best possible gaming experience. Additionally, the Shield Pro can run Plex servers right out of the box, allowing users to stream local media across their home network.

In 2019, Nvidia's Shield TV was one of the first devices to feature AI upscaling technology. This allowed it to take lower-resolution content and upscale it using machine learning algorithms, making it look better on a television. While other platforms have also adopted this technology, Nvidia's Shield TV was ahead of the curve.

So, why recommend Chromecast with Google TV over Nvidia Shield TV? The answer is simple: price. Chromecast with Google TV costs $50, while the original Nvidia Shield TV (now referred to as Shield TV) and its Pro version cost $125 and $175, respectively. This makes the Chromecast with Google TV a much more affordable option for those who just want to stream Netflix or YouTube.

However, if you're looking for a device that can run Plex servers or cloud gaming, and don't mind paying a premium for it, then Nvidia Shield TV may still be the better choice. It's still getting software updates, which is impressive considering its age. Additionally, it offers 4K and HDR support, as well as Dolby Atmos, making it a great option for those who want high-quality video streaming.

Ultimately, the decision between Chromecast with Google TV and Nvidia Shield TV comes down to your specific needs and budget. While the Shield TV is still a great device, its price point makes the Chromecast with Google TV an attractive alternative for many users. As for Nvidia's future plans, it remains to be seen whether they will update their Shield TV lineup or continue to focus on more premium offerings like the Pro version.

As of now, I think the fifty dollars Chromecast with Google TV is a really good value and that is what I'm gonna recommend to everyone who just wants Netflix, YouTube and Google Assistant. The money's going to be well spent there but if you're hardcore Android fan or you need cloud gaming here Shield Pro your money will also be well-spent and for everything else the Chromecast with Google TV is the way to go and Nvidia Shield can stay in my collection as old wiser still really good but definitely older.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enall right we need to take a minute here to talk about something that's getting up there in age it's absolutely getting older but it's also better than it's ever been in fact I'm willing to bet we can put it up against some things that are much much younger no we're not talking about me though I can understand why you think that right older better absolutely I get it no we're actually talking about Nvidia Shield TV now it made a brief mention in our video on the best streaming devices that you can buy at the end of 2022. those of you that watch the video you got it you saw it for those who didn't you were upset that it wasn't in there except it was but it was a fair question I think why wasn't Nvidia Shield a bigger part of that video why did we not recommend it it's one of the best streaming devices you can buy now this is not an apology video if that's what you're here for it ain't happening I still think for most people Chromecast with Google TV is the way to go full stop but for others for a few of you out there Shield TV absolutely is the way to go in fact if you even know what Nvidia Shield TV is this video isn't for you if you know you know right move on everybody else you want some more incl TV all right here we go but first subscribe to the channel like the video do all the things you know that we've got more than a million subscribers now that's super exciting but we need more I want more all right you ready let's go do this so in a nutshell Shield or Shield TV as we call it a lot is a super powerful streaming platform made by Nvidia now that's a company that's mostly known for things like graphics cards and other computer hardware and it's been around forever an Nvidia Shield itself isn't exactly new either it actually started Life as a handheld gaming console think Nintendo switch or the steam deck that sort of thing in fact I had one back in the day long time ago but in 2015 Shield became well Shield TV and became the Android TV platform that we know today got Hardware updates in 2017 and again in 2019 and it's mostly stayed the same since then we have the shield TV and the shield TV pro which is a little higher end so the regular shield turned into a cylinder looking thing in 2019 that's kind of cool but the shield Pro kept that same basic design now Shield isn't just about streaming it's also about gaming which makes sense because this is NVIDIA we're talking about Nvidia it's Anonymous with gaming from day one the Tegra X1 processor was just way more powerful than anything you needed in any sort of streaming box like this and if that sounds familiar it's also very much like what Apple has done with Apple TV right it's just way more power than you actually need but that's a good thing because it lets it stay current it lets it stay updated for years I mean think about it the current Hardware that you see running behind me here is three years old old that's insane that's forever that's ancient and that also makes it the perfect platform for nvidia's cloud-based GeForce now gaming program that's become even more important as we go into 2023 because Google is shutting down stadia its own cloud gaming platform there just aren't as many anymore now one important thing to know here you got the regular shield The Shield Pro Shield Pro is what's going to get the AAA games all right so if you're seriously into like cloud gaming and that sort of thing uh think steam think GeForce now you're going to want Shield Pro and as long as we're getting into the knit stuff shield and shield Pro are great for running Plex in fact they are full-blown Plex servers built in runs right there you just plug in a hard drive and you can play local media all over your home network very cool want more knit stuff okay I mean think back to 2019 when this version of Shield started doing its own AI upscaling it would take lower resolution content 720p 1080p whatever and upscale it and then run AI artificial intelligence machine learning processing and just make it look better right TVs do that now other platforms do that now Nvidia Shield was one of the first to do it so that brings us back to the original question here why recommend Chromecast with Google TV over in Nvidia Shield for me it's actually a really simple decision probably maybe a shield TV today at the end of 2022 is a niche device that wasn't always the case okay it used to be a lot harder to get a good Android TV device in fact for a long time we only had one real option for seal TV now we have Chromecast with Google TV Google's making it the software is always up to date here's the kicker right when it comes to price Chromecast with Google TV is 50 bucks Nvidia shield and shield Pro 125 or 175 at retail all right that's a big difference for 2019 designed Hardware boys and girls that is a big difference and I tell you if we were talking about brand new hardware if Nvidia were to refresh it right now I'd be singing a different tune I think fifty dollars for something new or 120 575 for something that's three years old and Counting that's a pretty big discrepancy so unless you absolutely have to have Shield TV for one of those Niche things right for the Plex server for the cloud gaming or okay to find the AI processing I have a really hard time arguing to spend two and three and four times as much money on a three-year-old device it doesn't mean I can't make the argument for it okay look it's still getting software updates that's awesome that's really good I will be the first to say that still does all the app things it still does all the Google things Google assistant's all in there and it's still ridiculously overpowered and just 4K and W vision and Dolby Atmos and all that stuff and it looks great so if you're a hardcore Android fan or you got to have the cloud gaming here you got to have the Plex by all means go for it your money's going to be well spent here but again I can't say this enough those are niched use cases on older Hardware and you got to balance that with a retail price okay that's not to say Shield isn't good it absolutely is but for everyone else the people who are just trying to stream some video Netflix and YouTube and do some Google Assistant stuff I'm gonna tell them to go buy a Chromecast with Google TV for fifty dollars that is until Nvidia decides to update Shield TV maybe they will maybe they won't they haven't told me yet but until that happens I'm gonna think of shield TV like I think about myself older wiser still really good but definitely older all right that's it I know you disagree with me let me know in the comments be sure to like the video anyway subscribe the channel if you haven't already that's it stay tuned we got a lot more coming your way from Digital Trends see yaall right we need to take a minute here to talk about something that's getting up there in age it's absolutely getting older but it's also better than it's ever been in fact I'm willing to bet we can put it up against some things that are much much younger no we're not talking about me though I can understand why you think that right older better absolutely I get it no we're actually talking about Nvidia Shield TV now it made a brief mention in our video on the best streaming devices that you can buy at the end of 2022. those of you that watch the video you got it you saw it for those who didn't you were upset that it wasn't in there except it was but it was a fair question I think why wasn't Nvidia Shield a bigger part of that video why did we not recommend it it's one of the best streaming devices you can buy now this is not an apology video if that's what you're here for it ain't happening I still think for most people Chromecast with Google TV is the way to go full stop but for others for a few of you out there Shield TV absolutely is the way to go in fact if you even know what Nvidia Shield TV is this video isn't for you if you know you know right move on everybody else you want some more incl TV all right here we go but first subscribe to the channel like the video do all the things you know that we've got more than a million subscribers now that's super exciting but we need more I want more all right you ready let's go do this so in a nutshell Shield or Shield TV as we call it a lot is a super powerful streaming platform made by Nvidia now that's a company that's mostly known for things like graphics cards and other computer hardware and it's been around forever an Nvidia Shield itself isn't exactly new either it actually started Life as a handheld gaming console think Nintendo switch or the steam deck that sort of thing in fact I had one back in the day long time ago but in 2015 Shield became well Shield TV and became the Android TV platform that we know today got Hardware updates in 2017 and again in 2019 and it's mostly stayed the same since then we have the shield TV and the shield TV pro which is a little higher end so the regular shield turned into a cylinder looking thing in 2019 that's kind of cool but the shield Pro kept that same basic design now Shield isn't just about streaming it's also about gaming which makes sense because this is NVIDIA we're talking about Nvidia it's Anonymous with gaming from day one the Tegra X1 processor was just way more powerful than anything you needed in any sort of streaming box like this and if that sounds familiar it's also very much like what Apple has done with Apple TV right it's just way more power than you actually need but that's a good thing because it lets it stay current it lets it stay updated for years I mean think about it the current Hardware that you see running behind me here is three years old old that's insane that's forever that's ancient and that also makes it the perfect platform for nvidia's cloud-based GeForce now gaming program that's become even more important as we go into 2023 because Google is shutting down stadia its own cloud gaming platform there just aren't as many anymore now one important thing to know here you got the regular shield The Shield Pro Shield Pro is what's going to get the AAA games all right so if you're seriously into like cloud gaming and that sort of thing uh think steam think GeForce now you're going to want Shield Pro and as long as we're getting into the knit stuff shield and shield Pro are great for running Plex in fact they are full-blown Plex servers built in runs right there you just plug in a hard drive and you can play local media all over your home network very cool want more knit stuff okay I mean think back to 2019 when this version of Shield started doing its own AI upscaling it would take lower resolution content 720p 1080p whatever and upscale it and then run AI artificial intelligence machine learning processing and just make it look better right TVs do that now other platforms do that now Nvidia Shield was one of the first to do it so that brings us back to the original question here why recommend Chromecast with Google TV over in Nvidia Shield for me it's actually a really simple decision probably maybe a shield TV today at the end of 2022 is a niche device that wasn't always the case okay it used to be a lot harder to get a good Android TV device in fact for a long time we only had one real option for seal TV now we have Chromecast with Google TV Google's making it the software is always up to date here's the kicker right when it comes to price Chromecast with Google TV is 50 bucks Nvidia shield and shield Pro 125 or 175 at retail all right that's a big difference for 2019 designed Hardware boys and girls that is a big difference and I tell you if we were talking about brand new hardware if Nvidia were to refresh it right now I'd be singing a different tune I think fifty dollars for something new or 120 575 for something that's three years old and Counting that's a pretty big discrepancy so unless you absolutely have to have Shield TV for one of those Niche things right for the Plex server for the cloud gaming or okay to find the AI processing I have a really hard time arguing to spend two and three and four times as much money on a three-year-old device it doesn't mean I can't make the argument for it okay look it's still getting software updates that's awesome that's really good I will be the first to say that still does all the app things it still does all the Google things Google assistant's all in there and it's still ridiculously overpowered and just 4K and W vision and Dolby Atmos and all that stuff and it looks great so if you're a hardcore Android fan or you got to have the cloud gaming here you got to have the Plex by all means go for it your money's going to be well spent here but again I can't say this enough those are niched use cases on older Hardware and you got to balance that with a retail price okay that's not to say Shield isn't good it absolutely is but for everyone else the people who are just trying to stream some video Netflix and YouTube and do some Google Assistant stuff I'm gonna tell them to go buy a Chromecast with Google TV for fifty dollars that is until Nvidia decides to update Shield TV maybe they will maybe they won't they haven't told me yet but until that happens I'm gonna think of shield TV like I think about myself older wiser still really good but definitely older all right that's it I know you disagree with me let me know in the comments be sure to like the video anyway subscribe the channel if you haven't already that's it stay tuned we got a lot more coming your way from Digital Trends see ya\n"