NVIDIA SHIELD TV With Android Nougat Update! (Review)

The Nvidia Shield TV: A Comprehensive Review of its Features and Capabilities

As I looked at my old shield from last year, I couldn't help but notice that it was still a great device, despite being outdated. However, with the latest upgrade to Android Nougat, the shield experience 5 is now available, and I'm excited to dive into its features and capabilities.

At the top of the screen, I see the recommendations bar with notifications, which provides me with essential information about my installed apps, including games, streaming services, and social media platforms. Below that, I have The Shield Hub, which houses all of my favorite apps, including GeForce Now, Netflix, and Amazon Video. These apps are now grouped together in a single bar, making it easier to access them quickly.

One of the major additions to the shield is Amazon Video, which was missing for a while due to some "politicicking" between Nvidia and Amazon. Thankfully, Nvidia has resolved this issue, and I can now enjoy 4K HDR playback on my device. As I look at the screen, I see that it's displaying a Samsung demo of a 4K HDR scene, which looks absolutely incredible from just six feet away. The colors are rich, and the image is crisp and sharp.

I'm also excited to mention that 4K HDR content is available on YouTube, Amazon Video, and Netflix. Additionally, I can access local 4K HDR content through various streaming services. While it's not as pervasive as HD, if you want the ultimate in high-quality content, the Nvidia Shield TV can deliver.

To further enhance my viewing experience, I've also integrated Google Assistant into my shield. With this feature, I can ask questions and receive answers, just like I would on my smartphone. For example, I asked "What's the weather going to be like tomorrow in Norwalk?" and received a response stating that it will be 45°F with partly cloudy skies. I could also refine my search by asking for dramas from the 90s, which brought up a list of movies and TV shows.

Another cool feature of Google Assistant on the shield is its ability to work with home automation devices. I used the Nvidia Spot accessory to control lights in other rooms of my house, and it worked seamlessly. This means that I can wake up in the morning by saying "Start my coffee" or turn on some lights with just a voice command.

Gaming is also a major aspect of the Nvidia Shield TV. With tons of native Android games, Tegra-optimized games from Nvidia's partners, and AAA titles available through GeForce Now, there's something for every type of gamer. I'm currently playing The Witcher 3 on GeForce Now, which looks incredible on my shield TV. The controller is responsive, and the sound quality is top-notch.

In conclusion, the Nvidia Shield TV has come a long way since its release last year. With its improved Android Nougat operating system, new features like Amazon Video integration, Google Assistant, and enhanced gaming capabilities, it's an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-quality streaming device. Whether you're a gamer or just someone who wants to enjoy 4K HDR content in the comfort of your own home, the Nvidia Shield TV is definitely worth considering.

For those interested in purchasing the Nvidia Shield TV, I recommend checking out my full review on hot hardware.com. It's packed with all the details and information you need to make an informed decision about this amazing device.

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As I continued to explore the features of the Nvidia Shield TV, I couldn't help but notice the integration of Google Assistant. One of the most significant benefits of this feature is its ability to provide me with answers to my questions. Whether it's checking the weather or looking up information on a particular topic, Google Assistant has got me covered.

One of the more complex questions I asked was "Find me dramas from the 90s." The shield responded by bringing up a list of movies and TV shows that fit my criteria. This level of refinement is exactly what makes Google Assistant so powerful – it's able to provide me with highly specific answers based on my search.

Another impressive feature of the Google Assistant on the Nvidia Shield TV is its ability to work with home automation devices. I used the Nvidia Spot accessory to control lights in other rooms of my house, and it worked seamlessly. This means that I can wake up in the morning by saying "Start my coffee" or turn on some lights with just a voice command.

The integration of Google Assistant with home automation devices is a game-changer for anyone looking to create a smart home environment. With the Nvidia Shield TV, I can now control all of my devices with just one interface – it's incredibly convenient and makes my life so much easier.

As I continued to explore the features of the Nvidia Shield TV, I couldn't help but be impressed by its gaming capabilities. The Tegra-optimized games from Nvidia's partners are a major selling point for this device, and for good reason – they offer a level of performance that's unmatched on most Android devices.

I'm also excited about the selection of AAA titles available through GeForce Now. With a vast library of games to choose from, including popular titles like The Witcher 3 and Assassin's Creed Odyssey, I know that I'll never be bored with the Nvidia Shield TV.

The controller is another standout feature of the Nvidia Shield TV – it's designed specifically for gaming and offers a level of comfort and control that's unmatched on most other Android devices. Whether I'm playing a game or watching a movie, the controller feels like an extension of myself, providing me with precise control over my device.

In conclusion, the Nvidia Shield TV is an exceptional device that offers a level of performance and features that's unmatched by most other streaming devices. With its improved Android Nougat operating system, new features like Amazon Video integration, Google Assistant, and enhanced gaming capabilities, it's an excellent choice for anyone looking to upgrade their viewing experience.

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As I wrapped up my review of the Nvidia Shield TV, I couldn't help but feel impressed by its features and capabilities. With its improved Android Nougat operating system, new features like Amazon Video integration, Google Assistant, and enhanced gaming capabilities, it's an excellent choice for anyone looking to upgrade their viewing experience.

One of the things that sets the Nvidia Shield TV apart from other streaming devices is its ability to integrate with a wide range of services. Whether I'm watching Netflix, Amazon Video, or YouTube, the shield provides me with seamless access to my favorite content. The integration of Google Assistant also makes it easy to control my device and access information on the go.

Another standout feature of the Nvidia Shield TV is its gaming capabilities. With a vast library of games available through GeForce Now, I know that I'll never be bored with this device. Whether I'm playing a game or watching a movie, the shield provides me with an exceptional viewing experience.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhello everyone Marco Chipeta for hot Hardware here back at CES Nvidia announced an updated Shield TV Android TV streaming device with a more compact chassis an updated controller and a handful of new features that come by way of an Android nugate based update we have the new device in hand and we're going to give you a quick tour right here the updated Nvidia Shield TV device looks much like the original version though it has a smaller chassis the original one was sold in a pro Edition that had a 500 gig hard drive inside that's no longer an option so they were able to shave down the entire chassis and Shrink The Shield TV down to what you see here now inside the device is still 16 gigs of internal storage and an Nvidia Tegra X1 so with 3 gigs of RAM and NVIDIA GTX Graphics inside so all of the goodness of the original is available here as well it's just a little bit smaller so if we give you a quick tour of the new Shield TV you'll see it has the same sharp angular lines as the original and right in this edge here there's that same green LED strip that lights up when the device is powered on now not much happening on the bottom or all three of the edges except for a little venting but on the back is where all the connectivity options are so there are two USB ports an HDMI output an gigabit Ethernet connection here and the power port now missing that was a available on the original is a Micro SD card slot that's no longer an option here but you can have media and applications run off a USB drive now included with the updated Shield is an updated game controller and the shield remote with the original the remote was an extra option now everything's all included in one package so this remote communicates with the shield via Bluetooth it has a dedicated microphone button and built-in mic it even has an IR blaster if you want to control other devices there a a capacitive volume slider and you know simple controls for navigating through the OS the updated Wireless game controller included with the shield TV has a handful of new features over the original there's this new kind of angular pattern on the on the edges the controller is also a little bit smaller similar button layout with d-pad and analog sticks and the traditional you know four buttons here and triggers up top what makes this guy unique is you don't have 60 hours of battery life plus an always on microphone that works with the Google Assistant integration that's now available on the shield TV there's a dual vibration feedback a volume slider there is also a IR blaster in here plus a stereo headset Jack and this communicates with the shield via Bluetooth as well works very well low latency it's very responsive in both uh GeForce now games and Native Android games now that we've gotten a quick look at the hardware I'm going to go get this guy installed in my home theater and show you where the shield TV really shines I've called The Shield TV the best media streamer on the market since the originals release I still feel that way this new guy is just a little smaller with a new controller some cool new features some cool new software and when you see this guy streaming 4K HDR content man it is really really nice just the device is so Snappy with that Tegra inside and with nvidia's software updates they continually add new cool features we should also mention that Amazon is now an option on the shield whereas it wasn't before before we show you what the latest Nvidia Shield experience looks like here's how things exist today so this is the original shield from last year that I have not updated yet though the shield experience 5 upgrade is available as you'll see it's right there on the left I have a notification for it so as things stand today at the top you have the recommendations bar with notifications and just below that is The Shield Hub with Shield games GeForce now and the Netflix app is here but that's going to move in the update as you'll see uh games that you have installed are next and at the bottom you have your most recently used apps now this Arrangement will change based on the apps that you've run most frequently so let me pop in the new device and show you what it looks like now here is a look at the main interface for the GeForce experience 5.0 based on Android nougat now it it looks very similar but there are some subtle changes that improve usability so at the top you still have your recommendations bar here and if we drop down you now have your Shield games here GeForce now also basically in the same spot but all of the apps are grouped together in a single bar now so Netflix is out of the Hub up top and down here in the app bar and one of the major additions now officially on Shield is Amazon video Amazon video was missing um for a while on the shield probably due to some you know politicking with Amazon but Nvidia has done the work necessary to get it on board and it does support 4K HDR playback and now all the way at the bottom are the natively installed games this obviously won't come across well on a YouTube video shot with a camera that's not shooting 4K HDR but the Nvidia Shield TVs one of its claim to fames is 4K UHD HDR playback now what I have playing here is a Samsung demo of a 4K HDR scene and let me tell you it looks absolutely incredible even from I'm about maybe 6 ft away from the TV it is so crisp and sharp and the colors are so rich it just looks great now there's 4K HDR content available on YouTube there's content available on Amazon video and also through Netflix you can also have it locally there is just you know it's not quite as pervasive as HD but if you want the ultimate in high quality content the Nvidia Shield TV can play it back and it looks great here's some more Ultra HD 4K HDR content from within the Netflix application here's some Jessica Jones let me just start playing now again it's not going to come across on this video but you have to take my word for it 4K HDR stuff just looks great knowing it's real means you got to make a decision one of the cool new features of the Android nougat update for the Nvidia Shield TV is integration of Google assistant so you can ask questions just like you would to your smartphone and it will also integrate with home automation switches so let me give you an example what's the weather going to be like tomorrow forecast for Norwalk is 45° and partly cloudy but you can also ask more complex questions that will search the apps on the device as well for example I could ask find me dramas and those searches can be further refined as well I could say something like find me dramas from the 9s and as you can see all of these movies they're from the 9s there's movies TV series um content from other apps is included here as well including YouTube so the Google Assistant as I mentioned will also work with home automation devices the Nvidia spot accessory that will basically put a microphone in other rooms of your house and connect with the shield will work with this feature as well so you can wake up in the morning say start your coffee turn on some lights what have you so gaming is also a main aspect of the Nvidia Shield TV you have tons of native Android games you have some Tegra optimized games that Nvidia help bring to Market along with its game development Partners you have tons of AAA Games available in nvidia's GeForce now streaming service you can also stream games from your own gaming PC as long as it's got a a compatible Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics card in it there are just tons of gaming options plus it comes with that awesome new controller so what you see here is The Witcher 3 running from nvidia's GeForce now service and it looks really really good the controller is responsive even you know the sound is great too let me turn it up so you can hear what's going on hold on just one second so that is essentially a high-quality Witcher 3 experience like you'd see on a PC right from the Nvidia Shield TV we hope you've enjoyed this quick look at the Nvidia Shield Android TV streaming device once again this is Marco Chipeta for hot hardware.com if you like what you've seen here please subscribe and come byot hardware.com for the full reviewhello everyone Marco Chipeta for hot Hardware here back at CES Nvidia announced an updated Shield TV Android TV streaming device with a more compact chassis an updated controller and a handful of new features that come by way of an Android nugate based update we have the new device in hand and we're going to give you a quick tour right here the updated Nvidia Shield TV device looks much like the original version though it has a smaller chassis the original one was sold in a pro Edition that had a 500 gig hard drive inside that's no longer an option so they were able to shave down the entire chassis and Shrink The Shield TV down to what you see here now inside the device is still 16 gigs of internal storage and an Nvidia Tegra X1 so with 3 gigs of RAM and NVIDIA GTX Graphics inside so all of the goodness of the original is available here as well it's just a little bit smaller so if we give you a quick tour of the new Shield TV you'll see it has the same sharp angular lines as the original and right in this edge here there's that same green LED strip that lights up when the device is powered on now not much happening on the bottom or all three of the edges except for a little venting but on the back is where all the connectivity options are so there are two USB ports an HDMI output an gigabit Ethernet connection here and the power port now missing that was a available on the original is a Micro SD card slot that's no longer an option here but you can have media and applications run off a USB drive now included with the updated Shield is an updated game controller and the shield remote with the original the remote was an extra option now everything's all included in one package so this remote communicates with the shield via Bluetooth it has a dedicated microphone button and built-in mic it even has an IR blaster if you want to control other devices there a a capacitive volume slider and you know simple controls for navigating through the OS the updated Wireless game controller included with the shield TV has a handful of new features over the original there's this new kind of angular pattern on the on the edges the controller is also a little bit smaller similar button layout with d-pad and analog sticks and the traditional you know four buttons here and triggers up top what makes this guy unique is you don't have 60 hours of battery life plus an always on microphone that works with the Google Assistant integration that's now available on the shield TV there's a dual vibration feedback a volume slider there is also a IR blaster in here plus a stereo headset Jack and this communicates with the shield via Bluetooth as well works very well low latency it's very responsive in both uh GeForce now games and Native Android games now that we've gotten a quick look at the hardware I'm going to go get this guy installed in my home theater and show you where the shield TV really shines I've called The Shield TV the best media streamer on the market since the originals release I still feel that way this new guy is just a little smaller with a new controller some cool new features some cool new software and when you see this guy streaming 4K HDR content man it is really really nice just the device is so Snappy with that Tegra inside and with nvidia's software updates they continually add new cool features we should also mention that Amazon is now an option on the shield whereas it wasn't before before we show you what the latest Nvidia Shield experience looks like here's how things exist today so this is the original shield from last year that I have not updated yet though the shield experience 5 upgrade is available as you'll see it's right there on the left I have a notification for it so as things stand today at the top you have the recommendations bar with notifications and just below that is The Shield Hub with Shield games GeForce now and the Netflix app is here but that's going to move in the update as you'll see uh games that you have installed are next and at the bottom you have your most recently used apps now this Arrangement will change based on the apps that you've run most frequently so let me pop in the new device and show you what it looks like now here is a look at the main interface for the GeForce experience 5.0 based on Android nougat now it it looks very similar but there are some subtle changes that improve usability so at the top you still have your recommendations bar here and if we drop down you now have your Shield games here GeForce now also basically in the same spot but all of the apps are grouped together in a single bar now so Netflix is out of the Hub up top and down here in the app bar and one of the major additions now officially on Shield is Amazon video Amazon video was missing um for a while on the shield probably due to some you know politicking with Amazon but Nvidia has done the work necessary to get it on board and it does support 4K HDR playback and now all the way at the bottom are the natively installed games this obviously won't come across well on a YouTube video shot with a camera that's not shooting 4K HDR but the Nvidia Shield TVs one of its claim to fames is 4K UHD HDR playback now what I have playing here is a Samsung demo of a 4K HDR scene and let me tell you it looks absolutely incredible even from I'm about maybe 6 ft away from the TV it is so crisp and sharp and the colors are so rich it just looks great now there's 4K HDR content available on YouTube there's content available on Amazon video and also through Netflix you can also have it locally there is just you know it's not quite as pervasive as HD but if you want the ultimate in high quality content the Nvidia Shield TV can play it back and it looks great here's some more Ultra HD 4K HDR content from within the Netflix application here's some Jessica Jones let me just start playing now again it's not going to come across on this video but you have to take my word for it 4K HDR stuff just looks great knowing it's real means you got to make a decision one of the cool new features of the Android nougat update for the Nvidia Shield TV is integration of Google assistant so you can ask questions just like you would to your smartphone and it will also integrate with home automation switches so let me give you an example what's the weather going to be like tomorrow forecast for Norwalk is 45° and partly cloudy but you can also ask more complex questions that will search the apps on the device as well for example I could ask find me dramas and those searches can be further refined as well I could say something like find me dramas from the 9s and as you can see all of these movies they're from the 9s there's movies TV series um content from other apps is included here as well including YouTube so the Google Assistant as I mentioned will also work with home automation devices the Nvidia spot accessory that will basically put a microphone in other rooms of your house and connect with the shield will work with this feature as well so you can wake up in the morning say start your coffee turn on some lights what have you so gaming is also a main aspect of the Nvidia Shield TV you have tons of native Android games you have some Tegra optimized games that Nvidia help bring to Market along with its game development Partners you have tons of AAA Games available in nvidia's GeForce now streaming service you can also stream games from your own gaming PC as long as it's got a a compatible Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics card in it there are just tons of gaming options plus it comes with that awesome new controller so what you see here is The Witcher 3 running from nvidia's GeForce now service and it looks really really good the controller is responsive even you know the sound is great too let me turn it up so you can hear what's going on hold on just one second so that is essentially a high-quality Witcher 3 experience like you'd see on a PC right from the Nvidia Shield TV we hope you've enjoyed this quick look at the Nvidia Shield Android TV streaming device once again this is Marco Chipeta for hot hardware.com if you like what you've seen here please subscribe and come byot hardware.com for the full review\n"

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