The NVIDIA Shield TV family hosts arguably the best Android TV boxes on the market, bringing plenty of features and a ridiculously long commitment to software updates. It’s no wonder that Shield TV boxes have acquired a vocal following. The last Shield TV products were launched in 2019, but could NVIDIA launch a new product soon? Here’s everything we know about a potential new NVIDIA Shield TV and Shield TV Pro.
New NVIDIA Shield TV: At a glance
- When is it coming out? There’s no word on a new NVIDIA Shield TV model, let alone when it will launch, but we’re hopeful that one will drop in late 2023 or in 2024.
- What’s new? There aren’t any leaks yet, but a new NVIDIA Shield TV would likely bring a new processor at the very least.
- How much will it cost? It’s not clear how much a new NVIDIA Shield TV will cost just yet, but $150 to $300 seems like a safe bet based on previous models.
Will there be an NVIDIA Shield (2023) or NVIDIA Shield (2024)?
The graphics company hasn’t confirmed whether it’ll launch a new NVIDIA Shield TV product at all, let alone in the next 18 months. We’ve also not seen any leaks whatsoever. So if the company is working on a new NVIDIA Shield TV Pro, “tube,” or something altogether different, it’s keeping things tightly under wraps.
It’s also worth noting that the company launched Shield TV products in 2015, 2017, and 2019. You would then assume that it would’ve launched new hardware in 2021, but that wasn’t the case.
An NVIDIA representative told Android Authority in September 2023 that the company had, “nothing new to share nor announce at this time,” when we asked about plans for a new Shield TV model. That doesn’t necessarily mean a new model isn’t in the works for a release at some point, but it strongly suggests you shouldn’t hold your breath for an imminent launch.
It’s also unclear if NVIDIA will continue the split between standard (the tube-shaped one) and Pro models as we saw with the 2019 line.
Whatever the situation, we know there’s plenty of demand for a refreshed Shield TV. In an Android Authority poll that accrued over 8,000 votes, over 95% of respondents said they wanted NVIDIA to release a new Shield TV model.
What is the new NVIDIA Shield TV release date?
- NVIDIA Shield TV (2015): May 28, 2015
- NVIDIA Shield TV (2017): January 16, 2017
- NVIDIA Shield TV (2019) and Shield TV Pro: October 28, 2019
There’s no launch date for a new Android TV box from NVIDIA yet, and the company hasn’t even acknowledged that any new hardware is on the way.
Looking at previous launch dates doesn’t give us any clues either. There hasn’t been any rhyme and reason to these launches outside of the biennial releases.
What specs and features will a new Shield TV have?
The Shield TV line is typically equipped with Arm-based NVIDIA chips, an extensive list of multimedia features, and some gaming chops. So, what could a new NVIDIA Shield TV bring to the table?
Design
NVIDIA has stuck with the same fundamental design for most of its top-tier Shield TV products, featuring a rectangular design with ridges on the top of the box. The sole exception was the vanilla Shield TV (2019), which has a cylindrical design. Instead, the NVIDIA Shield Pro carried on with the squared design (as seen above).
It’s likely that NVIDIA could stick with the boxy design for a new Shield TV Pro model while retaining a tube-like shape for a cheaper model.
Specs
One big question is whether we’ll see a new chipset in the next NVIDIA Shield TV. After all, the company has used the same fundamental Tegra X1 processor since the first Shield TV back in 2015.
There have been rumors and leaks related to a new Tegra chipset (model number T239), and it’s believed that this processor could potentially power the Nintendo Switch 2. However, it would make sense if a new NVIDIA Shield TV or a Shield TV Pro model used this chipset too, seeing as the original Switch and all previous Shield TV models shared the same basic X1 chip.
There aren’t many details about this new processor, but it sounds like the GPU is based on NVIDIA’s Ampere architecture and could offer DLSS and ray tracing support. DLSS support would be a cool addition, delivering upscaled resolutions and/or higher frame rates in video games. So you’d be getting sharper, smoother visuals without a corresponding performance penalty associated with natively rendering at that resolution and frame rate. In English, that means better-looking, more fluid games without performance suffering.
There’s been no significant chatter regarding a new NVIDIA Shield TV, but a refreshed model would likely gain a chip upgrade.
NVIDIA’s clearly emphasized AI tech with its last few generations of RTX graphics cards. We previously saw AI-based upscaling for video on the last Shield TV, but we’d expect more AI features on a new Shield TV or Shield TV Pro model. We could totally see NVIDIA implementing AI-based features like live subtitles or even noise reduction for audio/video calls.
One thing we aren’t expecting is for a refreshed NVIDIA Shield TV is for it to receive new ports of PC and console games. The company previously offered native Android ports of titles like Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Tomb Raider, and Borderlands, developed by its in-house studio. But NVIDIA confirmed to Android Authority back in 2021 that it ditched ports in favor of offering game streaming instead.
What will the new NVIDIA Shield TV price be?
- NVIDIA Shield TV (2015): $199.99 (16GB), $299.99 (500GB)
- NVIDIA Shield TV (2017): $199.99 (16GB), $299.99 (500GB)
- NVIDIA Shield TV series (2019): $149.99, $199.99 (Pro)
There’s no word on the price of a new NVIDIA Shield TV, but history suggests that ~$200 seems like a safe bet for the cheapest model. In fact, the 2019 model was at least $50 cheaper than previous devices, suggesting that this could potentially be a price point too.
In saying so, the 2019 models made storage cutbacks, ostensibly to reach a more competitive price point. So you probably shouldn’t hold your breath for a 500GB model at $200.
Should you wait for a new NVIDIA Shield TV?
Simply put, you really shouldn’t wait around for an NVIDIA Shield TV (2023) model. There aren’t any credible rumors at all regarding a new model right now, suggesting that there isn’t anything on the cards for the final quarter of the year. A Shield TV (2024) model could happen, but again, that’s pure speculation.
In other words, you should buy the current NVIDIA Shield TV model right now if you want a Shield streaming device. It’s worth noting that the cheaper model only has 8GB of storage that rapidly fills up, although there is a microSD card slot. However, one downside to this model for gamers is that it’s running the 32-bit version of Android, which means you can’t actually play any Shield-exclusive games that were ported from a console or PC.
Those on the hunt for a recent Android TV box should check out the Chromecast with Google TV 4K model ($35.55 at Amazon). It brings a slick UI, Assistant integration, a dinky remote, and a very cheap price tag. In saying so, it lacks AV1 support (the non-4K model does have AV1 support, bizarrely), while storage expansion requires a USB-C hub. You should also keep the Xiaomi TV Stick 4K ($139 at Amazon) in mind, bringing a small form factor and decent performance. The only real downsides are the lack of AirPlay 2 support and the use of micro-USB connectivity.
New NVIDIA Shield TV: What we want to see
The NVIDIA Shield TV and Shield TV Pro models have long been our top recommendations for a more premium streaming experience. But there’s still scope for improvements, though. Here’s our wishlist.
Long-term update support (again)
All Shield TV models are still getting firmware updates, and this is a monumental achievement when you consider that the first model was released back in 2015. Not even Apple is keeping its iPhones updated for that long.
With that in mind, our top wish is that NVIDIA’s next Shield TV model retains a similarly lengthy update commitment. That way, the device continues to receive new features and handy improvements years down the line. These are expensive products, but when they last so long, the value is excellent.
A new processor (with cool tricks)
NVIDIA has used the Tegra X1 in the Shield TV series since 2015, and it stood out at the time thanks to great driver support and a healthy level of horsepower. Unfortunately, the chip is showing its age today.
Personally, I really hope a new NVIDIA Shield TV model uses a brand-new Tegra processor. It could enable snappier performance in general, much-improved gaming performance, and brand-new features.
Aside from NVIDIA features like ray tracing and DLSS for super-resolution in games, AV1 decoding would also enable higher-quality video at a reasonable bit rate.
Better gaming support
Gaming was one of the original focus areas for the Shield TV series. NVIDIA offered a gamepad and also ported PC and console titles to the platform. Nowadays, the firm is pushing its GeForce Now cloud streaming service.
It’s a long shot, but I’d love to see a bigger focus on gaming from a new NVIDIA Shield TV. Game streaming is fine if you’re in a supported market with a decent internet connection, but something bigger would be cool.
Maybe NVIDIA could take the Netflix approach and offer exclusive Android games on its service. Or it could take the Steam Deck and Apple approach by delivering a translation layer for PC games. It’s an absolutely crazy idea that requires a lot of effort, but one can dream, right?
