NVIDIA is gunning for the living room with its new Shield Android TV device, featuring neat functionality and a number of entertainment apps.
The new Android TV box from NVIDIA aims to give Amazon and Apple a run for their money, rocking powerful specs and up to 25x the performance of competing devices, according to the company. Packing a Tegra X1 with 256-core NVIDIA GPU and a 64-bit CPU, the NVIDIA Shield Android TV streaming box has plenty of horsepower to take over the living room.
"NVIDIA® SHIELDTM transforms your experience from just watching TV to playing TV. It's about amazing, interactive experiences, powered by the latest technologies and apps-as well as those yet to come. The hottest TV shows and movies in brilliant 4K. Your favorite songs at the touch of a button. And a new generation of great games," touts the product page.
"Explore a world of entertainment, powered by Android TVTM. Tap into Google PlayTM for a huge, dynamic selection of movies, TV shows, and apps. Say 'Oscar-winning movies' or 'launch Netflix' and let Google's advanced voice commands do the work for you. Get personalized recommendations on your home screen. Even cast a show or pictures to your TV from your PC, Android, or iOS device with built-in Google CastTM. SHIELD makes it fast and easy."
Moreover, the new NVIDIA Shield Android TV can deliver high-quality 4K Ultra HD content from apps such as Netflix and YouTube, complete with 10-bit color and Dolby 7.1 surround sound for a neat home theater experience. For more privacy, users can also plug in headphones into the Shield controller or Shield remote.
NVIDIA finally released its Shield Android TV device at the Google I/O conference on May 21, rocking several entertainment apps such as Hulu Plus, Netflix, YouTube, and Sling TV, in addition to its gaming capabilities. HBO Now is also en route, along with other apps, and users will also be able to rent or buy movies through Google's Video and Music app.
While Shield comes with NVIDIA's lineup of streaming titles through GRID, it also has access to Google Play titles for a broader experience. Games streaming will require a minimum of 10 Mbps at 720p and 60 fps, or 30 Mbps for 1080p and 60 fps. The service is currently free, but come July it will charge a fee for accessing 1080p streaming.
"Family games. Indie hits. Even the latest Android TV titles with rich gameplay and intense multiplayer action. Only SHIELD plays them all. You can also instantly stream popular PC games to your TV from the cloud with the NVIDIA GRIDTM service. Just grab SHIELD's precision controller and game on."
The NVIDIA Shield Android TV device is now available for purchase in the U.S. in 16GB and 500GB storage options, which cost $199 and $299, respectively. The device comes with a Shield controller, but customers who want to purchase another one can buy it separately for $59. A stand for the device is also available for $29, while a non-gaming remote costs $49.
