5 Reasons To Buy the 2019 NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV!

5 Reasons to Buy the NVIDIA SHIELD 2019Hey, Guys, it’s Roy here from rwilco12 and EpicDroid.com. I’m here today to tell you about one of my all-time favorite pieces of tech, the 2019 version of NVIDIA’s Shield Android TV.

The NVIDIA Shield TV is an Android-based streaming powerhouse. It plugs into your TV and turns it into a super smart TV. It allows you to stream videos, music, games, and more!

The Shield TV has seen several hardware updates over the years but at its core, it is basically the same system. With the basic model, the biggest changes have been in the body of the device. It started with the original version in 2015, which was angular with sharp corners. The 2017 version looked a lot like the 2015 model but shrunk it down into a smaller package. In 2019 they completely revamped the body and it’s now a long tube shape with ports on both ends. The Pro version’s body has stayed pretty much the same.

The 2019 Shield TV comes with the new NVIDIA Tegra X1+ processor, either 2GB in the basic model or 3GB of RAM in the Pro, and both come with 16GB of storage. The Pro version has two USB 3.0 ports that allow you to add additional external storage.

Now that we got the basics out of the way, what is it about the Shield TV that I like, what do I not like, and do I recommend it?

There are five things that I love about it and only one thing I really don’t like. First up, let’s talk about what I like about the Shield.

  • GeForce NowThe first thing on my list and the best feature of the Shield TV is GeForce Now. GeForce Now is an awesome service that lets you stream games from NVIDIA’s super powerful gaming systems directly to your TV. It offers several free games and then allows you to connect to several different services, like Steam and Epic. It then lets you play those games from the comfort of your couch. GeForce Now is so awesome and has so much going for it that I could spend all day talking about it. In order to keep this video short, I’m going to limit myself to what I’ve said so far but if you want to learn more about it, check out our video review of GeForce Now on YouTube.
  • The second thing is the AI upscaling. With the AI upscaling you can take a 720p or 1080p stream and enhance it to 4K. NVIDIA uses clever AI technology to do this live and it looks amazing! It’s something you have to see in person to appreciate but there is a difference and I love that my old videos can now be viewed in much better quality!
  • The third thing would have to be the updates. We’ve all gotten those devices where they sell them with outdated software, you set it up, you get maybe one or two updates, and then nothing ever again. NVIDIA isn’t like that. They stand behind their products and keep updating them. And it’s not just updated for the sake of pushing an update, these are actual updates that bring new features and enhancements. The original Shield TV came out in 2015 and is still getting updates! You can plug in the 2015 and the 2019 versions side by side and you’ll find that they are nearly identical. NVIDIA understands that when you buy a product you don’t want to have to throw it away and buy an upgrade every year. They take care of you for as long as they can continue to support the device!
  • The fourth thing I love is the new remote. Nvidia has done a great job of improving the remote with every update to the Shield lineup. The latest version is hands down their best iteration of it! I have three young children who like to lose the remote. I’ve found it between couch cushions, under the couch, behind the TV, and all sorts of other places. This new remote still fits comfortably in the hand, has better button placement, and most importantly has a “lost remote” function. On the basic model of the Shield, you can push a button on the Shield and it will make the remote start beeping at you until you can find it. The Pro version of the Shield doesn’t have the button but you can activate the feature through the Shield app on your phone.
  • Back when the two previous versions of the Shield came out, I recommended them 100%. I told all my friends about them and I told anyone who would listen that they should get them. I was able to convince a lot of people to try them out and everyone who did loved them. The hardest part of convincing people to get one was the price. At $200 or more, a lot of people had a hard time justifying the expense. With all the enhancements they’ve made, Nvidia has been able to get the pricing down to $150. Yes, it is still a little more than other streaming devices. However, with all that you’re getting, it is well worth the cost.

There’s really only one thing I don’t like about the new Shield and it’s more of a personal preference thing, and not that big of a deal. I’m just not a fan of the tube design. It reminds me of a toilet paper roll and just seems out of place. Nvidia has said the tube design allows the device to be set on the floor behind the TV and to keep it out of the way. My only problem with that is that the “lost remote” button isn’t easily accessible on the floor or behind the TV. It’s a minor annoyance, but it’s just something to be aware of.

I’ve been using NVIDIA’s SHIELD products for some time now. I am a huge fan of the entire SHIELD line up and all of NVIDIA’s offerings. My first SHIELD device was the SHIELD Tablet that came out in 2014. I still have that tablet and use it all the time!

I didn’t include it in my list earlier but one more thing I love about the Shield is how it brings my family together. We can watch all the shows we love on Disney Plus, Plex, Netflix, or Amazon. We can play games together on GeForce Now or from the Google Play Store. We laugh at videos on YouTube and listen to music on Pandora. We’ve got everything we need in one system and we get to enjoy it all together.

In summary, I love the NVIDIA Shield and love what it brings to my living room. I would highly recommend it to anybody looking for a good streaming solution. Order your NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV here: https://amzn.to/2YPcr6b