Nvidia Shield TV is hitting the UK at last, bringing 4K video as well as insanely good game streaming to our living rooms. Here’s why Shield TV is seriously smart, plus all the Shield TV UK release news.
Nvidia Shield TV’s best UK features
It’s been out in the US for a little while already, but now Nvidia’s Shield TV – the first box to support 4K streaming at 60fps (Amazon’s latest Fire TV manages just 30fps) – is finally coming to the UK.
Its support for 4K Ultra HD at 60fps media makes it seriously future-proof, as does the 256-core Tegra X1 processor and 3GB of RAM packed inside. Those powerful innards produce more than double the benchmarking performance of the brand new Apple TV, meaning you won’t see any slowdown as you zip through the gorgeously crisp menus.
It’s also compatible with Google’s Cast API, meaning all ofthose iOS and Android apps that play nicely with Chromecast will work.
Right now there’s not exactly a wealth of 4K content (you’re basically looking at Netflix and YouTube as well as your own content), but the Shield TV can of course stream HD content and music via a range of Android TV apps, including BBC iPlayer, Vevo, TuneIn and Plex.
Don’t like streaming much? You can also connect hard drives via USB to play your own collection of movies and music and there’s a microSD slot to expand the 16GB of on-board storage. With support for pretty much every format of audio and video file going, you shouldn’t have any problem playing your files.
And the Shield TV also has solid gaming chops, making it as much a mini console as a streaming box. For a start, you can download and play Nvidia-enhanced games such as Half Life and Doom 3 (coming soon) to the Shield TV, or even stream the biggest PC titles direct from your gaming rig to your TV. The bundled wireless controller is perfect for a wide range of games, complete with a built-in earphone port to keep your gaming private.
Check out our Nvidia Shield Tablet LTE review for more info on gaming and the controller.
As if that wasn’t enough, Nvidia is also offering up its new GeForce Now service for streaming games from cloud. GeForce Now offers 1080p 60FPS streaming, a better experience than rival services such as PS Now.
£7.49/month gives you access to a well-stocked catalogue of games which can be played as often as you like and Nvidia’s throwing in your first three months for free as a taster.
GeForce Now also allows you to buy and stream the latest games such as Witcher 3 and Mad Max. And there are full parental controls to keep kids from playing gory goodies like Borderlands.
Nvidia Shield TV UK price and release date
Good news if you’re already super-excited about the Shield TV, as it’s available to buy in the UK on October 1st. The UK asking price is £149, which makes it more expensive than many streaming rivals, but with a serious advantage in terms of specs and features, especially if you’re a gamer.
The Shield TV comes packaged with a gamepad as well as an HDMI cable. The remote and stand are optional accessories, priced at €49 (£39.99) and €29 (£24.99).
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