![]() Both seem statements still feel about right to me. I called it “good, but not great” in my AirTV review. I called Android TV “pleasant and straightforward” in my last Nvidia Shield review. I had to hit back, read what it wanted (“zip code,” “phone number,” etc.), then hit the select button and go back to typing. ![]() The app library is great, but it has little problems – for instance, when I went to enter my billing information, the on-screen keyboard covered the text boxes I was using. The Nvidia Shield has a solid and competent operating system, but I generally feel that Android TV lags a bit behind the user-friendly Roku and the more complex Fire TV OS in most departments. It's app-based, and doesn't have a ton of menus of its own. Android TV is, as the name suggests, an Android-based platform that is designed for streaming devices. The Google connection comes courtesy of the Nvidia Shield's platform: Android TV. Regular set-up is similar, but happens on the Shield itself. You can also use your Android device as a remote control with the aid of an app called (wait for it) Android TV Remote Control. You can set up Wi-Fi and log into your Google account on the Android screen, saving you a bit of time. With an Android device, you can use the Google app to auto-detect the device. Setting the Nvidia Shield is pretty easy, especially if you have an Android tablet or phone on hand. The new device has the same processing power and runs the exact same software as the old one. Other than the form factor and the included remote, there's not much that's changed about the Shield between generations. The package does include a power cord and a charging cord for the gaming controller. The last generation Shield actually did include the HDMI cable, so I guess that's the trade we made for the included remote. Like a frustratingly large number of other streaming boxes, the Nvidia Shield has no HDMI cord. Happily, the remote is now included in the box – in the last generation, the remote was an accessory that was sold separately. That seems like an annoying type of battery to have to go buy replacements for, but Nvidia claims the batteries will last you a calendar year, so at least this isn't a near-term problem. It runs on coin-cell batteries (like watch batteries). The remote, on the other hand, is pretty elegant. It's a matter of taste, and some consumers will probably find it cool. It gives the controller a kind of polygon look. See the triangular panels outlined by the lines on the controller? They're each a flat surface. It doesn't have anything on the controllers from the major console manufacturers, though, and I do have some small gripes. It feels a little light and a little thin in the grips. It's fairly comfortable, and overall, I like it better than the last generation's version. The controller doesn't feel as bad as it looks. The same can't be said for the game controller, which is now as ugly as sin. The 500 GB Nvidia Shield Pro is still a chunky boy, but this regular Nvidia Shield was pleasantly normal-sized, and looked far less geeky next to the TV than its older brother ever did. Not pictured: the power cable and USB charging cable. ![]() ![]() The Nvidia Shield, game controller, and remote. ![]() Pick up the new model, however, and you'll notice right away that something has changed: Honey, they shrunk the Shield. The old Nvidia Shield was a larger and clunkier device than non-gaming peers like Roku and Fire TV – which was understandable, given the powerful hardware inside the Shield. ![]()
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