It’s rare to get a new TV and have it not be “smart”. Unless it is a few inches or entry-level, practically everyone has an operating system with Internet access and applications. It already depends on the model if the catalog of apps is broader or limited, as well as if the operating system is more complete or with the basic functions. But this problem is easily fixed with a media center like the new Apple TV 4K (2022) or the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro, two of the most powerful proposals on the market and that we put face to face to compare their characteristics.
Features Apple TV 4K (2022) VS NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro
specs | Apple TV 4K (2022) |
NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro |
---|---|---|
Dimensions and weight |
3.1 cm high x 9.3 cm wide x 9.3 cm deep and 208 grams (214 grams the model with Ethernet) |
9.8 cm high x 2.59 cm deep x 15.9 cm wide and 250 grams |
Processor | RAM | Storage |
A15 Bionic | 4GB RAM | 64 GB (128 GB for Ethernet model) |
NVIDIA Tegra X1+ | 3GB RAM | 16 GB expandable via USB |
Video |
SDR with AVC/HEVC up to 2160 at 60fps, Dolby Vision up to 2160 at 60fps, HDR10+/HDR10/HLG with HEVC up to 2160 at 60fps, H.264 and MPEG-4 |
Support for Dolby Vision and HDR10; AI upscaling up to 4K@60fps; playback up to 4K@60fps of H.265/HEVC; 4K@60fps playback of VP8, VP9, H.264 and MPEG1/2; playback up to 1080p@60fps of H.263, MJPEG, MPEG4, WMV9/VC1, and Xvid/DivX/ASF/AVI/MKV/MOV/M2TS/MPEG-TS/MP4/WEB-M format/container support |
Sound |
HE-AAC (V1), AAC (up to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (iTunes Store), MP3 (up to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Apple Lossless, FLAC, AIFF, WAV, AC-3 (Dolby Digital 5.1), E-AC-3 (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound) and Dolby Atmos |
Dolby Audio (Dolby Digital, Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos), DTS-X (pass-through) via HDMI, Hi-Res sound playback up to 24-bit/192 kHz via HDMI and USB, AAC, AAC+ support , eAAC+, MP3, WAVE, AMR, OGG Vorbis, FLAC, PCM, WMA, WMA-Pro, WMA-Lossless, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, Dolby True-HD (pass-through), DTS-X (pass-through ) and DTS-HD (pass-through) |
Operating system |
tvOS 16 |
Android TV 11 – Shield Experience |
connectivity |
HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 and IR receiver. Superior model with Gigabit Ethernet and Thread support |
Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 + LE, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.0b, and two USB-A 3.0 |
Remote control |
Siri Remote with Bluetooth 5.0, IR transmitter, USB-C for charging, TV control via CEC or IR, physical buttons for direction, pause/play, volume, mute and microphone for Siri |
Shield Remote with microphone for voice assistants, backlit buttons, Bluetooth and IR connectivity to control the volume and power of the TV, sound bars or receivers, location function. Battery Operated |
Others |
Siri, native dynamic range and frame rate matching, game controller support, HomeKit hub |
Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, Chromecast built-in, PLEX server function, native GeForce NOW support, game controller support, frame rate matching beta |
Price |
From 169 euros |
219 euros |
NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV Pro Media Player; 4K HDR Movies, Live Sports, Dolby Vision-Atmos, AI Upscaling, GeForce NOW Cloud Gaming, Google Assistant, Alexa Compatible
2022 Apple TV 4K (Wi‑Fi) with 64GB (3rd generation)
- Design: Manzana keeps the cube look in your media center, now a little smaller than previous generations (which were already compact). It hardly takes up any space and goes very unnoticed, not as much as the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro, which has a more “gaming” look, with a green light indicating that it’s active, and can be used both horizontally and vertically with the help of of a support.
- Processor, RAM and storage– Apple’s latest third-generation Apple TV 4K media center has been updated to include the A15 Bionic chip, the same one that we saw in the iPhone 13 and continues in the non-Pro models of the iPhone 14. Together with its 4 GB of RAM, it offers great power to run tvOS 16 with ease. The problem is that the Apple TV software is very limited and there are practically no apps that take advantage of it, nor so many Apple Arcade games that make the most of it. The base model has 64 GB, but there is another somewhat more expensive model with 128 GB and other additions. The NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro bets on the NVIDIA Tegra X1+, a processor whose version X1 is found in the Nintendo Switch. It is already a few years old, but it continues to give a lot of trouble along with the 3 GB of RAM. In fact, the SHIELD TV Pro is considered a game console. Internal storage is poor compared to Apple’s: 16 GB expandable via USB.
- video and sound: Both media centers are compatible with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos and are capable of playing content in high resolution 4K. It is a good idea to read the specifications of each device carefully to see if it is capable of reading the formats and codecs in which we are interested. Please note that the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro was released in 2019 and, for example, does not support AV1, an open and royalty-free video compression format that is planned to be used by video services in the future. streaming, since it is more efficient in compression.
- Operating systemNote: Apple wants its operating systems to be easy to use and well-designed, and tvOS 16 is no exception. It is compatible with the main streaming video services and has the App Store to download more apps, as well as Apple Arcade for video games. The problem is that the Apple TV 4K (2022) has a lot of wasted power, since the software is very closed and you don’t take advantage of it. Something that does not happen with the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro, because having Android TV 11 you can install KODI, emulators and other apps to get the most out of it.
- connectivity: Apple has fine-tuned its latest Apple TV to connect to the TV over HDMI 2.1 and Internet via Wi-Fi 6, something that cannot be enjoyed with the older NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro. However, NVIDIA’s proposal comes with Gigabit Ethernet (you have to buy the more expensive Apple TV 4K to have it, but it’s still cheaper than the SHIELD) and two USB-A 3.0 to expand your storage, connect hard drives, peripherals, etc.
- Others: the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro has the function of PLEX server to create our own multimedia library and it’s as easy as connecting a hard drive to one of the two USB ports. It has native GeForce NOW support for streaming gaming and using voice assistants like Google Assistant and Alexa control, plus Chromecast built-in. The Apple TV 4K (2022) has Siri, support for game controllers, and has the HomeKit PBX feature. The Ethernet model is also compatible with Thread.
- Frame rate matching: It is one of the most important functions and that almost no media center does well. Movies and series can be at 60, 50, 30, 25 or 24 frames per second, for example, because the Apple TV has a native function that adjusts it so that the content is always reproduced in the best possible way. Android TV 12 also includes this feature as standard, but it is important that apps support it and there are very few that take advantage of it (KODI and PLEX, mainly). NVIDIA has the feature in beta, but it doesn’t work very well and there are platforms where you don’t get a good experience. so this is a strong plus point for Apple TV. However, it also depends on the TV; there are some that already integrate technologies to reduce problems when viewing content at other frame rates.
- Price: Against all odds, Apple has lowered the price of the Apple TV 4K (2022) and part of the 169 euros, or 189 euros if you want with 128 GB and Ethernet (a somewhat strange division when previous generations integrated it as standard without having to pay more). The NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro is somewhat more expensive, with an RRP of 219 euros.
Apple TV 4K (2022) VS NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro, which one to buy?
We are facing two of the best multimedia centers on the market and they are not cheap at all if we compare them with best sellers such as Chromecast with Google TV or Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, but they are the ones that offer a better experience. Yes indeed, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.
The Apple TV is the best device to play content from streaming video services like Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV+ and the like. The NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro also supports them, but the refresh rate auto-update issue is a major drag on it. It could be solved by installing the addons for KODI, but they are not official or entirely comfortable solutions, especially for users who are looking for simplicity or do not have the knowledge.
On the contrary, the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro is a gadget to experiment with for the possibilities offered by the Android TV 11 operating system: KODI, PLEX server, installation of emulators (yes, it is possible to play GameCube titles), play streaming through GeForce NOW, etc. I mean, there are more options.
In the end, everything also depends on whether we have more Apple devices., in which case you may opt for Apple TV first. Just as if you are looking for simplicity. Otherwise, the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro is an interesting proposition for certain uses, and it’s a shame that with streaming apps the performance isn’t as good as the Apple TV, because it’s a solvable problem.
NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV Pro Media Player; 4K HDR Movies, Live Sports, Dolby Vision-Atmos, AI Upscaling, GeForce NOW Cloud Gaming, Google Assistant, Alexa Compatible
2022 Apple TV 4K (Wi‑Fi) with 64GB (3rd generation)