Nvidia Shield TV Pro (2019) vs Xiaomi Mi Box

Nvidia Shield TV review: Go-to streamer for PC gamers and geeks

The Nvidia Shield TV is a popular choice for gamers and geeks, offering 4K HDR streaming, built-in Google Assistant, and gaming options like Steam Link. It has a sleek design and comes with a new remote. The Android TV interface is user-friendly and offers a wide range of apps. The Shield TV supports cloud gaming and streaming from a gaming PC. It also has AI upscaling for improved image quality. While it is more expensive than other streamers, it offers unique features for PC gamers.

Nvidia Shield (2019) review

The Nvidia Shield (2019) is a powerful 4K HDR streaming player with AI upscaling, Dolby Vision support, and a redesigned remote. It offers a unique cylindrical design and has inputs and outputs located at each end. The device runs on the Tegra X1+ processor and comes with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. It supports Android TV and offers a wide range of streaming services. The Shield can also function as a micro game console and has Google Assistant integration. The AI upscaler enhances the visual performance, making HD content look sharper. However, the Shield is more expensive than other 4K HDR streaming players and may not be necessary for budget-conscious users or those with HDTVs.

Nvidia Shield Pro (2019) review: As powerful as it is expensive

The Nvidia Shield Pro (2019) is a powerful and expensive media streamer that excels in audio/video quality. It supports all media formats, has plenty of ports, and can even run a Plex server. The design is sleek and distinctive, with a mix of glossy and textured panels. The remote is improved but still has some issues. The software runs on Android TV, which has access to all streaming platforms and offers a better app management experience than Google TV. The Shield Pro's support for high-end audio/video formats is a major strength, although it has some issues with Dolby Vision. The Tegra X1+ chip is powerful but shows its age at times. The AI upscaling feature is impressive, making 1080p content look almost as good as native 4K. Overall, the Shield Pro is a great choice for those who value audiovisual fidelity, but it may not be worth the price for everyone.

Xiaomi Mi Box reviews

The Xiaomi Mi Box is praised for its Android TV interface and Bluetooth remote. It has a built-in Chromecast feature and is compatible with Xbox One controllers. However, it lacks certain apps like Google Photos and only supports 2 channel audio. One major drawback is the inability to write to USB devices, which is likely a Google directive to prevent piracy. The feature to encrypt a USB drive for storage is also reported to be unreliable.