Rumors had already been swirling about a pair of new Nvidia Shield TV products, and a recent leak on Amazon suggests one will be an Nvidia Shield TV Pro launching on October 28, Android Authority reports.
The product listing showed a similar design to the existing Nvidia Shield TV, but an updated remote with backlit buttons. The price was listed at $199, which would fit the $199 / £189 / AU$249.95 launch price of its predecessor.
But, there are some clear reasons to upgrade, including the new Nvidia Tegra X1+ chip, which can boost performance up to 25%, plus, and support for Dolby Vision HDR content.
We already hold the Nvidia Shield TV in high regard, as it offers the best Android TV experience available. That's thanks to its high performance and its versatility as a smart home control, streaming platform and gaming device all in one.
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Not all the upgrades we may have wanted
The upgraded chip inside the Nvidia Shield TV Pro is nice, but there's no increase in memory or storage. The new device will have two USB 3.0 ports, which opens the door for easy expansion with external storage, but 16GB is still on the small side to start.
Another miss is the devices use of 802.11ac wireless (Wi-Fi 5), when Wi-Fi 6 is now an option. Of course, that can be remedied by using an Ethernet cable for a fast and reliable connection.
The timing of the Shield TV Pro couldn't be better, though. Why's that? Google Stadia. Google's online game streaming service, is set to launch November 19, and there have been rumors both that the Nvidia Shield TV will support Stadia and that Google Stadia will come to Android TV.
The slated launch of the Nvidia Shield TV Pro may be a bit early for the Stadia launch, but that gives it time to gain some traction and attention before the streaming service goes live. So, for current gamers and would-be gamers getting excited about Stadia, the updated Nvidia Shield TV Pro may prove a winning option over the less versatile Chromecast Ultra and Stadia controller pairing Google is offering.
