"If you're looking for a box to get 4K video content and a host of other goodness up on a television screen, then the Nvidia Shield 4K and Apple TV 4K are two of the devices at the front of the queue – but at the end of the day which is better at serving up your media?

We're here to help you make sense of the pros and cons of these two boxes: we're going to put them head-to-head in all the categories that matter, from the design of the hardware to the supported apps. Read on for our full Nvidia Shield 4K vs Apple TV 4K breakdown.

Nvidia Shield 4K vs Apple TV 4K: design

If you've got a box that's competently serving up 4K video to your big screen display, does it matter what the actual box looks like? Well, maybe. If you're wanting your home cinema setup to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible, then you're going to be interested in the design and stylings of the Nvidia Shield 4K and the Apple TV 4K.

The Nvidia Shield 4K is definitely the more striking device, design-wise. It's also flatter, and wider – measuring 159 mm x 98 mm x 25.93 mm (6.26 in x 3.86 in x 1.02 in), the Nvidia Shield 4K weighs in at 250 g (8.8 oz). We like the distinctive green flash on the top of the box that glows green when the unit is up and running too.

As for the Apple TV 4K, it's a square, hockey puck shape that measures 98 mm x 98 mm x 35 mm (3.9 in x 3.9 in x 1.4 in). It tips the scales at 425 g (15 oz), and the only indication that the Apple TV 4K is switched on is a little white light on the front. Neither of these 4K streamers are exactly ugly, but the Nvidia Shield 4K just edges it, we think.

Nvidia Shield 4K vs Apple TV 4K: features

Both these boxes have the same purpose in life: to serve up 4K video content as well as music, photos, games and other apps. Both come with an HDMI out connection, and both have a slim remote control (we just slightly prefer the one with the Apple TV 4K). The Nvidia Shield 4K comes with 16GB or a whopping 500GB of internal space, while the Apple TV 4K can be had with either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage on board.

The Apple TV 4K plays a smattering of games, mostly adapted from iOS, but the Nvidia Shield 4K is much more of a gaming machine (and has an optional gamepad accessory). You can stream games from the cloud via Nvidia GeForce Now (which needs an extra subscription), stream games from a PC on a local network (which doesn't), and access mobile games built for Android TV too. If you're at all interested in gaming, then you'll want to pick up the Nvidia Shield 4K.

Being an Android TV box, the Nvidia Shield 4K acts as a Chromecast too; the Apple TV 4K is compatible with AirPlay, meanwhile, so you can beam audio and video to it from an iPhone, iPad or Mac. Both boxes can double up as smart home hubs – the Apple TV 4K with Apple's HomeKit standard and the Nvidia Shield 4K via Google Assistant.

Nvidia Shield 4K vs Apple TV 4K: software

Software and app support is an important part of the equation here: the Nvidia Shield 4K comes with Android TV on board (complete with Google Assistant) while the Apple TV 4K comes with tvOS (complete with Siri). Both make use of an intuitive tiled interface that's simple to get around and gives you access to all your apps.

Most of the big names – Netflix, YouTube, Plex, Amazon Prime Video – are available on both platforms. As we've mentioned, the Nvidia Shield 4K is missing iTunes and Apple Music support, and the Apple TV 4K doesn't have Google Play Movies and TV. If you're more into your music, Spotify is on Android TV but not tvOS (though you can AirPlay tunes to the Apple TV 4K box from an iPhone).

The software comparison between the Nvidia Shield 4K and the Apple TV 4K is a lot like the Android vs iOS debate. Apple's box is a bit slicker in what it does, but it's also a bit more limited in terms of customisations and what you can do with apps and other devices that aren't made by Apple.

Nvidia Shield 4K vs Apple TV 4K: verdict

As is often the case when we're weighing up an Apple product, the Apple TV 4K is a fine choice if all of your other gear is made by Apple – it works seamlessly with iPhones and Macs, and with Apple HomeKit and Apple Music, and with videos available on iTunes, and with Apple Photos, and so on. Some third-party services are supported, like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, but it's a very Apple-focused device.

The Nvidia Shield 4K isn't going to work as well with Apple stuff – it can't play videos from iTunes, for example. Overall though, it's the far more capable device, with support for external storage, and all the gaming extras you get courtesy of Nvidia, and the ability it has to act as a Plex server, and its native apps for the likes of Spotify and Google Play Movies & TV. You can even plug in a USB tuner and watch live TV.

So the choice here isn't really between the Nvidia Shield 4K or the Apple TV 4K: your choice is largely made depending on the devices you already own and the ecosystem you're already invested in. The Apple TV 4K is the best box for interfacing with other Apple stuff; for everything else, the Nvidia Shield 4K is the top choice."

"The latest NVIDIA SHIELD update is proving problematic for a number of owners of the Android TV device with some experiencing regular and routine crashes and in a few cases, non-responsive devices. This is not an issue that is widespread enough to be a concern to all SHIELD TV owners, although there does seem to be enough user reports on various forums, including the company’s own GeForce forums to indicate the issue is more than just one or two isolated incidents.

NVIDIA announced the update as “SHIELD Experience Upgrade 7.2” in early December and this was followed by a more minor update (SHIELD Experience Upgrade 7.2.1) a few days later. The latter was designed to address some of the initial issues that had surfaced with the original 7.2 update. However, it seems both versions of the update are resulting in a number of performance-related issues.

Crashes, reboots, and non-responsive units

One of the most common issues noted is the system experiencing crashes when in use. This varies by user but seems to be more common when video-based services are running, including Netflix, Prime Video and even YouTube. In some instances, the system just hangs for a few seconds while in other cases the apps crash forcing the user to restart them. Some of those experiencing the crashing/freezing issues are also noting that at times the system reboots itself and in some cases, these self-initiated reboots are occurring multiple times a day. Other users have found that a number of apps are also being disabled after the update although compared to some of the other issues this one is easier to fix as it simply requires the user to once again re-enable the app(s) through the Google Play Store.

In other cases, device owners are not even getting as far as opening an app as they seem to be experiencing more fundamental install issues. These have manifested in issues where the system tries to install the update but hangs on the loading screen. Sometimes the issue is fixed by simply restarting the system and applying the update again - although doing this while the system is in the middle of updating is not something that’s recommended as it can cause issues in itself if the system was simply taking longer than expected to apply the update. Other users have reported varying degrees of success based on disconnecting connected devices during the installation process, including connected USB flash drives, Bluetooth accessories, and in some cases even the official controllers.

In the more extreme cases users are finding the system becoming completely unresponsive. At present it remains unclear whether these units are being soft or hard “bricked,” although users have reported symptoms that suggest both bricking states have being encountered. it is currently unclear what is causing this more serious issue or how/if it can be fixed. It soft bricking is what is happening, then it is likely users will be able to recover the system by booting into safe mode or in worst case scenarios using ADB to manually flash the update to the SHIELD TV.

Other issues as well

As is the case with most updates, there are multiple reports of other issues that have surfaced albeit these do seem to be less frequent than the crashing issues noted. The most common of these include a non-responsive remote issue. This is described as either the remote not working at all following the update, or suffering from a delay that means the remote does not become responsive (wake) when the system first powers up, but does so after a few minutes. According to comments on the GeForce forums, the latter is now a known issue and will be fixed in the next update.

In spite of the 7.2.1 update being designed to deal with some of the issues that surfaced from the 7.2 update, the 7.2.1 changelog does also come with a wide variety of known issues itself. As a result some of these more minor issues are to be expected and as these are known issues, like the remote bug, NVIDIA is aware of them and is currently in the process of working on fixes for them. As of now, it remains unclear how aware NVIDIA is of the crashing and non-responsive issues and whether there are any fixes planned.

SHIELD Experience 7.2.2 coming soon

Generally speaking, NVIDIA is extremely active when it comes to user feedback and has become known for providing a heightened level of support to both SHIELD TV generation devices. What’s more, it does already seem the company is testing the SHIELD Experience 7.2.2 update and it would seem likely this update will be made more widely available soon considering it’s been in testing since December 22. In the meantime, if you are experiencing any of these issues, and in particular a totally non-responsive device then it’s at least worth knowing you are not alone."

"So, you’ve bought an Android TV device. Congratulations! But now what?

A few apps—like YouTube and Google Play Music—come pre-installed. For the rest, it’s up to you. For the best experience, you need a mix of videos, music, productivity, and system apps. With that in mind, here are the essential apps you need to install right away.

"When the Nvidia Shield was announced and subsequently released in 2015, it probably didn’t quite justify the initial high price-tag for a base Android TV streaming box — at least in my opinion. Despite that, the updated 2017 model proved to be a very different story thanks to a combination of exceptional hardware and updated Android TV software.

We’ve not seen Android TV take off like it probably should have, but many cable and network TV companies are now looking to adopt the system for their own contract pay-TV systems. With AT&T, TiVO and Windstream all actively prepping Android TV products that are built utilizing the platform, we are hopefully going to see Android TV mature.

Even with that said, the Nvidia Shield TV is not just a basic Android TV box. It has a few – what I would call – killer features including video game streaming (both internally and via web connection).

Now since the device is much more affordable, it becomes an easier sell. Not to mention that with Valve’s own Steam Link being discontinued, there really aren’t many ways to stream your Steam library to your TV this easily anymore.

The interface is superb and there is so much more content now thanks to growing streaming libraries. Then there is the benefit of Nvidia GeForce Now which to be completely honest, is actually pretty superb in practice — even though I really did have my doubts.

Nvidia Shield in 2019: Still the best Android TV option?

"YouTube Music and Google Play Music. Allo and Hangouts. Google Plus and Orkut. Google loves to duplicate its apps and services. The situation is no different for cord cutters and streamers: one company, two completely different solutions.

So, if you’re wondering whether you should buy a Google Chromecast or an Android TV device, keep reading. In this article we pitch the Google Chromecast vs. Android TV to help you determine which one you should buy.

What Is Android TV?

Android TV is the television version of the smartphone operating system. It launched in mid-2014, 12 months later than the Chromecast.

Like the smartphone OS, there’s not a single version of the Android TV platform. Lots of manufacturers have added their own customizations, and there are dozens of Android TV dongles and set-top boxes on the market.

Android TV also powers some smart TVs from manufacturers such as Hisense, Asus, Sharp, and Sony. Google does not produce any in-house Android TV equipment.

Android TV vs. Google Chromecast: Cost

The cost of Chromecast dongles is easy to quantify. The entry-level model costs $35 and the Chromecast Ultra (which supports 4K video) will set you back $69.

Which it comes to Android TV, the situation is considerably more complicated. Because there’s not a single Android TV model, prices can vary wildly.

Fair warning—there are a lot of cheap Android TV boxes flooding the market. Some no-brand Chinese devices can be found for less than $20 on sites like AliExpress. Give them a wide berth.

However, some cheap Android TV boxes are worth recommending. They include the Xiaomi Mi (around $50), the MXQ Android Box ($35), and even a DIY Raspberry Pi solution.

At the other end of the scale, the best-in-class is still the Nvidia Shield. You can buy the 16GB model for $180 and the 500GB version for $300. Confusingly, both Nvidia Shield models come with Chromecast built-in.

Android TV vs. Google Chromecast: Interface

If you’re the type of person who likes to immerse yourself in an operating system, a Chromecast dongle might not be right for you.

Chromecasts do not have a user interface. Instead, you cast content from your phone, tablet, or computer (via Chrome).

Some apps are Chromecast-enabled; they have a dedicated Cast button which will replicate their visual and audio output on your TV screen. Alternatively, you can mirror your device’s entire screen, but that requires your phone’s screen to remain on, thus chewing through the battery.

Android TV devices have a dedicated user interface that you can control using a remote or a smartphone app. Rather than installing apps on your computer or mobile, you install standalone apps directly on the Android TV device.

Android TV vs. Google Chromecast: Apps

Most of the big players (think Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, etc.) have apps available for the Android TV platform and also make their smartphone apps Chromecast-enabled.

The notable exception is Amazon Prime Video. There’s an Android TV app available, but you cannot easily cast the video to a Chromecast.

There are a few workarounds which let you watch Amazon Prime Video on a Chromecast, but they are not ideal.

Android TV vs. Google Chromecast: Sideloading

Android TV boxes have access to a special version of the Google Play Store. Unfortunately, the selection of apps available is nowhere near as diverse as in the regular smartphone version of the store.

Thankfully, you can negate the issue by sideloading apps on Android TV. If you can get hold of an app’s APK file (check sites like APKPure and APKMirror to see if you can find it), you can install any Android app on the operating system, and it will work.

The biggest drawback to sideloading apps is navigation. Because the apps have not been altered for the Android TV platform, your device’s remote might not work. If your Android TV box has a USB port, you can plug in a mouse. If it doesn’t, you can try pairing your box with a Bluetooth-enabled gaming controller.

Android TV vs. Google Chromecast: Games

If you’re a gamer, Android TV devices are the clear winner. Just make sure you don’t try to save a few bucks by buying an underpowered box.

If you want to use a Chromecast for gaming, you’ll still need to use your mobile device for the controls. That awkwardness, paired with the occasional lag you’ll encounter between your phone and your TV, makes it unsuitable for any fast-paced game. However, more sedate games, like Solitaire or quizzes, will be fine.

In contrast, many Android TV devices can be paired with gaming controllers. If you buy a high-spec box—such as the previously-mentioned Nvidia Shield—you might even find that a gaming controller comes included in the box.

The Android TV version of the Google Play Store hosts a wide variety of popular games, including Grand Theft Auto, Asphalt 8: Airborne, and Badland.

Android TV vs. Google Chromecast: Longevity

It’s fair to question whether Chromecasts have a long-term future in Google’s product line-up.

Yes, they were revolutionary back in 2013 when they brought on-demand internet video streaming to the masses for the first time, but they increasingly look like a technology from yesteryear.

All the Chromecast’s competitors—Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, and Roku—offer a more holistic service for cord cutters. And as we’ve seen from the Nvidia Shield, it’s perfectly possible to bolt Chromecast’s screen mirroring features onto the Android TV OS for on-the-fly casting. The devices from Roku, Apple, and Amazon also all offer their own version of screen mirroring.

We’re not sure what’s preventing Google simply putting the Android TV operating system into a Chromecast-sized dongle and offering it at a similar price point. It’s likely to happen at some point.

Android TV and Kodi Boxes

You’ve probably heard of Kodi boxes. They are set-top devices that automatically launch Kodi upon boot, allowing you to easily access all your content. In simple terms, they turn Kodi into a smart TV operating system.

Although it’s not strictly essential (you could use a Raspberry Pi), almost all Kodi boxes run on Android TV. It’s also the operating system of choice for all those illegal (and they ARE illegal) “fully loaded” Kodi boxes you see popping up on eBay.

We’ve rounded up some of the best Kodi boxes on the market if you would like to learn more.

Google Assistant and Your Smart Home

Chromecasts are not smart devices. You cannot use them to control third-party smart home products around your home. You will need to use your phone’s Google Home app, which is a bit of an effort when you just want to turn off a light.

In contrast, an increasing number of mid-range and top-end Android TV devices now come with Google Assistant built in. As we know, the smart assistant offers an array of smart home integrations, entertainment options, and productivity tools. If you enjoy the benefits of voice control, an Android TV box is the way to go.

What About the Amazon Fire TV?

Don’t forget that Amazon Fire TV devices run their own customized version of Android TV. Sure, it’s unrecognizable from the vanilla operating system, but it still qualifies.

If you want more information, we’ve previously explained what Amazon Fire TV is and how it works.

Android TV vs. Google Chromecast: The Winner Is…

Everything else being equal, the clear winner is Android TV. It has more features, it’s just as easy to use, its future looks more certain, and it’s more flexible. But don’t write off the Chromecast completely.

If you want a highly portable device that’ll work in hotels, for business presentations, and at other people’s houses, they are the best option on the market. They’re also a cost-effective choice for secondary TVs in your home such as in bedrooms and kitchens.

Of course, you could also consider a Roku device. And if you need to know how the Roku stacks up against the Chromecast we have previously written a comparison of Chromecast and Roku."

I understand the S is newer, but is it worth upgrading? I got the Mi Box (older) for Christmas as that's all Amazon sells. Not sure if it's worth the hassle of returning and picking up the newer model (which is about the same price or a few $ cheaper). From what I can tell, the SoC might be newer but other specs are the same?

Edit:

For anyone that needs to see specs side-by-side: