Since the Nvidia Shield TV Pro launched in 2019, it’s long been considered one of the best streamers you can buy, thanks to its powerful hardware, long-term software support, and the freedom that comes with running Android TV.
But recently, if you’ve wanted to get your hands on an Nvidia Shield TV Pro, that hasn’t been possible. The streamer is currently sold out on Nvidia’s website and across all major retailers, including Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, B&H, Newegg, and Micro Center (via AFTV News).
Typically, seeing a product like this go out of stock shouldn’t cause much concern, as it usually comes back at some point. But given that the Nvidia Shield TV Pro is so old now, and Nvidia’s laser focus on AI, it raises a few questions: will Nvidia ever restock it? Is it now discontinued? Is this a sign that a new Shield TV is on the way?
Here’s everything we know about the Shield TV Pro’s current predicament and whether new Shield TV models are coming.
Will the Shield TV Pro come back?
The Shield TV went out of stock earlier this year
The big question surrounding the Nvidia Shield TV Pro is whether it will fully return. And given what’s happened to the Shield TV earlier this year, it’s entirely possible it might not.
Back in July, Nvidia’s cheaper, tube-shaped Shield TV went out of stock, and while there was speculation that it had been discontinued, Nvidia said in a statement to Pocket-lint at the time that it was “largely out of stock due to demand” and that it didn’t have any updates to share on its future availability. In other words, Nvidia didn’t want to say whether it had been discontinued.
Nvidia also said in its July statement that the Shield TV Pro “remains available” as an alternative to the tube-shaped Shield TV.
However, fast-forward two and a half months, and the Shield TV Pro now shares the same fate as the Shield TV: it’s out of stock everywhere, and it’s unclear when, or if, it’s actually coming back.
Pocket-lint reached out to Nvidia seeking clarification on whether the Shield TV Pro will be restocked or has been discontinued, and we’ll update this story if we hear back.
In my view, given Nvidia’s massive focus on AI right now, it’s hard to see the company being too concerned about the Shield TV. That, coupled with the ongoing global memory shortage that has driven RAM and storage prices sky-high, doesn’t leave me very optimistic that Nvidia is in any rush to restock the Shield TV Pro, or the Shield TV, soon.
I think the Shield TV Pro could be discontinued in all but name, but I hope Nvidia proves me wrong and says it’s working on restocking it, or, more optimistically, working on a new Shield TV device altogether. And that’s not entirely off the table.
A new Shield TV is a possibility
Nvidia hasn’t closed the door on Shield TV yet
Naturally, a big question that arises from the Shield TV and Shield TV Pro’s current stock issues is whether it’s a sign that a new Shield TV model is on the way, something Shield TV fans have been asking for years.
Both streamers are more than six years old now, and while the Nvidia Tegra X1+ that powers both devices is still a fast chipset for a streamer, it does have its limitations, especially since it lacks support for the AV1 video codec and HDR10+. So, a newer device with updated hardware capabilities would certainly be welcome, and Nvidia hasn’t taken the possibility entirely off the table.
Speaking to Ars Technica earlier this year, Nvidia’s senior VP of hardware engineering, Andrew Bell, was asked whether future Shield TV models could ever happen. He responded, “We talk about it all the time — I’d love to,” adding that if Nvidia develops a new Shield TV concept it’s passionate about, it could happen.
Based on Bell’s comments, Nvidia isn’t closing the door on Shield TV, but it certainly doesn’t appear to be a priority right now. That’s not too surprising, given Nvidia’s enormous focus on AI, which is generating hundreds of billions of dollars for the company.
Ultimately, I’d love to see a new Shield TV Pro. In my mind, Nvidia can easily build the most powerful Android streamer ever, and there’s plenty of room for a new model to improve on what the current Shield TV Pro offers. But given the current memory shortage and Nvidia’s focus on AI, I don’t see it happening anytime soon, even with the current models out of stock and no indication that they’re coming back. Hopefully, Nvidia clarifies the future of Shield TV sooner rather than later.
