The
Let’s compare the Fire TV Stick 4K Max vs. NVIDIA Shield TV 4K to help you decide which one you should go for.
What will you see here?
Overall Summary
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Our Pick
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4.5
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4.5
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N/A
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$149.99
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Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the company's most powerful streaming stick. New Wi-Fi 6 features mean you can easily stream 4K Ultra HD video over the internet. The Fire Stick is a flat rectangle with an HDMI extender that allows you to hang it from the TV. Installation of the Fire Stick 4K Max is pretty simple - plug it in, switch on your TV, and you're ready to go. If you want a streaming stick that hides behind your TV seamlessly, then go for the Fire TV Stick 4K. Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max is 40 per cent faster than its predecessor. It uses a MediaTek processor, 2GB of RAM and a 256-core Nvidia Tegra X1+ chip. The Fire TV Stick 4K has built-in Wi-Fi so that you can use it with any internet-connected TV or radio. It has 8GB of primary storage and a MicroSD slot for extra storage. |
Nvidia Shield TV comes in two configurations, the popular Nvidia Shield and the Nvidia Shield Pro. The former is available for $149, while the latter costs $199. Both units are compatible with DualShock4 and Xbox One controllers, as well as the new PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers. Nvidia Shields looks more like a mini-console than a TV. Nvidia Shield TV is designed in a round shape. It has input and output ports on its side, while the HDMI-out and reset buttons are on the other. The remote has a new triangular shape with backlit buttons. It also comes with a built-in Find my remote feature. Nvidia's AI upscaler can hugely sharpen content, making it look amazing on your 4K TV. In an HD review during Superbad, you could make out the characters' clothing and see their eyes. A Gigabit Ethernet connector on the Shield TV allows it to wirelessly connect to your router. |
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Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the company's most powerful streaming stick. New Wi-Fi 6 features mean you can easily stream 4K Ultra HD video over the internet. The Fire Stick is a flat rectangle with an HDMI extender that allows you to hang it from the TV. Installation of the Fire Stick 4K Max is pretty simple - plug it in, switch on your TV, and you're ready to go. If you want a streaming stick that hides behind your TV seamlessly, then go for the Fire TV Stick 4K. Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max is 40 per cent faster than its predecessor. It uses a MediaTek processor, 2GB of RAM and a 256-core Nvidia Tegra X1+ chip. The Fire TV Stick 4K has built-in Wi-Fi so that you can use it with any internet-connected TV or radio. It has 8GB of primary storage and a MicroSD slot for extra storage.
- Dolby Atmos, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision.
- Alexa voice remote for use.
- Effortless and rapid performance.
- Compatibility for Wi-Fi 6.
- Several services and apps.
- Voiice command using Amazon Alexa.
- Wi-Fi 6.
- On certain cable boxes, the remote may now turn the TV on and off, control the volume, and change the stations.
- Ads are very prevalent.
- Better search alternatives may have been available.
- Needs outside power.
- No Google Cast or Apple AirPlay.
- Menu structure is Still too cluttered .
- Needs an inconvenient power adaptor.
- There are too many sponsored commercials.
- Besides that, search might be upgraded.
Nvidia Shield TV comes in two configurations, the popular Nvidia Shield and the Nvidia Shield Pro. The former is available for $149, while the latter costs $199. Both units are compatible with DualShock4 and Xbox One controllers, as well as the new PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers. Nvidia Shields looks more like a mini-console than a TV. Nvidia Shield TV is designed in a round shape. It has input and output ports on its side, while the HDMI-out and reset buttons are on the other. The remote has a new triangular shape with backlit buttons. It also comes with a built-in Find my remote feature. Nvidia's AI upscaler can hugely sharpen content, making it look amazing on your 4K TV.
In an HD review during Superbad, you could make out the characters' clothing and see their eyes. A Gigabit Ethernet connector on the Shield TV allows it to wirelessly connect to your router.
- Shield has the best visual performance in the industry.
- With regard to audio/video quality, the Shield Pro is unmatched.
- Support for Dolby Vision and HDR10.
- Fantastic game streaming
- Quick UHD content rendering
- Enticing new style.
- Built-in Google Assistant.
- It's frustrating that a controller isn't included.
- Not a USB-C.
- Large remote control buttons.
- Does not implement HDR for YouTube.
- It's unfortunate that the shield controller is offered separately.
- No notable hardware advancements
Price and Availability
According to
On the other hand, the Nvidia Shield TV comes in two configurations, the popular cylindrical Nvidia Shield and the Nvidia Shield Pro, which has 1GB of additional RAM and a larger hard drive. The former is available for $149, while the latter costs $199. One should take that none of the configurations includes the Nvidia Shield controller. However, both units are compatible with DualShock4 and Xbox One controllers, as well as the new PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers.
Design & Build
Fire TV Stick – The Fire Stick is a flat rectangle with an HDMI extender that allows you to hang it from the TV. Installation of the Fire Stick 4K Max is pretty simple – plug it in, switch on your TV, and you’re ready to go. If you want a streaming stick that hides behind your TV seamlessly, then you should go for Fire TV Stick 4K, which is compact. In contrast to Nvidia Shield TV, Fire TV Stick 4K comes with a basic TV remote with an Alexa button and dedicated Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus buttons with no backlit.
Nvidia Shield TV – Previous Nvidia Shields look more like a mini-console than a TV. However on the other hand, Nvidia Shield TV is also compact, but you won’t be able to hide it behind your TV. It’s designed in a round shape. It has input and output ports on its sides. The power and ethernet ports are on one side, while the HDMI-out and reset buttons are on the other. These connectors are hidden behind a cutaway cove in the player, which protects the ends from injury if something falls behind your media center. The unique design element lies in the remote of the Nvidia Shield TV. It has a new triangular shape with backlit buttons. Also, it comes with a built-in Find my remote feature.
The Fire TV Stick 4K is a bit small in size than the NVIDIA SHIELD TV.
Specifications
In terms of hardware and specifications, both streaming sticks come with 8GB of memory & support 4K HDR10 resolution with Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos. Also, you can both of the sticks with your supported display with HDMI Connector. However, Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers dual-band Wifi 6 connectivity, significantly increasing internet speeds and offering a buffer-free viewing experience. With Fire TV Stick 4K Max, you get Alexa as your digital assistant, which can be helpful in many ways, and it offers a hands-free experience. By speaking into the bundled Alexa Voice Remote, you can easily access applications and search the web for more information like weather & sports scores. The device’s quad-core CPU enables fast and seamless content surfing. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max features 8GB of app storage.
However, on the hand, the Nvidia Shield TV comes with an NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor with a 256-core GPU & 3 GB RAM. On this streaming stick, you can also expand storage with the help of external storage like Expandable USB. It can also communicate with Network Addressable Storage (NAS) devices such as PCs, something Fire TV 4K Max doesn’t offer. Like Fire TV offers Alexa as a primary assistant, Nvidia Shield TV also offers Google Assistant for a hands-free experience. Nvidia Shield comes with 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 4.1/BLE.
Features
Key Features of Nvidia Shield TV
- AI upscaling
- Dolby Atmos & Dolby Vision Support
- Triangular Shape Remote
- GeForce Now App
AI upscaling is the most significant feature of Nvidia Shield, which cant be found on
Nvidia SHIELD TV and Fire TV Stick 4K can stream movies and TV shows. However, Nvidia Shield offers GeForce Now app, which lets you stream games from PC libraries like Steam, Epic Games, and Apple. Google Play services are also available on Nvidia Shield TVs and tablets.
Key Features of Amazon Fire TV 4K Max
- Built-in Alexa
- New UI
- Dolby Atmos & Dolby Vision Support
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max supports the
With the update of the new UI by
Performance & Content
If you already have an older streaming media player, the best reason to upgrade to an NVIDIA SHIELD TV or Fire TV Stick 4K is that they support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Both devices allow you to enjoy titles in 4K HDR, HDR10, and HDR10+ formats. However, the addition of Dolby Vision + Atmos provides a better cinematic experience.
The Fire TV app menu is as diverse as any other streaming platform. From the main menu, you can navigate to your favorite paid services, from Netflix and Now to Disney Plus and Apple TV. Also, free content lets you get all the popular UK shows like YouTube and IMDb TV.
However, you’ll be relying heavily on Netflix for Fire TV Stick 4K to take advantage of this fantastic picture & sound quality, as
The NVIDIA SHIELD TV is powered by Android TV, Google’s user-friendly streaming interface. It has a high-contrast look and a simple layout with neat categories. Shield TV has AI enhancements that allow you to get 4K quality from low-resolution video.
Does Nvidia Shield TV Support 4K?
It certainly does. The 2019 NVIDIA SHIELD TV can stream 4K HDR and Dolby Vision content. It also features an AI upscaling tool that can improve HD movies to 4K quality.
Which model of Nvidia Shield is best?
If you value expanded storage, utilizing your Shield TV as a Plex server, and NVIDIA’s gaming services, the Shield TV Pro is the best pick. It has greater connectivity possibilities and can be used as a SmartThings hub.
Conclusion
The Shield TV is the more powerful of the two, with expandable storage, Android TV over Fire TV, plus Google Assistant integration. However, if you’re a little low on your budget, you should spend your money on Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which offers quite the same features as Shield TV.
If you’re into gaming, Cloud gaming & streaming are two of the most important reasons to spend extra money on the NVIDIA SHIELD TV, which allows you to turn your TV into a full-fledged PC workstation in various ways. You’ll also be able to access additional Dolby Vision libraries on the NVIDIA SHIELD TV, and its excellent AI upscaling capability will allow you to improve older non-4K films. Its UI is sleeker and more neutral, and its remote settings button is functional while viewing films.
