Nvidia Shield TV Pro Price Jikes by $100 Due to AI
The 2019 Nvidia Shield TV Pro has received a major price hike, with Nvidia attributing the increase to rising component costs driven by the generative AI boom.
Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer
Component Costs and the AI Boom
The era of generative AI has upended technology supply chains, imposing an unwritten rule that any device relying on memory or storage is getting more expensive. Even hardware built with older technology is not immune to these shifts. Nvidia has announced that the Shield TV Pro is getting a $100 price increase, effective immediately.
A company spokesperson told Ars Technica that starting October 2, the Shield Pro will be priced at $299. The spokesperson cited substantially increased component costs, including memory, across the industry.
A Look Back at the Shield TV Lineup
The most recent version of the Shield streaming box originally debuted in 2019, featuring Android TV, AI upscaling, and hardware decoding for a wide range of media types. Although it uses an aging Tegra X1+ processor, the device remains quick for a TV media streamer. When it first launched, the Pro variant debuted at $199.99, while a non-Pro variant was offered at $149.99. The non-Pro model has since been discontinued.
Earlier this year, Andrew Bell framed the Shield as a passion project during discussions with Nvidia representatives, noting that the company still actively manufactures the device and sells every unit it produces. Without a stockpile of pre-AI hardware available to sell, newly manufactured Shield TV units face the same supply chain constraints affecting modern smartphones and computers.
Broader Hardware Price Trends
Nvidia plays a central role in the AI market as a key provider of AI hyperscaling infrastructure and market-leading GPUs. The surging demand for AI accelerators has driven up component expenses industry-wide. Consequently, many tech products are launching at higher prices or becoming more expensive over time.
Game consoles have faced similar economic pressures across multiple brands. Companies like Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony have all increased the prices of their current-generation hardware. For example, the PS5 Pro saw its price climb from $699.99 at its 2024 launch to $899.99.
Availability and Market Impact
Stock for the Shield TV Pro had been limited for several months, likely due to the rising costs of manufacturing new units amid soaring component prices. At the new $300 price point, Nvidia may find it more viable to manufacture additional devices. However, the higher cost makes an already niche set-top box less attractive to casual users looking primarily to stream media services like Netflix.
For consumers who do not require the Shield's extensive codec support or Plex server capabilities, alternative lower-cost streaming devices may be a more practical choice. While the Shield remains out of stock on Nvidia’s store, buyers can find it listed at the new price through Best Buy.
Sources
- Ars TechnicaThe 7-year-old Nvidia Shield TV is now $100 more expensive due to AI
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