Nvidia has raised the price of its Shield TV Pro by $100, effective immediately. The device, which launched in 2019, now costs $299.99. The company says the increase is due to rising component costs driven by generative AI.
The Shield TV Pro runs Android TV with AI upscaling and hardware decoding for almost any type of media. It launched at $199.99, with a non-Pro variant at $149.99. The non-Pro model has since been discontinued.
The Price Hike
Nvidia has confirmed that the price change is tied to AI. “Starting October 2, SHIELD Pro will be priced at $299. The cost of components, including memory, has increased substantially across the industry,” a spokesperson told Ars.
The hike takes effect immediately. Customers who buy the Shield TV Pro now will pay the new price.
Why Components Cost More
The source points to a broader trend: if a device has memory or storage, it is getting more expensive. Generative AI has disrupted technology supply chains, and the cost of components has risen across the industry.
The Shield TV Pro uses an aging Tegra X1+ processor. That chip was fast for a TV media streamer when the device launched, and it remains fast. But the chip does not protect the device from rising prices.
Nvidia’s Position
Nvidia still manufactures the Shield. The company sells every unit it makes. There is no stockpile of pre-AI hardware to sell.
Andrew Bell, who spoke to the company earlier this year, framed the Shield as a passion project. But passion projects still have to pay the bills at Nvidia.
What This Means
The Shield TV Pro is a seven-year-old product. Its core hardware is old. Yet its price just went up $100.
This is a plain illustration of how the whole tech supply chain is getting more expensive. Memory and storage costs have risen substantially across the industry, and companies are passing those costs on to consumers.
The Numbers
- Launch price of the Shield TV Pro: $199.99
- Non-Pro variant price: $149.99
- Non-Pro variant discontinued
- Previous Pro price: $299.99
- New Pro price: $299.99
- Price increase: $100
- Effective date: October 2
The Verdict
The Shield TV Pro is a capable media streamer. It has held its own for years. The price increase is notable.
If Nvidia is raising prices on a seven-year-old product, the cost of components has risen substantially. The company is not building new Shield TVs with cheaper chips. It is selling every unit it makes, and the cost of components has risen substantially.
This is not a one-off. The ironclad rule in 2026 is that if it has memory or storage, it is getting more expensive. The Shield TV Pro is the latest example.
For now, the Shield TV Pro is more expensive. That is the plain truth of the matter.
Source material: “The 7-year-old Nvidia Shield TV is now $100 more expensive thanks to AI,” Ars Technica.
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