Nvidia’s Shield TV Pro just got a $100 price hike. The seven-year-old streaming box has been hit by the memory shortage that has pushed up prices across digital cameras, game consoles and everything in between. The Pro model launched nearly seven years ago with an upgraded Tegra X1+ processor, 3GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, selling for $199.99. Starting on October 2nd, Nvidia raised that price by $100 to $299.99, according to Ars Technica.
The Pro Model’s Launch
The Pro model was first announced in 2019. At the time, Nvidia also debuted an updated entry-level version of the Shield TV, carrying the same Tegra X1+ processor but with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, priced at $149.99. That cheaper option looked like a sensible alternative to the Pro model for buyers who did not need the extra RAM.
Production Stopped
That cheaper option is no longer available. Nvidia has stopped production of the standard Shield TV model entirely, according to Gizmodo. Moving forward, the company is focusing its efforts on only manufacturing the Pro option.
What Drove The Price Up
High demand for Nvidia’s other hardware — its GPUs and AI chips — has been a major driver of the dramatic price increases of components and devices over the past few years. The company’s own high-end chip demand has pushed up the cost of the parts that go into consumer devices like the Shield TV.
The Competitor Problem
The price hike comes at a moment when competing streaming boxes are much cheaper. The $149 Google TV Streamer remains a cheaper option, even after recent price hikes of its own. That comparison puts Nvidia’s move in a difficult light: the Pro model now costs $299.99, while a rival device sits below $150.
What This Means For Buyers
The immediate effect is simple: anyone buying a Shield TV Pro now pays $100 more than they would have before October 2nd. The longer-term question is whether Nvidia can justify the price on performance. The Pro model’s specs have not changed since launch — the same Tegra X1+ processor, the same 3GB of RAM, the same 16GB of storage — meaning the entire increase is tied to component costs rather than new features.
The AI Race Context
The price increase may reduce demand for the Shield TV Pro, especially given the cheaper Google TV Streamer. But it will not affect Nvidia’s value as the company continues to dominate the AI race.
The RAMpocalypse Continues
The Shield TV Pro is the latest in a long line of products affected by the memory shortage. Prices have increased dramatically across the board, from cameras to consoles, and now streaming boxes. Nvidia’s move follows the same logic: when parts cost more, the final price goes up.
The Cheaper Option Vanished
Nvidia’s decision to stop making the standard Shield TV model leaves only the Pro option on the shelf. The cheaper $149.99 variant is no longer an option for buyers who want a less expensive alternative.
The $100 increase is a direct response to rising component costs, driven in part by demand for Nvidia’s GPUs and AI chips. Whether buyers accept it depends on how much they want the Shield TV Pro’s features. The cheaper standard model is gone, and the Pro model is the only option left.
| Device | Price | RAM | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shield TV Pro (original) | $199.99 | 3GB | 16GB |
| Shield TV Pro (new) | $299.99 | 3GB | 16GB |
| Google TV Streamer | $149 | — | — |
The comparison is stark. The Pro model now costs $299.99, a jump that leaves it far above the Google TV Streamer. For buyers who want the Nvidia name and the Tegra X1+ processor, the price is what it is. For everyone else, the cheaper option simply vanished.
Source material: “Nvidia’s Shield TV Pro just got a $100 price hike,” The Verge.
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