Saturday 30 May 2015

Quick comparison: Shield Android TV vs. Nexus Player vs. Razer Forge TV

Quick comparison: Shield Android TV vs. Nexus Player vs. Razer Forge TV

The Android TV offerings are expanding, and we're taking a quick look at the three set top box options.

With the introduction of the Shield Android TV[1] from NVIDIA, the previously-available Nexus Player[2] and Razer Forge TV[3] have new competition. Each of these three boxes is making a play for a spot in your entertainment center, and covering a wide range of prices and feature sets, each one is offering up a different value proposition. Here's how each of the available Android TV boxes stack up.

Aligned nicely with the announcement of the new Shield Android TV at $199 (or $299 for extra storage), the Nexus Player has received a significant price drop to $79. Splitting the difference is the Forge TV, which costs $99 without any remote (you'll use your phone instead), or $149 with a game controller.

Category Shield Android TV Nexus Player Razer Forge TV
Processor Tegra X1 quad-core Intel Atom quad-core Snapdragon 805 quad-core
GPU 256-core Maxwell architecture PowerVR Series 6 Adreno 420
RAM 3GB 1GB 2GB
Storage 16GB / 500GB
microSD card
8GB 16GB
Remote/controller Controller included
$49 remote
$59 controllers
Basic remote included
$39 controller
None included (basic)
Controller included (bundle)
$79 controller
Video output 4K (UHD)
HDMI 2.0, HDMI-CEC
1080p 1080p
HDMI 1.4
Connectivity 802.11ac 2x2 (MIMO)
Gigabit ethernet
Bluetooth 4.1
Infrared port
802.11ac 2x2 (MIMO)
Bluetooth 4.1
802.11ac 2x2 (MIMO)
Gigabit ethernet
Bluetooth 4.1
USB ports 2x USB 3.0
Micro USB 2.0
Micro USB 2.0 USB 3.0
Surround sound Dolby 7.1 No No
Gaming Android titles
Grid game streaming
GameStream remote play
Android titles Android titles
Razer Cortex game streaming (soon)
Dimensions 130mm x 210mm x 25mm 120mm x 120mm x 20mm 105mm x 105mm x 17mm
Weight 654g 235g n/a
Pricing $199 / $299 $79 $99 / $149

The specs and features align well with the pricing, with the newest box — the Shield Android TV — having the point-by-point advantage in processor, memory and storage. The Forge TV with its Snapdragon 805 processor and 2GB of RAM matches up with flagship phones from earlier this year, while the Atom processor, just 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage on the Nexus Player bring up the bottom of the table.

When it comes to connectivity and features, all of the boxes feature the base level of 802.11ac Wifi, Bluetooth 4.1, and the ability to output 1080p video over HDMI. The Forge TV adds to that with a USB 3.0 port for external devices, and a gigabit ethernet jack for those who want it. Going yet another step up, the Shield Android TV has two USB 3.0 ports, an infrared port for remote control, HDMI 2.0 for 4K video output, and Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound output.

So which box is right for you? Well, only you can answer that question. The Shield Android TV checks pretty much every box you'd want, while the Nexus Player[4] is a surprisingly affordable option and the Forge TV[5] lies somewhere in the middle. Between these three Android TV boxes, there's something to be said for each one considering the specs, features and particularly price.

MORE: Discuss Shield Android TV | Discuss the Nexus Player[6][7]

References

  1. ^ Shield Android TV (www.androidcentral.com)
  2. ^ Nexus Player (www.androidcentral.com)
  3. ^ Razer Forge TV (www.androidcentral.com)
  4. ^ Nexus Player (store.google.com)
  5. ^ Forge TV (www.amazon.com)
  6. ^ Discuss Shield Android TV (forums.androidcentral.com)
  7. ^ Discuss the Nexus Player (forums.androidcentral.com)

Source : http://www.androidcentral.com/quick-comparison-shield-android-tv-vs-nexus-player-vs-razer-forge-tv
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