New Nvidia Shield TV bundle drops the controller for a cheaper entry price

On the market for new streaming box to sit under you TV? A new Nvidia Shield TV bundle goes up for pre-order today, ditching an accessory for a slightly more affordable entry price point.

You can now order a 16GB Nvidia Shield TV streamer for £179 / $179, bundled in with just its mic-packing remote. It lets you jump into the Android TV eco-system, streaming 4K HDR movies from the likes of Netflix and Amazon Video, as well as catch-up service apps, and Google Play gaming apps.

However, for just an extra £10.99 / $20.99, the existing 16GB Shield TV bundle packs in Nvidia's solid gamepad controller too. It's also squeezing in a mic for voice control, and is great for playing app games, using Nvidia's Gamestream service to beam titles played on your PC to your Shield box, and its Netflix-for-games GeForce Now cloud gaming service.

Consider your options

The controller isn't essential – the Shield TV works nicely if you hook up other USB gamepads too, including a PS4 pad.

But considering the sold-separately price of the controller is £59.99/ $59.99, it's probably still worth coughing up for the pricier option. If you're on the market for the premium Shield TV experience, you can still get the 500GB box with control pad and remote for £279.99 / $299.99, too.

The Apple TV 4K may have stole the headline recently, and seems to be looking to eat into Nvidia's set-top box/console hybrid market with a renewed focus on gaming. But the Shield TV remains a device to contend with, thanks to its open approach to apps and file formats, and the range of gaming options it offers along with its suite of video apps.