Nvidia Raises Shield TV Pro Price by $100, Blaming Higher AI-Driven Memory Costs

The generative AI boom is reshaping the technology supply chain—and even older devices are becoming more expensive. Nvidia has announced a $100 price increase for the Shield TV Pro, bringing the Android TV streaming device’s price to $299.99.

Nvidia Shield TV Pro Now Costs $299.99

The latest Shield streaming box debuted in 2019. It runs Android TV and features AI upscaling and hardware decoding for almost all types of media. Although it uses the older Tegra X1+ processor, the chip remains fast for a TV media streamer.

The Shield TV Pro originally launched at $199.99, while the non-Pro version cost $149.99. Nvidia has since discontinued the non-Pro Shield TV, leaving the Shield TV Pro as the remaining model at its new $299.99 price.

Nvidia Blames Higher Component Costs

Nvidia says AI-related demand is contributing to the higher price of Shield TVs. “Starting October 2nd, SHIELD Pro will be priced at $299. The cost of components, including memory, has increased significantly across the industry,” a spokesperson told Ars.

The price increase reflects broader supply chain pressure affecting memory and storage components. That pressure is also affecting newer smartphones, computers, and other devices, despite the Shield TV Pro being based on technology introduced years ago.

Shield TV Pro Remains an Active Nvidia Product

When I spoke to Nvidia’s Andrew Bell earlier this year, he described Shield as a passion project. However, even passion projects still have to pay the bills at Nvidia.

In that interview, Bell explained that Nvidia continues to manufacture the Shield and sells every unit it makes. Without pre-AI hardware inventory available to sell, new Shield TV units are subject to the same supply chain constraints affecting today’s smartphones and computers.