The Apple TV (2015 Edition) was recently announced and geared towards high-quality video streaming due to the device’s enhanced specification. There was some speculation regarding Apple’s future strategy to accommodate the core gaming market. Despite this, these rumours didn’t come to fruition as Apple only really catered to the casual demographic. On paper, the Apple TV 2015 is a huge technical boost from the last generation product but still pales in comparison to the highly-powerful NVIDIA Shield. To emphasize this fact, NVIDIA has unveiled a chart comparing the Shield to other leading media players:
As you see, the Shield features a quad-core 64-bit CPU, 3GB RAM and capable of outputting 4K Ultra HD video. In contrast to this, the latest Apple TV only features a dual-core CPU, 2GB RAM, and maximum resolution of 1920×1080. Additionally, the Shield allows you to stream games from your NVIDIA-powered PC, and access expansive worlds in games like Skyrim. According to the specification sheet, the majority of apps are already supported with Twitch, VUDU and others coming very soon.
In this case, it’s a bit unfair to compare it to the Apple TV considering it’s not even out yet. Additionally, the type of customer Apple is aiming to please isn’t really bothered by raw specifications. However, the chart clearly shows that the Shield is unmatched when it comes to graphically intensive games in such a small, Android-based form factor.
