Plain and simple there isn’t a better Android option than the shield yet. I have the 2017 pro. I put the projectivty launcher on it and haven’t looked back .

I converted an old laptop into a home theater PC. My friend bought spare components for cheap and built a desktop for the same purpose. Not for everyone, but a great solution for some use cases. And can potentially fill other roles, like being your jellyfin host.

While shopping I suggest you find a spreadsheet with the capabilities of every device you’re considering. A lot don’t support certain formats, which can limit the kind of files and content you can stream. Last I checked shield and the Google TV stick thing were trouncing the competition.

I have a 2015 Shield. Best device I’ve ever had, and haven’t ever had to factory reset it.

My main recommendation - in case it applies to you - is to not run any server software on it (eg. Plex). It’s a solid client device, but has never had what it takes to run server services.

I think it has plenty of life left in it, so a factory reset might be worthwhile. Also note that the drive in yours may be well past its best.

Which Shield device do you have?

You could get great improvements replacing the internal mechanical hard drive for a SSD.

Did it for mine, and the speed improvement is very noticeable. Specially when updating or rebooting the device.

I used this guide, and I’m still seeding the drive image torrent: https://xdaforums.com/t/nvidia-shield-tv-ssd-done.3402580/

Wouldn’t the Google TV Streamer be plenty for you? I think it’s quite a bit cheaper than the Shield too. However, you’re gonna be hard pressed to find a device more powerful than the Shield so if it’s sluggish there might be something wrong with it.