Yer the last few updates really upped techs power especially melee tech, considering that any shield HP is effectively doubled as a tech due to the -50% damage perk. Also the Custom Shock gear is only 2 point of damage less than the plasma hawk yet has a built in 25% chance to stun so yer.
EDIT: WARNING MATH AHEAD I did some quick calculation on the EHP of a melee shield tech shield if they were using the following gear. Prototype Shield, Custom Shock Gauntlets, Shock Bow, Modded Yellow Cloths and the Jetpack it came out to 972.97297297297297297297297297297 EHP. This is without factoring in the shield recharging when enemies miss, using the shield and energy recovery skill, consumables or the 1/4 recharge on break though I did factor in dodge though the calculation won't be perfect as dodge is all or nothing but this is a general average.
The full calculation I used was 200 (Proto Shield) + 20 (Shield Tweaks) + 80 (Shield Booster) + 60 (Yellow Modded Clothing) = 360 then 360/0.5 (Enhanced Dampeners which grants a 50% vulnerability reduction to damage absorbed by your shield generator, which I took to mean half damage) = 720 then 720/((((12+4+3+10-3)/100)-1)/-1) = 972.97297297297297297297297297297 so yer. BTW the highest EHP I could get the smuggler was 816.32653061224489795918367346939 with a dodge chance of 75.5% using the Proto Shield with the jumper shield it is 714.28571428571428571428571428571 with a 86% dodge chance if I am doing both calculations correctly