Shaving is never a good idea. A fine buzzcut looks better in every single case.
My dad grows out a NW5 donor with curly hair and it looks substantially better than nothing at all, takes at least a decade off and gives his head some structure, also avoiding the cancer patient look which he definitely has when he has buzzed it before. Depending on the your specific look,hair type, age, your body and the type of person you are growing out a NW4+ can still be a good option.
Really have to agree with the geek > freak notion of growing it out a bit. Generally a full buzz or shave is only better if you're young, visibly fit, tanned and have stubble to give the face a frame. Otherwise looking like a bit of a weirdo and making up for it in other regards is better than looking diseased and defeated.