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NVIDIA SHIELD combines cutting-edge components and technologies to provide incredible mobile performance and precision gameplay for serious gamers. From next-generation Android games to wirelessly streaming PC games, SHIELD is gaming The Way It's Meant to be Played.
PC Gaming Made Portable
Now, you can get the full GeForce GTX gaming experience when away from your PC. Just wirelessly connect SHIELD to your home PC to stream your favorite games with amazing graphics and immersive sound on a console-grade controller. Stream anywhere in your home Wi-Fi network, or even connect to your PC over the Internet to game on the go.
Android Gaming — The Way It's Meant to Be Played
Game with the screaming-fast graphics of the NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, a stunning 5-inch display, an integrated game controller, booming stereo sound, and support for hundreds of games! You can even run the most popular game emulators available on Google Play to relive your retro gaming days.
Movies, Music, and More
SHIELD puts amazing entertainment in the palm of your hands. Get lost in the hottest movies from Hulu Plus or Netflix. Listen to your favorite music with booming, bass-reflex audio. Explore Google Play for music, books, movies, TV shows, and apps anywhere you go. Even control an AR Drone — right from your SHIELD.
Features
A Blazing-Fast Mobile Processor
The NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor features a 72-core NVIDIA GeForce GPU and quad-core ARM A15 CPU for graphic-intensive Android games without compromising battery life.
Console-Grade Game Controller
NVIDIA SHIELD is the perfect mobile game controller, ergonomically designed for maximum comfort, whether you're playing Android games or streaming PC games on the go.
HD Multi-Touch LCD
A vibrant 5-inch LCD tablet display makes text, colors, and images look sharp at every angle in all your favorite apps, games, and movies.
High-Fidelity Speakers Engineered to Immerse You
SHIELD takes mobile sound farther with a unique bass-reflex, tuned-port system designed for enthusiasts who crave high-fidelity audio when playing games, movies, and music.
Expanded Connectivity
Stay connected with 802.11n 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi for fast PC game streaming, as well as a Mini-HDMI port, Bluetooth 4.0, Micro-USB 2.0, 3.5 mm audio jack. Plus, free up your SHIELD memory by moving your app and game files to an external microSD card.
Android KitKat OS
SHIELD comes with full support for the latest KitKat operating system from Google for easy access to all your favorite Android games and applications.
NVIDIA GameStream
NVIDIA GameStream lets you stream games from your GeForce GTX-based PC and play them on SHIELD's integrated console-grade controller with ultra-low latency.
Gamepad Mapper
Gamepad mapper allows you to add gamepad support to native touch Android games, so you can play thousands of games using SHIELD console-grade controller. Use NVIDIA's default game profiles, or create your own.
Console Mode
Transform your NVIDIA SHIELD into a full living room gaming and entertainment experience on your big-screen TV. Sync a Bluetooth controller and play your Android and PC games in HD.
NVIDIA TegraZone
Get anytime access to your personal library of Android and PC games, search for the hottest SHIELD- optimized games, and stay current with the latest SHIELD news.
4K Ultra-HD Ready
Play your favorite movie files like FLV, MKV, and even 4K media on next-gen 4K TVs.
Grid Cloud Gaming Beta
For a limited time, stream PC games for free from the cloud to your SHIELD.
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
You may have read other reviews about the Nvidia Shield before making it here to mine. What you'll see other reviewer's saying is that the Nvidia Shield is a nitch item. I'd have to agree with this claim. Its primarily a device to play your PC games on, and you have to own a lot of high-end hardware to use it properly. Let's talk about the requirements and about how it performs outside of the requirements.
So the Shield requires a modern gaming PC with at least a GTX 650 Video Card. If you have a lower 6 series or a 5/4 series, this will not work for you. And even if you have the bare minimum GTX 650, keep in mind that this card is not powerful enough to run many modern games on maxed out settings. So this will have an impact on how things look on the Shield (from a quality perspective). I am personally using a 4 GB GDDR5 GTX 680 in my rig, so keep in mind that what I'm saying is based on my experiences with that card. So having a very powerful PC is one half of the Shield equation. The other half is having a very high-end robust network. Nvidia recommends that you use a dual-band router capable of 5 Ghz. They also have a list of routers that are directly supported for PC Game Streaming (of which the Apple Airport Express 2nd Gen is the cheapest). I have personally tested the shield on several routers. It is possible to stream your PC games over a 2.4 Ghz frequency. However, there are a lot of considerations that will impact that sort of performance. If you live out in the middle of nowhere with no other nearby networks and paper-thin walls, then 2.4 Ghz may be enough for you. For me, I experienced about a 30 foot radius from my router where 2.4 Ghz was doable. Going farther way than that disconnected my session. I also get a noticeable amount of artifacting on the Shield's screen when streaming over 2.4 Ghz.
So the short answer is that it may be possible to use the Shield for PC gaming without a 5 Ghz router. Just realize that you'll be taking a risk if you buy it without the right kind of network to back it up. For me performance over 5 Ghz has been flawless. I'm using a Western Digital My Net N900 Router and I haven't had a single issue (other than range). 5 Ghz has a much lower range compared to 2.4 Ghz, so keep in mind that you may have to install repeaters or access points in your house to maintain game-level performance in all areas of the house.
So as far as PC Streaming goes, the question will be whether it is worth it. There is also not a direct answer to this. There are some unofficial things that you can do with the Shield such as connecting it to a VPN for gaming outside of your network. Nvidia is also working on adding functionality to play any PC game on the Shield. Right now the Shield only supports games that have included controller support. They will be adding the option to use programs like Xpadder or Pinnacle Game Profiler so that you can setup any game to work on the Shield's controller. So depending on your existing game library or your budget for buying games, this may be a serious thing to think about (The Shield's only good if you can play your favorite stuff on it, right?). When you do have the correct equipment, playing PC games on the Shield is amazing! I love having the ability to take my PC gaming to any room of the house (we just converted our garage to a lounge for my wife, and now I can sit there and play games with her). The controls feel solid, the sound is amazing, and the built-in microphone allows you to chat with people while you play. So if you're someone that already has the computer hardware and network to use the Shield, this may be an easier question to answer. However, if your computer is not up to spec, or if your network is not fast enough, then this becomes a deeper question. It takes a considerable investment to have the hardware to play PC games on the Shield. You'll have to REALLY want to play games on the Shield to spend the average $750 that it costs to get a computer and network upgraded to use it. For me it was definitely worth it, but I already had the computer and network to use the Shield, so my only cost was the $299 that the Shield goes for. I also already have 60+ games in my Steam Library that have built-in controller support. That's a pretty good launch list of titles.
So with the PC part clarified, let's talk about the other stuff that the Shield can do. One of the big things right off the bat is the ability to play emulators on it. I've personally played N64, PSX, SNES, NES, GBA, and Genesis on mine. This has been a really awesome experience. One cool thing that you may not know about the Shield is that the micro-usb port on the back can do a lot of stuff. I plugged in a micro-to-usb adapter and then connected a 4-port usb hub. I have 2 PS3 controllers, a wireless 360 controller, and a USB SNES gamepad all plugged in at the same time. And yes, they all show up as separate controllers for split screen gaming. And I finish this off by plugging my Shield via mini-HDMI to HDMI to my TV. It's like playing the original consoles, but better! Everything is very smooth and the graphics look great on the big screen. You can map the controls individually to each controller. So that's pretty awesome.
The third side of the Shield is the Android part. For me, this is probably the most disappointing side of the Shield. It's not that the Shield doesn't have the power to play any Android game out there, its that hardly anything supports the Shield's controller. There are a select group of "enhanced" titles in the Shield store, but many core titles are not available. One big thing that is missing is support for the majority of Gameloft's games. Certain titles sort of work like Modern Combat 4 and NOVA 3, but not all controls work. The only Gameloft title to date that works flawlessly with the Shield's controller is Asphalt 8. So Android gaming tends to be a bit underwhelming. Hopefully this will be something that gets dramatically better as developers become more aware of the Shield, but as of now there isn't much there for it.
So as a standalone device, the only really good thing about the Shield is emulators. There are several people on the Nvidia forums that bought it strictly as an emulator device. If you're looking at it as the next big Android platform, that's not happening as of yet.
Anyway, hopefully that gives you a bit of information to go off of. Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have about the Shield. I'll do my best to answer them for you.
[UPDATE 03/2014]
The Nvidia Shield continues to impress me, and I wanted to update my review with some information on new features that have been added since launch. Android gaming is still the most limiting factor for the Shield, but it has gotten dramatically better. The Android Library for the Shield now contains a respectable number of titles. Mount & Blade Warband was also just released as a Nvidia Shield exclusive. In addition to these titles, Nvidia has also added a Game Mapper feature that allows you to map your own physical controls to touchscreen games that don't support the controller natively. This means that you can potentially play any Shield-compatible Android game with your Shield controller.
The ability to officially map the controls of PC games is still potentially in the works. As of right now it hasn't been released, but a work-around has been developed by the community in the Nvidia forums. The community also developed a Shield Proxy App that makes remote gaming a lot easier to setup. So as of right now, it is unofficially possible to take your Shield with you and play your PC games when you're on other networks. Nvidia also added a special Console-Mode that allows you to connect your Shield to your TV, close the lid, and play in full 1080p. You have to purchase an ethernet adapter to use this feature, but it works flawlessly and is one of the better experiences on the Shield.
The community has also figured out how to stream Xbox 360 and PS3 to the Shield by using a Capture Card and a CronusMax USB Adapter. This is also a very unofficial feature, but works very very well. The Shield is one of the most diverse gaming devices that I have ever used and is still an item that I use on a daily basis.Read more ›
I bought my shield at launch for the PC streaming, as my gaming PC is on the television in the living room and I was tired of waiting until the kids were in bed to play my games. Since then it has taken on a much more central role in my entertainment choices and uses.
The speakers are loud enough to hear in the shower from outside of it easily. Combined with the way the controller is a stand for the screen that stays put perfectly, I often have it propped up watching television from my slingbox or streaming hulu. The battery is heroic and it keeps a stable wifi connection from far away on 5 GHz better than my Note 2 keeps it on 2.4 GHz.
The controller itself is outstanding for playing PC games. When you are streaming games the video still goes to the monitor as well, but the sound only comes from the Shield. I wish this weren't the case, as the controller is great and I would happily use it even when I don't need the streaming.
Android games play outstanding. With the latest OS update the mappings for games that don't support the controller have a mapping for both the accelerometers and best of all you can map a joystick as "FPS look" - even games that don't support anything at all like Dead Space work perfectly.
Plug in the (strangely not MHL and mini instead of micro) HDMI cable and it will ask if you want to enable console mode. If you don't, the screen shows on both screens at once. If you do the Shield switches to 1080p output. Game performance doesn't drop a hair - it is pretty impressive all told. You can then close the lid and use a bluetooth gamepad to control everything . At this point you will have spent an awful lot to have an android console, but I use it to play my PC games from downstairs in my bedroom and it works nearly flawlessly - sometimes game streaming doesn't work and you'll need to reboot the PC or Shield or both.
All told I am happier with this than I expected to be. I use it all the time.Read more ›
4.5/5 and worth its purchase price all day long. The RETAIL purchase price, not the inflated price asked by these resellers.
The Shield is an emulation powerhouse and is the best device on the market today for playing classic games either on the go or connected to a TV. Pandora and the Xperia Play deserve honorable mention and the XP fills its niche as a much smaller device.
Build quality is apparently excellent and the unit is very solid. I don't love the small size of the screen relative to the bezel size, it looks a bit silly and is wasted real estate. I can't help but envy the Archos Gamepad and Wikipad for the larger screens on some level, even if they are using inferior hardware. The unit is also heavy but manageable at roughly 20 ounces, which is up is about twice a PS Vita or 3 times more than an Xperia Play. The speakers are very loud and reasonably clear, but I find it lacks low end. There is also no physical menu button which is a huge problem for some programs, like making it impossible to save in ScummVM. I also find the R1 and L1 buttons to be uncomfortably small. But I'm nitpicking; the Shield is a very cool device for anyone and a marvelous device for emulation enthusiasts. This must trump the Pandora as the ultimate handheld emulation console. If you love Retroarch on your phone then you'll love it even more on the Shield.
I haven't been able to test PC streaming because I have an ATI card in my gaming rig, but the reports are positive and improvements in the beat streaming program are forthcoming.
Pros: high build quality High quality screen with excellent viewing angles Emulation powerhouse. Get Retroarch and a few other emulators and you're good to go. Strong hinge Really nice analogs Controls are comfortable but not PS3/Xbox360 comfortable. 8/10 I'd say. Everything's a compromise. Fair price for the hardware Just about the most powerful Android device you can buy today Stock Android Jellybean unencumbered by bloatware. Thanks Nvidia. Speakers are very loud and surprisingly clear but lack a satisfying low end for all their volume. Can pass for a boom box in a pinch. Battery life so far seems very good.
Cons: Styling is not for me. Alienware-alike. The stock grey "shield" insert is very gaudy to me, it should of been matte black. Or even just have a Nvidia logo on it. It just looks bizarre, plain and out of place. Only 780p video output through the HDMI, this will supposedly be upgraded through firmware in the future. Still.. L1 and R1 buttons are lousy, being too small and too awkward to access. Ugh. Button travel on the ABXY buttons is excessive imo. Heavy No menu button Screen could and should be larger. Bezel is huge for a modern device. For something this bulky, which will never fit in a normal pocket, it seems like you may as well have a 7 inch screen. 5 inches is lacking. Uses the less popular and less affordable mini HDMI for no reason, instead of the better micro HDMI that all phones use Non user replaceable batteries. Packaging is needlessly flashy and probably expensive. In a day of asinine unboxing videos I guess it matters, but I'd rather of had an included mini HDMI cable for that expense.
Nvidia is a good company. I learned that they recently gave several Shields to the open-source Libretro project, and that earned them alot of my respect.
Some will compare this to the Vita or 3DS and call it expensive. Consider that the Vita outdoes the 3DS spec wise, while the shield is 4 times faster than the Vita IIRC and has 4 times the ram with a better screen and most importantly it runs ANDROID, an OPEN operating system. It's your device, not Sony's or Nintendo's. You decide what goes on it and what it can do. You do not lived in a walled garden. I would never, ever buy a 3DS or PS Vita while the Sony Xperia Play is only about $50 used and the amazing new Shield is so reasonable.
Buy buy buy. Totally awesome pice of kit.
I look forward to an updated model with a larger screen, light weight, and maybe a menu button for legacy software and forcing the keyboard to come up, a function I deeply miss.