Is the NVIDIA Shield Portable worth 200$ right now?

[poptart999]

Hi, I'm typing this from my phone so please excuse grammar. So I was waiting for the new nvidia shield and now it's a tablet. I like the original form better and I am considering buying it. But there are rumors that a new one more like the original is coming and I don't want to buy the old one right before that. So does anyone have any guesses of when it is coming out? Thanks

 

[ubercake]

It works really pretty well, but I personally can't get used to gaming on the smaller screen. I played Skyrim for a couple of days on it, but really yearned for a bigger screen while playing, especially during intense sequences.

It works better than most android devices because of the processor. Most Steam games are ready to play over the game streaming from the PC. Pretty much any game that maps to a 360 controller maps automatically with the controls on this unit.

There's also a console mode by which you can hook this to a TV and play in 1080p with a wireless keyboard and mouse connected. I have not tried this yet, but I do know when you plug in the wireless receiver, you can't power the device at the same time.

It does what Nvidia says it does. It's just not really for me. The larger screen of the new Shield would be great if you didn't have a separate piece of hardware in the joystick. Too bad they couldn't integrate both.

If you don't mind a smaller screen, the Shield portable works great.

 

[Victor Johnson]

The Tegra K1 is a lot more powerful than the Tegra 4.
Therefore:
Tablet > Portable

 

[poptart999]

The Tegra K1 is a lot more powerful than the Tegra 4.
Therefore:
Tablet > Portable

I know, I'm not a big fan of the tablet form factor for gaming, even with a controller. I'm gonna hold out for the shield portable 2.

 

[Spencer Doak]

I think Ubercake answered this the best, but here's my input.

I'm planning on buying the Nvidia SHIELD not necessarily as a gaming device, but as a super-powered android tablet. Based on the specs for the Nvidia SHIELD compared to most other flagship tablets, it seems like the SHIELD definitely holds it own and outshines most tablets for performance. With a state-of-the-art GPU, I would expect no less.

If you just use the SHIELD as a tablet, it packs a great GPU, a very good CPU, a compact design, expandable storage space, and more. The SHIELD also includes features which many other tablets lack such adjustable power saving settings, front facing speakers, a good built in heatsink, and a fine tuned stylus for drawing and writing.

The SHIELD does lack some features/qualities which I wish it had: a fingerprint scanner; waterproofing; shock resistant design; gorilla glass; and a USB 3.0 port. However, I can look past these issues because of the Nvidia SHIELD's pure power.

If you use it for gaming (like most people do), then you are going to be able to experience so many more features! The SHIELD's GPU truly does put most, if not all, tablets to shame. The gaming side of this tablet gives you access to great features including: playing in console mode on a TV; allowing up to 4 players to connect; playing intense games with high FPS and great graphics; streaming games from your PC to your SHIELD; and streaming directly to TwitchTV (if that's what you're into).

In conclusion, I think the SHIELD tablet is a great combination of a portable gaming device and an everyday tablet. The SHIELD Portable was a good first step, but it really does not allow users to use the device as an everyday tablet. With the connected controller, the SHIELD Portable is difficult to use for typing, and general navigation like you would do on a smartphone or tablet. With the SHIELD tablet, you get the look and feel of a regular tablet device, the performance of an overclocked gaming system, and the ability to use the tablet for both work and play. Coming in at only $200, I think the SHIELD is a steal compared to the other tablets out there on the market.