Nvidia Officially Unveils the Shield Tablet and Shield Controller

[Guest]

The Shield Tablet advances both mobile media consumption and gaming by combining the best features of the Tegra Note 7 and Shield handheld gaming device into a compelling mini tablet and wireless controller.


Nvidia Officially Unveils the Shield Tablet and Shield Controller : Read more

 

[TechyInAZ]

Cool! What a great tablet for not just gaming, but it can also be a great productivity powerhouse.

 

[DarkSable]

... seriously Tom's?

Websites have been proclaiming the end of the world as we know it (or at least of desktop computers) for years now, and it's all just built on itself. The reason desktop sales have declined marginally is because most home users already have a desktop fast enough for their needs, and only need to replace it when it breaks.

The other reason is that people have leapt headfirst into the pile of hype that surrounds tablets, which means they're going to see great growth... right until they hit market saturation.

 

[InvalidError]

Finally something new and noteworthy in the sub-$300 tablet segment.

 

[InvalidError]

The other reason is that people have leapt headfirst into the pile of hype that surrounds tablets, which means they're going to see great growth... right until they hit market saturation.

Tablet sales have already started to slow down; probably in large part due to tablet specs having remained mostly stagnant for much of the past two years. I hoped the N7-2013 would start a flood of decent ~$200 devices but it seems most of the sub-$300 segment just continued filling up with devices having specs closer to the N7-2012 instead.

PCs on the other hand are getting bumper sales on the back of companies being forced off XP.

 

[hahmed330]

I have to correct one thing Matt... You can use Nvidia Grid Streaming from anywhere, but obviously you need latency of less then 40ms and 10mbit download speed for a great experience. I am seriously looking forward for the whole review though. Direct Stylus 2 looks really interesting. Hopefully Remote Gamestream has come out of beta.

 

[TheMentalist]

People always open their mouth saying the shield is worthless. It's the best hardware you get for the money!

 

[DarkSable]

Guys, read what I was saying.

Never did I say that the Shield, or the shield tablet, was worthless - I think they're great pieces of tech.

I was annoyed with Tom's Hardware for perpetuating the absolutely faulty myth, which has been around for at least five years now, that desktop computers are "on their way out" and that we should all give up and buy mobile devices.

I have a 3ds and a nexus 5, both of which I like to game on... but that doesn't mean I'm giving up my gaming computer, or that gaming computers aren't going to exist in a few years.

 

[kamhagh]

That Price is amazing!!!! Also i agree with darkdable,,

Phones will NEVER replace pc, well at least not for next 80 years! And touch is the worst kind of input, specially for gaming, but its portable and good! Ita good to play awesome games outside and bring it with you, but still, its not pc!!! Pc is amazing, mouse and keyboard, huge screen,

 

[InvalidError]

I was annoyed with Tom's Hardware for perpetuating the absolutely faulty myth, which has been around for at least five years now, that desktop computers are "on their way out" and that we should all give up and buy mobile devices.

Well, Intel is putting more effort in their laptop/mobile/embedded R&D and still pushing power-efficiency across the board, Nvidia adopted a mobile-first design mentality, AMD is moving to a heavily if not exclusively APU-centric device lineup, etc.

They might not be dropping desktops overnight but they are all moving in the same general direction: towards a future of mostly low-power if not mobile/embedded systems.

XP maintaining a ~30% market share until Microsoft dropped public support for it is living proof that many people and applications do not need anywhere near as much processing power as today's entry-level systems provide. Intel's Q2 report says ASPs have dropped by 3%, meaning that a fair chunk of Intel's end-of-XP bumper sales are for lower-end/lower-cost chips. This is not going to get better.

 

[airborne11b]

I love this new design. It's a mobile gaming powerhouse and if you combine it with a controller that attaches to the device itself, you get one hell of a mobile gaming device with a huge screen that also doubles as a really powerful android tablet.

PC streaming, GRID, Console Mode, Tegra K1 fueled android gaming, Direct2 Stylus, full android OS backed by serious processing power.

All for $299. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

I also sent an email asking when the STG-ONE tablet-attachable controller will be released. I'll reply back here if I get a response.

 

[klyze]

I could not care less for game streaming or even the controller, and i have a powerfull pc, but this, as an android tablet its insanely powerfull for the price, and with a ton of extras like twitch streaming, great front cam, stylus, draw a and write tech, and ofc the Tegra K1.

I think ill buy one to read manga and general use, the extra power is always welcome ^^

 

[TheMentalist]

Guys, read what I was saying.

Never did I say that the Shield, or the shield tablet, was worthless - I think they're great pieces of tech.

I was annoyed with Tom's Hardware for perpetuating the absolutely faulty myth, which has been around for at least five years now, that desktop computers are "on their way out" and that we should all give up and buy mobile devices.

I have a 3ds and a nexus 5, both of which I like to game on... but that doesn't mean I'm giving up my gaming computer, or that gaming computers aren't going to exist in a few years.

I agree with this.

 

[matt64]

I was annoyed with Tom's Hardware for perpetuating the absolutely faulty myth, which has been around for at least five years now, that desktop computers are "on their way out" and that we should all give up and buy mobile devices.

All I stated in this article is that PC sales have declined in recent years. I didn't claim, or mean to imply, that PCs are "on their way out", which I certainly don't believe. Desktop PCs will be around for a long time, but they have to accept the fact that we have other devices we want to spend time with too.

Mobile devices aren't going to replace PCs for those of us who enjoy PC gaming, but they can be complimentary. Nvidia's GameStream feature, for example.

- Matt

 

[tryingmybest]

Nintendo needs to release a new portable machine fast.

 

[larsoncc]

How does this compare / benchmark against Intel's HD graphics, specifically their low power versions, like in the Bay Trail processors, or the tablet-based i5-4210Y (HD 4200) or the Surface's graphics in the i5 4300U?

Are we actually getting to the point where they're compatible to each other? Would this tablet be better served with a Windows OS (supplanting the need for GameStream entirely) or with a Linux OS (same reason, because of direct Steam support, but thinking of licensing costs here).

 

[ferooxidan]

Sigh.. nvidia really know how to charge their customer more money. Separating the screen and the gamepad, into a tablet and wireless gamepad then sell it separately. I mean what's the use of having a overpowered tablet just to play Android games? Or playing optimized game on touchscreen or streaming pc game from touchscreen? The experience will be less enjoyable playing on touchscreen than with gamepad (imagine if your favorite pc game IS an fps lol). Wasn't the Shield was suppose to be a device that let's you game/stream pc game anywhere? Now, even after you buy the gamepad, you still need to adjust/position/put the damn tablet somewhere so you can use it as a screen to game on, that means limiting the way you can play/stream pc game compared to previous model (the portable one). If they provide me the ability to game/stream pc game from anywhere in the world (via internet as done by Tom's), I want to do it literally anywhere and anyway I can, be it sitting, leaning, laying down, walking, etc etc. This new form factor destroy that freedom completely and the wifi only models makes playing from anywhere in the world limited into just your home network wifi or any place that has wifi. Remember the joke on original Shield? "Now I can play pc game while taking a dump on bathroom (or something similar)" No, duh! You have to put the tablet first so that you can use it as a screen then play or bear the awkward experience to play on touchscreen; that also limiting people with small bathroom with no place to position the tablet. The point is, it will be limited to your surrounding to achieve comfortableness or bear with touchscreen or just playing android games, meanwhile you can do it more freely with the previous generation. I still think it's better to upgrade the previous gen Shield with today spec. You can argue tablet increase productivity, but it is a gaming product, intended for gaming, and only so much productivity you can do on Android tablet compared to a Windows tablet. Razer Edge looks attractive right now in terms of portable gaming tablet and productivity combined.

 

[matt64]

I was annoyed with Tom's Hardware for perpetuating the absolutely faulty myth, which has been around for at least five years now, that desktop computers are "on their way out" and that we should all give up and buy mobile devices.

All I stated in this article is that PC sales have declined in recent years. I didn't claim, or mean to imply, that PCs are "on their way out", which I certainly don't believe. Desktop PCs will be around for a long time, but they have to accept the fact that we have other devices we want to spend time with too.

Mobile devices aren't going to replace PCs for those of us who enjoy PC gaming, but they can be complimentary. Nvidia's GameStream feature, for example.

- Matt

 

[matt64]

Sorry for the double post. It's a browser refresh thing

- Matt

 

[Luis XFX]

Ordering time now.

 

[Gelid03]

I'd love to get one of these to replace my 1st gen nexus 7

 

[Luis XFX]

Sigh.. nvidia really know how to charge their customer more money. Separating the screen and the gamepad, into a tablet and wireless gamepad then sell it separately. I mean what's the use of having a overpowered tablet just to play Android games? Or playing optimized game on touchscreen or streaming pc game from touchscreen? The experience will be less enjoyable playing on touchscreen than with gamepad (imagine if your favorite pc game IS an fps lol). Wasn't the Shield was suppose to be a device that let's you game/stream pc game anywhere? Now, even after you buy the gamepad, you still need to adjust/position/put the damn tablet somewhere so you can use it as a screen to game on, that means limiting the way you can play/stream pc game compared to previous model (the portable one). If they provide me the ability to game/stream pc game from anywhere in the world (via internet as done by Tom's), I want to do it literally anywhere and anyway I can, be it sitting, leaning, laying down, walking, etc etc. This new form factor destroy that freedom completely and the wifi only models makes playing from anywhere in the world limited into just your home network wifi or any place that has wifi. Remember the joke on original Shield? "Now I can play pc game while taking a dump on bathroom (or something similar)" No, duh! You have to put the tablet first so that you can use it as a screen then play or bear the awkward experience to play on touchscreen; that also limiting people with small bathroom with no place to position the tablet. The point is, it will be limited to your surrounding to achieve comfortableness or bear with touchscreen or just playing android games, meanwhile you can do it more freely with the previous generation. I still think it's better to upgrade the previous gen Shield with today spec. You can argue tablet increase productivity, but it is a gaming product, intended for gaming, and only so much productivity you can do on Android tablet compared to a Windows tablet. Razer Edge looks attractive right now in terms of portable gaming tablet and productivity combined.

Isn't that what Onlive does already? I can play onlive on my phone, so what's keeping you from joining Onlive?

 

[InvalidError]

How does this compare / benchmark against Intel's HD graphics, specifically their low power versions, like in the Bay Trail processors, or the tablet-based i5-4210Y (HD 4200) or the Surface's graphics in the i5 4300U?

BayTrail is still using HD4xxx graphics which is simply no good. Intel's next-gen SoCs (Merrifield/Moorefield) starting to get into launch devices now are based on PowerVR, which might not be that much better. The next generation after that will use HD5xxx, which is probably where Intel's mobile chips will start catching up with K1; albeit the better part of a whole year late so it remains to be seen if it will still seem remotely competitive next to the K2 or whatever Nvidia ends up naming the next one.

 

[larsoncc]

How does this compare / benchmark against Intel's HD graphics, specifically their low power versions, like in the Bay Trail processors, or the tablet-based i5-4210Y (HD 4200) or the Surface's graphics in the i5 4300U?

Are we actually getting to the point where they're compatible to each other? Would this tablet be better served with a Windows OS (supplanting the need for GameStream entirely) or with a Linux OS (same reason, because of direct Steam support, but thinking of licensing costs here).

So, I did a little research - Intel's IGP on the Surface 2 is faster, with an ice storm score (3DMark) of about 33K, whereas the K1 has about 25K. The Tegra K1 chipset is equivalent some i5 tablets sporting the 4210Y variant of the processor (Dell Venue series, Sony VAIO series, HP Pavillion tablet), the scores seem to line up within ~500 points. It's way faster than the Bay Trail variant of the HD graphics - 15K versus 25K.

At the price point, it seems to be really compelling. But again, you're stuck with Android games. If you want a real Steam game experience on the go, you'll need to go Windows (because there aren't many commercially avail Linux variants).

In case you're wondering - that performance level is enough for many PC games if you're running Windows. With something like BlueStacks, you don't give up your Android apps, either (don't know how the performance is though).

I think that we're going to see some convergence here - more traditional games coming to Android, more game engines being built to be completely flexible about GPU/CPU hardware (low end and high), and fewer barriers to gamers. Interesting times.

 

[InvalidError]

I'd love to get one of these to replace my 1st gen nexus 7

I was thinking the same... my N7v1's WiFi is starting to die on me on a nearly daily basis, which almost makes me feel like chucking it out the window some days. I had a thoroughly sub-par experience with my three attempts at owning a N7v2 so I think I'm through with Nexus-branded tablets.