NVIDIA is a reputable company when it comes to powerful graphic cards and gaming accessories, and the NVIDIA SHIELD family is where you can see the company’s effort to create some great devices for playing high-graphic games.
The latest members of this family are an Android based tablet as well as a wireless controller which aim to make the family prouder than before.
The tablet is called the SHIELD Tablet and sports a Full HD 8-inch display, the powerful Tegra K1 processor and a 192-core GPU along with 2GB of RAM which makes the SHIELD tablet a perfect gaming device with extra power on the go.
First let’s review the SHIELD Tablet General Specifications:
- 221 x 126 x 9.2 mm, 390 g
- 8-inch 1920 x 1200, IPS LCD
- Tegra K1 at 2.2GHz, 192-core GPU
- 2GB of RAM, 16GB/32GB Internal Memory, Microsd SD card Support
- 5MP / 5MP Main and Front Cameras
- DirectStylus 2 with 3D Paint
- 19.75 Wh Lithium ion Battery
The SHIELD Tablet is an Android tablet which the main focus is on its gaming capabilities, but before getting to the gaming features and functionalities let’s discuss a little bit about the design and hardware features.
If you ignore the size difference, you may say the SHIELD Tablet is using the same design language as HTC One M8, as the overall design and form factor looks alike and the dual speakers are placed in the front panel. There is also a stylus which according to the NVIDIA is 2 times more responsive than its predecessor and thanks to the available native related applications and handwriting recognition feature you’ll enjoy drawing and creating event 3D paintings.
Both front and rear cameras equipped with a 5MP sensor and since the tablet features the Twitch gaming video service you are going to need the front camera so much.
The SHIELD Tablet will be available in 2 versions with 16GB of internal storage and 32GB which the latter supports 3G/LTE networks.
Under the hood, the impressing Tegra K1 processor with a 2.2Ghz quad-core CPU, a 192-core Kepler GPU, and 2GB of RAM are responsible to deliver a unique and high-quality gaming experience and we should admit they have managed to achieve their goal like a charm.
Speaking of a unique gaming experience, let’s see what the SHIELD Tablet offers to satisfy gamers with high expectations:
- PC Streaming feature enables you to stream from your computer or notebook, if the required specs are met.
- Lucky owner in N orthern California can use their SHIELD Tablet to stream PC games from the cloud and have access to a library of high-quality PC games.
- The Twitch feature gets you an instant access to NVIDIA gamers’ community to share your best moments with friends and others.
- And the last but not the least, is the option to stream from the SHIELD Tablet to another screen (I assume a big 1080p screen) thanks to the Console Mode.
If you are not excited enough about the SHIELD Tablet and thinking of a missing piece, well how about a wireless controller which uses the Wi-Fi Direct technology to reduce the power usage? The SHIELD wireless controller is now more optimized than its older version and is more ergonomic than ever which lets you play the games like a pro.
Now it’s time for the SHIELD Tablet Price and Availability. According to the NVIDIA’s official announcement the 16GB version costs you $299 but if you are looking for the 3G/LTE-enabled version with twice the storage the price increases to $399. The controller also retails at $59.
About the SHIELD Tablet availability, it is now available to pre-order and if nothing goes wrong it will be launched in the United States as well as Canada on July 29th.
Pre-Order SHIELD Tablet from Amazon
So, what do you think about the NVIDIA's SHIELD Tablet? Isn’t it great to have a fully functional Android tablet running Android 4.4.2 KitKat and on the other side having the most powerful tablet for gaming? We believe the SHIELD Tablet is complete worth trying.
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UPDATE
NVIDIA announced availability of the NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet with 32GB of storage and supporting LTE networks. The LTE-enabled tablet is priced at $399 and according to NVIDIA blog, the shipment starts in late September while the pre-order has already gone live.
Other than having twice storage as the Wi-FI SHIELD Tablet (and of course LTE connectivity), there isn't any other difference between the 2 models and you should see whether paying extra $100 is worth it or not?!
For those who are looking for more details about the tablet's compatibility with LTE networks and bands, according to Android Police "It's compatible with LTE Bands 2, 4, 5, 7, 17 and HSPA+ Bands 1, 2, 4, and 5 in North America, and LTE Bands 1, 3, 7, 20, and HSPA+ Bands 1, 2, 5, and 8 outside of North America."
