NVIDIA rolls out Shield tablet, wireless controller for gamers

Published July 23, 2014 6:41pm

Mobile gamers may want to save up for two new products from NVIDIA's Shield range the Shield tablet and the Shield wireless controller.

The Shield tablet is a high-performance gaming machine powered by the Tegra K1, which NVIDIA touts as the world's most advanced processor with 192 GPU cores.

Also, the tablet offers optional LTE a boost for online gamers on the go.

“If you’re a gamer and you use a tablet, the NVIDIA SHIELD tablet was created specifically for you,” said Jen-Hsun Huang, NVIDIA’s co-founder and chief executive officer.

NVIDIA said the tablet, which sports an 8-inch full HD display and front-facing speakers, will get regular, over-the-air software upgrades.

An optional cover serves as screen protector and a kick-stand to prop the tablet.

Meanwhile, NVIDIA also rolled out its sidekick wireless controller, which boasts of precision and ergonomics for serious gamers.

The Shield tablet claims several firsts for a tablet:

PC Streaming: First to stream games from a PC desktop or notebook using NVIDIA GameStream technology, which streams from NVIDIA GeForce GTXpowered GPUs.
NVIDIA GRID Cloud Streaming: Gamers can access the GRID cloud gaming beta, available exclusively to SHIELD owners in Northern California, to stream a library of high-quality PC games, and then save them in the cloud.
Twitch and NVIDIA ShadowPlay: ShadowPlay is an advanced game-capture tool that lets users save and stream their greatest gaming moments to Twitch, the video platform and community for gamers. A 5-megapixel front camera to enhance the image of the gamer overlaid on the Twitch gamecast.
Console Mode: NVIDIA Console Mode takes tablet gameplay to big-screen TVs. Gamers can connect their SHIELD wireless controller, then play PC and Android games, browse the web, and watch their favorite movies in native 1080p HD.

As for the Shield Controller, NVIDIA said it boasts of ultra-low latency Wi-Fi Direct connectivity with up to four wireless controllers to game along with friends.

NVIDIA said the controller is the first precision controller designed for both PC game streaming and Android gaming, and has a headset jack supporting stereo audio and support for game chat, a built-in touch pad, volume control, and revolutionary voice command.

Stylus

DirectStylus 2 technology on the SHIELD tablet is twice as responsive as its predecessor, and enables the first GPU-accelerated 3D painting experience.

"Aspiring artists can use DirectStylus 2 to capture the attitude of every stroke on the SHIELD tablet, take notes with the integrated apps and handwriting recognition, or get creative with the NVIDIA DabblerTM app’s hyper-realistic watercolor and 3D Paint oil painting," NVIDIA said.

Meanwhile, NVIDIA placed PureAudio technology on the tablet for dynamic sound through front-facing stereo speakers and a dual-ported bass-reflex enclosure.

On the other hand, the optional tablet cover offers flexible stand positions to make gaming and entertainment more enjoyable.

Hub app

The tablet is preloaded with the NVIDIA SHIELD Hub app, which offers one-touch access to a curated shop of the best SHIELD-optimized Android games, and quick launch capability.

Also bundled is the popular Frostbyte game Trine 2: Complete Story, which was first a hit on PlayStation, Xbox and Steam.

The tablet also allows full access to Google Play, where gamers can download thousands of apps.

Shield tablet comes with either Wi-Fi connectivity, or Wi-Fi and LTE. Prices start at $299, while the SHIELD wireless controller sells for $59. The cover retails for $39. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

Tags: nvidia, nvidiashield