Nvidia Shield: Hands-on Impressions With the Final Hardware

[Marcus Yam]

Nvidia's big jump into making a gaming tablet.

Nvidia Shield: Hands-on Impressions With the Final Hardware : Read more

 

[Spooderman]

Still don't really know how to feel about this.

 

[flamethrower205]

Honestly, this seems kind of lame. I haven't missed handheld consoles.

 

[jessterman21]

If they can get it to duck under $300, and the streaming feature works flawlessly with all controller-enabled games, it's a winner in my book. Heck, you don't even need a $200 GPU to play at Ultra/720p.

 

[slomo4sho]

Get a PS4 for $50 more and stream content on your phone.

 

[noob2222]

in a strict environment designed to show how good it can be, how well does it work in the average home instead?

 

[chumly]

I just want to try out the streaming feature on my home PC before I decide if this is a good product or not. Freedom from my desk sounds amazing.

 

[beoza]

In hind sight I think this is how the original PSP should have looked.

 

[teh_chem]

I take overly-positive review results with a giant grain of salt.

And I am highly speculative of the real-world PC game streaming capabilities of this; I wonder if the streaming connection is via a local network (i.e., through a router) or via wifi-direct? Leading to the question of whether the streaming is practical for real-time fast-paced multiplayer like FPS's.

I am excited about the idea of streaming a desktop game to a handheld device, but that would not convince me to buy this. Nor would having access to android/tegrazone games, of which none have impressed me.

This is a sub-niche product in an already small gaming niche market. They've got an uphill battle, and the price isn't helping them out much, no matter how cheap the games might be.

 

[cknobman]

Still don't really know how to feel about this.

IDK, if I paid $349 for it, I would feel ripped off.

 

[nebun]

ok....battery life?....speed of the CPU/GPU?....those three items are very important

 

[tului]

Just for games like Skyrim I will get one. I am assuming it only streams from Nvidia cards? Hopefully someone will hack that pretty quickly. Although it's not like I can't grab a 780 now that I've sold my 7970.

 

[tului]

Get a PS4 for $50 more and stream content on your phone.

Then you're stuck with a dead end console that you can't upgrade. Not to mention consoles don't have any of the games I want.

For someone who actually cares about consoles, if you stream to your phone you need to have a controller set up with your phone or you are gonna play hell trying to move in a game. Shield has it built in.

 

[John Hadley]

When I was growing up hand-held video games had led lights and costed about $20. There's been a lot of inflation since then. Honestly I don't see how a $300+ hand-held gaming device is going to have a sufficient market. Its something like a $500 investment once you buy it and a few games for your kid.

 

[eklipz330]

that streaming business seems quite enticing to be completely honest... i don't care about the video apps, but purely as a gaming device? its vita 2.0

 

[eklipz330]

this begs the question... can i possibly get something like this but JUST with the streaming capabilities? like having my own cloud server right at my house to literally bring the latency down to 0? like a wii u tablet or a wikipad, but just so i can play on my bed with my computer rendering EVERYTHING? every websites and sht?

seriously, i would fork money over so fast if someone did this. DO IT, NOW.

 

[hammer85]

I don't get it. Why would a person stream from PC to this small screen if one can already play on 1080p PC monitor?

 

[nitrium]

IMO the 5" screen is just too small. 7-8ish inch would just have made this device so much better.

 

[bernardv]

A bulky gamepad with a tiny screen attached to it? Looks like some cheap gizmo from the 90s.

 

[somebodyspecial]

I take overly-positive review results with a giant grain of salt.

And I am highly speculative of the real-world PC game streaming capabilities of this; I wonder if the streaming connection is via a local network (i.e., through a router) or via wifi-direct? Leading to the question of whether the streaming is practical for real-time fast-paced multiplayer like FPS's.

I am excited about the idea of streaming a desktop game to a handheld device, but that would not convince me to buy this. Nor would having access to android/tegrazone games, of which none have impressed me.

This is a sub-niche product in an already small gaming niche market. They've got an uphill battle, and the price isn't helping them out much, no matter how cheap the games might be.

This is pretty much answered by the borderlands 2 play. Not sure streaming will matter much with games like hawken coming etc but I'd like streaming too:
"Nvidia was clearly confident in the Shield's ability to deliver a low-latency experience, as a first-person shooter like Borderlands 2 would be quick to expose laggy behavior. Playing it right on the machine, lag was almost imperceptible. In fact, the switch from a mouse and keyboard control scheme to analog sticks seemed like more of restriction."

It streams from your router via Wireless N. I don't understand your confusion. Software should be able to work around any minimal latency and even in the hands on here they mention anything other than FPS is already great (like a skyrim type etc). Anandtech (who kind of loves AMD...LOL) said the same things. I haven't seen anyone with hands on saying bad stuff. vs. Vita or 3DS for only $50-100 more than those it's a no brainer for handheld gamepad action at higher res etc, not to mention google apps.

And for your android doubts (or for anyone doubting the looks of said games):
Ignore comments in it and the list would be longer now, they were written for another post last month or two ago:
Demon Score (square enix)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.demonsgp&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5zcXVhcmVfZW5peC5kZW1vbnNncCJd

Wild Blood
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftWBHM&feature=related_apps

Note the unreal engine 3 is just kicking off on mobile, a lot more in the pipe. Also Real Boxing and Hawken (hawken is coming, NV showed it running on T4 already).

Modern Combat 1-4:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftM4HM&feature=more_from_developer

Make sure you up the video to 1080p... It rocks. This is PRE-T4. These are made for current crap T3 etc...OLD, some even T2 games below.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftM3HM&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLmdhbWVsb2Z0LmFuZHJvaWQuQU5NUC5HbG9mdE0zSE0iXQ..

Eternity Warriors 2 (1-5mil installs in the last 30 days...wow):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glu.ewarriors2&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLmdsdS5ld2FycmlvcnMyIl0.
WOW, no, there will be no good games on tablets/phones etc.

Iron Man 3 (impressive to say the least)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftIMHM&feature=related_apps

Frontline Commando
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glu.flcn_new&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLmdsdS5mbGNuX25ldyJd

Nova 3 (nova 1 & 2 aren't bad either)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftN3HM&feature=more_from_developer

Dark Knight Rises:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftKRHM&feature=more_from_developer

Gangstar Rio
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftG4HM&feature=related_apps

Shadowgun (still think tablets are crap?)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.madfingergames.shadowgun_thd&feature=related_apps

Bard's Tale (hey, isn't this a CONSOLE game...LOL)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inxile.BardTale&feature=related_apps

ArmA2: Firing Range (not impressive, but this was 2011...LOL)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bistudio.a2fr&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLmJpc3R1ZGlvLmEyZnIiXQ..

Again for Tegra2...
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slitherine.gbm&feature=also_installed#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwNCwiY29tLnNsaXRoZXJpbmUuZ2JtIl0.

Renaissance Blood
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Bridea.NC.THD.RenaissanceBlood&feature=related_apps

Zombie Driver THD
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.exor.ZombieDriver&feature=also_installed#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwNCwiY29tLmV4b3IuWm9tYmllRHJpdmVyIl0.

Chaos Rings 1 & 2:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.chaosrings2gp&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLnNxdWFyZV9lbml4LmNoYW9zcmluZ3MyZ3AiXQ..
Please realize it's in english when you buy it...LOL

Blazing Souls Accelate:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hyperdevbox.blazingsouls&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLmh5cGVyZGV2Ym94LmJsYXppbmdzb3VscyJd


Final Fantasy 3 in 3d (2006 game but on current handhelds)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.android_googleplay.FFIII_GP&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLnNxdWFyZV9lbml4LmFuZHJvaWRfZ29vZ2xlcGxheS5GRklJSV9HUCJd

Amazing Spiderman:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftAMHM&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLmdhbWVsb2Z0LmFuZHJvaWQuQU5NUC5HbG9mdEFNSE0iXQ..

Need for Speed Most Wanted:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ea.games.nfs13_row&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLmVhLmdhbWVzLm5mczEzX3JvdyJd

Asphalt 7
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftA7HM&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiwiY29tLmdhbWVsb2Z0LmFuZHJvaWQuQU5NUC5HbG9mdEE3SE0iXQ..

COD Black Ops Zombie game...Who knew?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atv.blackops&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLmF0di5ibGFja29wcyJd

 

[notsleep]

my arm would get tired holding this 1.2 lb brick.

 

[somebodyspecial]

Can't wait until people get it in their hands and report on things like browsing from mcdonalds etc on wifi using any of the android browsers (chrome, firefox etc). Is it usable? For something like checking stocks etc while eating my cheeseburger?...LOL. Also interested in how you can dictate to it (like voice search on my dads nexus 10). I haven't seen if anyone said there is a mic built in (or I just missed it) or how easy to add one to work with android. The android virtual keyboard would work anyway but if I have greasy hands...LOL. Can I dictate into my bt headset I use for my cell, which is not a smartphone (have no use for them until T4 or later when you can game better on these smartphones - holding out)?

 

[renz496]

I am assuming it only streams from Nvidia cards?

nvidia was clear about it when they states the PC requirement for the Sheild game stream function since they first revealed the device back in january

Hopefully someone will hack that pretty quickly.

honestly i'm not sure how that can be done. the feature needs specific hardware that exist in Kepler. that's why the stream function did not even work with Fermi cards and older. although in theory the streaming can be done to older cards if nvidia wants to but it will defeat the very purpose why nvidia pushing the idea of streaming your games to the shield

 

[teh_chem]

This is pretty much answered by the borderlands 2 play. Not sure streaming will matter much with games like hawken coming etc but I'd like streaming too:
"Nvidia was clearly confident in the Shield's ability to deliver a low-latency experience, as a first-person shooter like Borderlands 2 would be quick to expose laggy behavior. Playing it right on the machine, lag was almost imperceptible. In fact, the switch from a mouse and keyboard control scheme to analog sticks seemed like more of restriction."

Thanks, but I read the write-up. And they don't say that borderlands was great. Actually, they're very careful with how things are worded when discussing the streaming capability/performance, and use tons of subjective and squishy statements, which doesn't cut it. The only time they say lag was imperceptible was when playing borderlands on the host computer, which is a big, "duh..."

It streams from your router via Wireless N. I don't understand your confusion.

Didn't see it mentioned in this write-up, hence the confusion.

Software should be able to work around any minimal latency and even in the hands on here they mention anything other than FPS is already great (like a skyrim type etc).

"Should..." Again, skepticism. Not to mention this part: "Only when comparing the Shield's display to that from the streaming server does it reveal latency, and even then it's incredibly minor."

For FPS's, honestly, if you can SEE the latency difference, I'm skeptical of it being labeled as "minor."

 

[ryu750]

<quote>I don't get it. Why would a person stream from PC to this small screen if one can already play on 1080p PC monitor?</quote>

I was thinking exactly the same thing.