As we mentioned, Shield's Console Mode lets you connect a third-party Bluetooth wireless gamepad, shut off the device's integrated 5" screen, and output a 1920x1080 resolution to a big-screen television.
Based on the company's presentations, Nvidia's emphasis is on the benefits this offers to gamers streaming PC games from another room (a feature that is now branded GameStream). Unfortunately, that combination of features can't be achieved yet; streaming at 1080p from a PC to the Shield requires an Ethernet adapter that isn't available yet. Until we can get our hands on that adapter and the next Shield software update, PC-to-Shield streaming is limited to 720p, just as it was in our Shield launch story from last July, Nvidia Shield Review: Tegra 4 Powered Gaming.
Personally, I have very little interest in GameStream, if only because I'd never pick a gamepad and 5" screen over a mouse, keyboard, and full-sized monitor if I was in Wi-Fi range of my PC. If I want to game on my TV, I'll use my HTPC. On the other hand, we toted a Shield along to an event we recently ran, and attendees happily picked it up and streamed PC games from the pub we were in. It seems like the utility of GameStream is largely personal preference.

I am more interested in Console Mode, though. It offers something almost completely overlooked in Nvidia's briefing: you can play Android games at 1080p on a television instead of the Shield's 5" screen. Not only is it extremely gratifying to play Android-based games at 1920x1080 on a TV, but it's also unexpectedly breathtaking to see Unreal Engine 3 and other demanding graphics engines pump out true HD visuals at over 50 FPS. The experience hammers home that Tegra 4 is a capable SoC.
To better evaluate its performance, we benchmarked the Shield in Console Mode at 1080p, and compared those numbers to the results achieved on the integrated 5" display. We're also including the new Nexus 7's performance at 1920x1200 for reference.




As you can see, the Shield holds its own at 1080p, significantly outpacing the Qualcomm S4 Pro-powered Nexus 7 in every test except for one. What we're hoping is that the complexity of mobile games continues to increase, yielding a more immersive experience. Powerful hardware like Shield will play a role in enabling those more demanding graphics.
Finally, let's take power into consideration. Although Console Mode disables Shield's integrated screen, the taxing workload at 1080p is expected to shorten battery life compared to gaming on the mobile platform directly.

And there's the downside to wringing out maximum performance from a console intended for mobile gaming. The battery life we measured drops by almost half. The silver lining is that, when you're playing a game next to your television, it should be easy to keep Shield plugged into a wall outlet, too.
http://www.phonearena.com/news/10-game-controllers-for-smartphones-and-tablets_id39901#10-iControlPad-2
And, with Miracast you can send 1080 to your TV too.
Hey Tom's hardware... Microsoft, one of the biggest companies in the world, recently released a Surface 2 and Surface 2 Pro... No article?
@ damian: We have one and are in the process of reviewing it!
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/nvidia-gtx-780-price-drop,24886.html
Try using a mouse, keyboard and full sized monitor whilst on the loo, in the bath or in bed, for example.
Try gaming when your wife is using your HTPC to watch Eastenders on iPlayer and your daughter is using your desktop to stream Dora the Explorer on Netflix.
In short: I love my 3DS and would also absolutely love Shield, if it was about £100 cheaper.
Try gaming when your wife is using your HTPC to watch Eastenders on iPlayer and your daughter is using your desktop to stream Dora the Explorer on Netflix.
In short: I love my 3DS and would also absolutely love Shield, if it was about £100 cheaper.
Try playing Android games on Shield if you need portability instead of a half-assed and frustrating PC-ish experience without a mouse and keyboard.
You miss my point. I'm not saying there's no place for a portable console. I'm saying I'd rather play Android, or 3DS instead of futzing around with the limitations of gamestreaming from a PC.
Speaking of which: streaming Dora from Netflix... GameStream doesn't work with that. The PC has to be dedicated to the task of gaming.
You miss my point. I'm not saying there's no place for a portable console. I'm saying I'd rather play Android, or 3DS instead of futzing around with the limitations of gamestreaming from a PC.
You're right, I misunderstood you. I thought you were talking about handheld gaming in general. Apologies.
I play most of my games with a 360 controller! Currently playing Darksiders (thanks Humble Bundle). Deadly Premonition and Enslaved have just been released on Steam so they will be my next 2 games. I can't imagine using a KB and mouse for any of them. Does Shield work well for these kinds of games?
I play most of my games with a 360 controller! Currently playing Darksiders (thanks Humble Bundle). Deadly Premonition and Enslaved have just been released on Steam so they will be my next 2 games. I can't imagine using a KB and mouse for any of them. Does Shield work well for these kinds of games?
Yes, absolutely. If it's a game that uses a 360 controller, it's an ideal Shield candidate. In some cases there are still limitations, you may have to launch with your PC, but if you control it with a game controller exclusively, it's ideal.
Different strokes for different folks. Granted, my opinion is subjective, hence the word "personally" in my quote. Others may feel differently. But As a PC gamer who prefers a mouse/keyboard combo even for console ports, and only uses a gamepad for racing titles, I will always choose the PC for PC games, and mobile games for a mobile platform *when I'm at home*.
Should the day come when Nvidia has a cloud-streaming service that works over, say, an LTE connection from my smartphone... well, that'd be a different story altogether. If I'm out of the house, and I don't have direct access to my PC, I may appreciate the Shield's gamestream capabilities more.
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