NVIDIA unveiled NVIDIA SHIELD, a home entertainment device that it markets as the world's first Android TV set-top box to bring video, music, apps and games to the home.
SHIELD comes bundled with SHIELD controller and downloads over 50 games for Android optimized for it, including AAA-level projects like Crysis 3, Doom 3: BFG Edition and Borderlands: TPS. This is made possible by the NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor with its 256-core Maxwell graphics architecture and 64-bit CPU.
It also supports the NVIDIA GRID Game service, which lets you stream the best PC and console games from the cloud. The GRID Game subscription includes access to 50 games, including Batman: Arkham Origins, GRID 2, and Metro: Last Light Redux. The list of available games is expanding weekly. In addition, the GRID Game service can be used to buy and stream new AAA titles, including Batman: Arkham Knight and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which will hit the market later this year.
SHIELD will be available on the US market in May for $ 199. The package includes a game controller. In Europe, the device will appear in the second half of this year. Additional controllers, a TV remote (photo below) and a stand for vertical positioning of the SHIELD device will be available separately.
The main technical characteristics of the NVIDIA SHIELD console:
- Dimensions: 130x210x25 mm
- Weight: 654g
- Processor: NVIDIA Tegra X1 with 256-core Maxwell-based GPU
- Platform: Android TV
- Video Capability: Supports 4K Ultra-HD with 4K playback and up to 60 fps capture (VP9, H265, H264)
- Audio Features: 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound over HDMI; High quality audio up to 24-bit / 192kHz via HDMI and USB; High-quality USB upsampling to 24-bit / 192GHz
- Gaming Features: NVIDIA GRID Streaming Service, NVIDIA GameStream
- Memory: 3 GB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in, slot for microSD memory cards (up to 128 GB)
- Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11ac 2 × 2 MIMO (2.4 / 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.1 / BLE, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.0, 2x USB 3.0 (Type A), Micro-USB 2.0, IR Receiver (Logitech Harmony Compatible)