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Nvidia (Project) Shield launch date and price announced

by Mark Tyson on 15 May 2013, 14:50

Tags: NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), PC

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Nvidia has announced the launch date and price for its portable Android games console which was once called Nvidia Project Shield but now will simply be called the Nvidia Shield. The handheld console will be launched in June in North America and will be priced at $349, equivalent to around £230.

Nvidia are taking pre-orders from 20th May on its own special dedicated website and also via popular North American electronics stores such as Newegg, GameStop, Micro Center and Canada Computers. People who had previously signed up to be notified about the release of this new handheld will have the “exclusive opportunity” to pre-order from Nvidia right now.

The green team herald the Shield console thus; “A console-grade controller. A high-definition, 720p HD retinal display. The rich graphics and blazing performance of Tegra 4 – the world’s fastest mobile processor. These pieces, put together by a company full of gaming fanatics, add up to an amazing new open platform gaming portable. It’s the best way to play Android games. And because it’s an Android device, it works with both Tegra-optimized and regular Android games – as well as Android apps.”

Nvidia reminds us that the Shield handheld console can play Android games straight from Google Play, specially optimised Nvidia TegraZone games and PC Steam games when combined with your GeForce GTX GPU-powered PC – via Wi-Fi streaming (this is slated as a beta feature initially).

As a reminder, these are the Nvidia Shield specs:

Processor

NVIDIA Tegra 4 Quad Core Mobile Processor with 2GB RAM

Display

5-inch 1280x720 (294 ppi) Multi-Touch Retinal Quality Display

Audio

Integrated Stereo Speakers with Built-in Microphone

Storage

16GB Flash Memory

Wireless

802.11n 2x2 Mimo Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS

Connectivity

Mini-HDMI output, Micro-USB 2.0, MicroSD storage slot, 3.5mm stereo headphone jack with microphone support

Motion Sensors

3 Axis Gyro, 3 Axis Accelerometer

Input controls

Dual analogue joysticks, D-pad, Left/right analogue triggers, Left/right bumpers, A/B/X/Y buttons, Volume control, Android Home and Back buttons, Start button, NVIDIA power/multi-function button

Battery

28.8 Watt Hours

Weight & Size

579 grams, 158mm (w) x 135mm (D) x 57mm (H)

Operating System

Android Jelly Bean

Software

Google Play, TegraZone, Sonic 4 Episode II THD, Expendable: Rearmed
Hulu Plus, TwitchTV

 

Now we know the price that Nvidia intend to charge for this handheld quite a few issues and questions arise. Firstly the Shield is considerably more expensive than any established handheld on the market today, such as those from Sony and Nintendo. If the console crosses the Atlantic at the all-too-common dollar to pound exchange rate of 1:1 then it won’t be snapped up in the UK where big screen Android smartphones are viable gaming (and more) alternatives.

The BBC talked to the MCV gaming industry news editor who said “The market for handheld consoles is struggling in face of competition from smartphones, so the first question you have to ask yourself is what is the market for a dedicated Android gaming device”. He continued to explain “Even if you believe a market exists, $349 is a lot of money. People aren't spending that at the moment on the Wii U which is a home console, I find it hard to believe they'd spend it on a handheld.”

Do you think Nvidia has overpriced its new console?



HEXUS Forums :: 33 Comments

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Sorry way too expensive. Missed opportunity.
I'd quite like one - Its a little expensive but would solve the problem of what to do when the wife is watching i'm a celebrity or similar on the TV. I currently just start playing games on my note but the quality of titles is a little poor. They should really stick it in a bundle with a 660 card for £400 and i'd jump at it - Far cheaper than a gaming laptop! Wonder when it'll be available over here as my birthday is coming up very soon…
lol you fail nvidia just like your GPU prices and GPU re-branding. Only the most diehard Nvidiots will stump up cash for this. Why the hell would I pay £300 for a handheld to play PC games on a pathetically tiny screen when I can play them fine enough on my 23" screen? This product is pointless, just like the Nvidia re-brands coming up.
raven1001
lol you fail nvidia just like your GPU prices and GPU re-branding. Only the most diehard Nvidiots will stump up cash for this. Why the hell would I pay £300 for a handheld to play PC games on a pathetically tiny screen when I can play them fine enough on my 23" screen? This product is pointless, just like the Nvidia re-brands coming up.

Umm its £230. I know thats still a lot but not crazy like £300. As I explained in my post above this would be damn useful for me as I rarely get to game on my PC nowadays, as my wife doesn't like to be abandoned for hours at a time - why does this make me an idiot?
This one isn't for me. It's pretty big and expensive for a mobile console, and I've yet to encounter an Android game that makes me think “great game, pity about lack of a controller”. Granted, maybe I haven't looked hard enough or at the right place, but I still find the (3)DS/PSP(Vita) more appealing. Sure the last generation lacks titles and is paying the price with poor sales (I've also refrained from getting one). But there are actually a couple of titles that I may pay the cost of the hardware. Yet I do not have a Google Play title I'd want to spend £230 on a dedicated hardware.