[essential]

GDC Conference still going on but it looks like this is going to blow away any other android box.

Updated with official specs:

NVIDIA® Tegra® X1 processor
256-core Maxwell with 3GB RAM

4K Ultra-HD ready with 4K playback and capture up to 60 fps (VP9, H265, H264)

7.1 and 5.1 surround sound pass through over HDMI
High-resolution audio playback up to 24-bit/192 kHz over HDMI and USB
High-resolution audio up-sample to 24-bit/192 kHz over USB

16 GB

802.11ac 2x2 MIMO 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.1/BLE

Gigabit Ethernet
HDMI 2.0
Two USB 3.0 (Type A)
Micro-USB 2.0
MicroSD slot
IR Receiver (compatible with Logitech Harmony)

SHIELD software upgrades directly from NVIDIA
Gaming Features NVIDIA GRID™ game streaming service
NVIDIA Share
NVIDIA GameStream™

40 W power adapter

Weight and Size Weight: 23 oz / 654 g
Height: 5.1 in / 130 mm
Width: 8.3 in / 210 mm
Depth: 1.0 in / 25 mm

Operating System: Android TV™, Google Cast™ Ready
Included Apps: PLEX

$199 (with game controller, looks like remote sold separately?, remote is bluetooth)
May 2015

Official Site:
http://shield.nvidia.com/console
http://shield.nvidia.com/store/remote
http://shield.nvidia.com/store/controller

Press:
http://gizmodo.com/nvidia-shield-console...1689267278
http://www.engadget.com/2015/03/03/shield-set-top-box/
http://www.engadget.com/2015/03/03/nvidi...-hands-on/
http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/4/8146571...v-hands-on
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/03/nv...owerhouse/

System:
http://www.androidpolice.com/wp-content/...28x479.jpg
http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/c7...d960px.jpg
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/imag...mfyq7d.jpg

System Rear:
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/imag...gnnifb.jpg

Remote:
http://www.androidpolice.com/wp-content/...cee_02.jpg

Controller:
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/imag...bwkuf6.jpg

[Tinwarble]

Techspot is showing it to be $199.

http://www.techspot.com/news/59945-nvidi...v-box.html

As for how powerful the X1 is, here's some benchmarks compared to other SoCs:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/snap...053-5.html

http://hothardware.com/News/hands-on-wit...and-video/

[Topken]

$199 since it comes with 1 Shield Controller as well

[Tinwarble]

From other articles I've seen it comes with a remote (rechargeable) too.


http://androidandme.com/2015/03/news/nvi...-tegra-x1/

[Topken]

Hopefully it will come with both the Remote and Controller since I am in love with that remote since it has the Headphone port unlike so many other remotes.

[BORIStheBLADE]

I like it but if it doesn't pass HD audio to me its like all those other Android boxes I'm afraid..

[nickr]

Nice, but what Boris said, and how much of that 4k and hevc decoding power are going to be available in an open way to Kodi? If not, it is of marginal relevance.

[ozkhan1]

Looks better than razor forge

[Tinwarble]

Nice, but what Boris said, and how much of that 4k and hevc decoding power are going to be available in an open way to Kodi? If not, it is of marginal relevance.

I'm sure that HD audio will be possible as to the SoC. There are already boxes out there that it can be done in HW.

Whether it will or not will probably come down to Android.

As for 4K or HEVC..........who cares right now. There's no content (and probably won't be for some time) and there's no guarantee about any device claiming 4K and HEVC.

If you're looking for some "future proof" device, build a time machine, travel 4 or 5 years into the future, buy a device, get back in your time machine and come back to this time.

And if you do travel to the future, tell us if they have flying cars, hover boards and holographic sharks that jump out of a building signs. They said that we were going to have all that this year in Back to the Future II and I'm pretty upset that it hasn't happened yet.

[meridius]

I am interested but I bet it's the same as all the other android boxes no pass hd audio and no refresh change as all android box are stuck in 60hz. If these can not be changed it makes this box useless.

[Tinwarble]

Well, I'm glad to see the "Knights that say NAY!" have shown up.

[kuldan]

I am interested but I bet it's the same as all the other android boxes no pass hd audio and no refresh change as all android box are stuck in 60hz. If these can not be changed it makes this box useless.

I have never understood the urge to framerate-adapt.. I tried it, and the subjective results on my TV (47" LG) are not visible at all compared to my 60hz driven setup as it is right now... I don't see/feel a difference, not even when doing horizontal sweeps or anything...

[Hedda]

Nvidia's official webpage for the Nvidia SHIELD Console
http://shield.nvidia.com/console

Nvidia's online shop contain more information and pictures about the Bluetooth Remote Control and Game Controller
http://shield.nvidia.com/store/remote
http://shield.nvidia.com/store/controller

Nvidia's official blog posted about "Why We’re Building SHIELD, the World’s First Android TV Console"
http://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2015/03/03/why-shield/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9Yu3u8yl9I

PC Perspective have run ICE Storm Unlimited benchmark in the SHIELD, and compared the results to the SHIELD Tablet and iPad Air 2. And together with CNX-software they provide a better hardware specification:

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Ca...mpressions

http://www.cnx-software.com/2015/03/04/n...processor/

"Nvidia has just announced SHIELD, an Android TV Game Console powered by the latest Tegra X1 SoC coupled with 3GB, 16GB flash, and which I believe to be the very first consumer ARM system with true 4K video output, decoding/encoding up to 60 fps, as well as both VP9 and H.265 codec at 4K resolution. I’m still not 100% sure gaming will be feasible at 4K resolutions.

The SHIELD will run the latest version of Android TV (Lollipop) with Google Cast support, include PLEX, support NVIDIA gaming features such as GRID, Share, and GameStream, and receive software upgrades directly from NVIDIA. The console will be sold with a SHIELD controller, and optional accessories such as a stand and a SHIELD remote.

SHIELD specifications:

• SoC – NVIDIA Tegra X1 octa-core processor with 4x Cortex A57 cores, 4x Cortex A53 cores, and a 256-core Maxwell GPU
  
• System Memory – 3GB RAM
  
• Storage – 16 GB + MicroSD slot
  
• Video - HDMI 2.0 output up to 4K @ 60 Hz (with HDMI-CEC support)
  
• Video - 4K playback and capture up to 60 fps (VP9, H265, H264)
  
• Audio - 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound pass through over HDMI,
  
• Audio - High-resolution audio playback up to 24-bit/192 kHz over HDMI and USB
  
• Audio - High-resolution audio up-sample to 24-bit/192 kHz over USB
  
• Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1/BLE
  
• Connectivity – USB – 2x USB 3.0 (Type A) + 1x micro-USB 2.0 port
  
• Bluetooth Remote Control with Microphone for voice search and a Headset Jack for private listening
  
• Misc – IR Receiver (compatible with Logitech Harmony)
  
• Power Supply – 40 W power adapter
  
• Dimensions – 210 x 130 x 25 mm
  
• Weight – 654 g

Voice control of the device, either with the remote of the controller, works great thanks o the Google Now voice recognition. You can browse media, load applications, etc. and it seems genuinely useful.

You can now support up to 4 of the SHIELD Controllers at the same time, a first for a SHIELD device. Bring on those coach co-op multiplayer titles!

You'll find the new SHIELD selling in the same locations as the SHIELD Tablet, etc. Think Newegg, Amazon.com, etc.

NVIDIA told me that the device uses 2 watts when idle and 5-15 watts when active. A 2 watt idle level is high for a tablet obviously but since this is not a battery operated device, that isn't an issue. And, running a game like Doom 3 at 15 watts is pretty awesome.

NVIDIA is bringing web cam support in a future update so you can use Skype/Hangouts and your SHIELD for video calls if you want.

Twitch.tv streaming will be supported as well with the SHIELD. You'll need that web cam update to get your ugly mug included in the mix though.

The hardware looks good and the green glow gives the design an edge. Hopefully NVIDIA will offer a setting to disable that green light though for users that are sensitive to it.

Doom 3 played very well as a native OpenGL application and though I couldn't get hands-on, Crysis 3 lookd equally good. We are still concerned about developers drive to get games running on high-end Android consoles like this on their own, without work from NVIDIA, as that is what will be required to make that work in the long run.

• 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
  Overall Score:
  SHIELD (Tegra X1): 42,406 (+42%)
  SHIELD Tablet (Tegra K1): 29,668
  iPad Air 2 (Apple A8X): 21,541
  Graphics Score:
  SHIELD (Tegra X1): 56,179 (+47%)
  SHIELD Tablet (Tegra K1): 37,983
  iPad Air 2 (Apple A8X): 31,419
  Physics Score:
  SHIELD (Tegra X1): 22,823 (+15%)
  SHIELD Tablet (Tegra K1): 19,837
  iPad Air 2 (Apple A8X): 10,256

[nickr]

Nice, but what Boris said, and how much of that 4k and hevc decoding power are going to be available in an open way to Kodi? If not, it is of marginal relevance.

I'm sure that HD audio will be possible as to the SoC. There are already boxes out there that it can be done in HW.

Whether it will or not will probably come down to Android.

As for 4K or HEVC..........who cares right now. There's no content (and probably won't be for some time) and there's no guarantee about any device claiming 4K and HEVC.

If you're looking for some "future proof" device, build a time machine, travel 4 or 5 years into the future, buy a device, get back in your time machine and come back to this time.

And if you do travel to the future, tell us if they have flying cars, hover boards and holographic sharks that jump out of a building signs. They said that we were going to have all that this year in Back to the Future II and I'm pretty upset that it hasn't happened yet.

It's only March now, they still have nearly 10 months yet.

[Ned Scott]

Considering the expected performance of this unit, and how far Android gaming has come (even just emulators make it worth it), $200 seems like a very good price for this. It's more than you need for just Kodi, but games are a great compliment to movies :)

Normally I would say it would be better to go for an x86 box at $200, but this could easily be a better value for a lot of people.