Not gonna be glasses but it would be nice, not a chromebook with access to the game streaming service but that would be ok , not a discrete GPU for Ara although that would be something they should try , not a GRIDcast stick since it would not be a big enough deal. So what is it to deserve the fuss?
I'm thinking it'll be a Android-based console that can stream PC games with low latency AND get full Grid support (with or without subscription services attached to Grid).
Price is good, considering the controller bundle. It wasn't mentioned (as far as I could tell) whether or not the ability to stream local games from your PC would be an option. If it isn't, that may make this product DOA. Many people that may consider buying this already have 200+ games on Steam and want the ability to easily stream to TV.
Pretty sure they said you can use the same kind of PC streaming as the other Shield devices if you have a qualifying Nvidia GPU (650 or up or something like that). Not that that's very exciting for anyone with an AMD GPU.
I really can't understand using Android for gaming systems. I can't think of a more garbage filled wasteland of pay to win cash grab. There isnt a singe game I play anymore they have almost all been tainted by the money grab. Give me a PC or console anyday for gaming.
Going with an ARM based SoC based on Android they avoid messy collaborations with AMD/Intel/Microsoft, and it also keeps the product's entry price low. 2x XBox 360 performance in a much smaller/quieter package for the same range the 360 and PS3 are still being sold is a pretty good deal.
This system isn't solely targeted at people who are already ardent PC and/or console gamers, this is more of a hybrid Nintendo type move where nVidia is attempting to reach untapped gamers rather than specifically pander to an established base where competition is already high.
This logic makes no sense. The reveal is at GDC and they show games like DOOM and Crysis. It doesn't get anymore hardcore than that. This is just NVidia continuing to throw darts at consumers hoping to get something to grab since they have zero presence in the consumer market in front of the TV.
No, it's NVIDIA trying to tap a new market (smart tv), and differentiate themselves from other smart tv makers by leveraging their graphics and gaming capabilities. They mention games like DOOM and Crysis to show that it is a real gaming device, but that doesn't mean it's for people who already have a gaming PC and/or a latest generation console. I don't know why you would get one for yourself if you already have an XBox One and a gaming PC.
No one cares how fast it is against Xbox 360 because that's a nearly 10 year old console. Gamers buying today will look at either building a budget gaming PC for $500 or just get a $350-400 XB1/PS4. Compared to all those options a $200 console with no must have games and one that requires you to purchase an external HDD if you actually want to do anything with it once you buy your 1st game sounds like $200 straight into the toilet. 2x faster vs. Xbox 360 is nothing compared to XB1/PS4. If someone wanted an underpowered console, there is the Wii U with its great 1st party games. Does NV not realize that choosing Android as their primary OS is a major bottleneck for future game support? Ask yourself this, if they launched a $500 console with GTX980 SLI and Core i7 5960X but it was still based around the existing Android OS for games, would that sell against XB1/PS4? Nope.
Ryan I quit watching the live feed about 2/3 the way through. At that point, it was not said whether this would be able to do local game streaming like the previous Shield products (streaming already owned games in a steam library). Can you confirm whether or not this new Shield product will have that capability?
I've never got the idea of streaming games. It makes no sense. Every cloud-based SaaS provider is focused on cutting running costs by either using consumer hardware in the datacenter, or ideally offloading processor to the client, like image resizing, etc. De-centralising is more cost-effective and seems to be the trend for obvious reasons, yet you've got Nvidia looking to go the other way for an application arguably more latency-sensitive than anything else in the cloud. On top of that, we're getting to a put where client hardware is getting more powerful than it needs to be. What am I missing here exactly? Why is Nvidia sinking money into something that certainly must fail.
seems like a stunt to show off their prowess in the supercomputer/datacenter realm
that being said I agree, it was super cringe-worthy watching him try and convince the world that a 150ms response time is fast. Such high latencies might be ok for certain types of games (slower adventure/puzzle style games where you might want to enjoy some very breathtaking scenery, etc) or possibly even revolutionary for a few niches (MMOs with massive numbers of pcs/npcs on screen but no drop in frames because the supercomputer server handles *everything*)
but the average game is likely to be dreadful to play, especially shooters
Judging by how excellent the rest of the photos are, my guess is that the streams really are that terrible. Even if it were 50% stream artifacts and 50% capture artifacts, it would still be terrible.
Ryan was on site, I was helping by adding photos using screen captures of the live stream. So it's a screenshot of a compressed video stream that's showing the content of a compressed gaming stream. Heh. Sorry a lot of the images look pretty bad.
Meh, NV should have went all the way and designed an x86+Maxwell GPU console to compete with XB1/PS4. The mainstream market won't care for this console at all.
1. 16GB of storage means you will be required to purchase an external storage device. That means at least $40-50 for a 1TB HDD.
2. Underpowered CPU and GPU to even get Xbox One level of graphics.
3. Too few games and will continue to be limited by poor game selection due to the Android gaming eco-system.
4. The controller looks too bulky, reminiscent of Xbox original controller.
5. Nvidia recommends 50 Mbps internet speed for 1080P @ 60 fps gaming. That's a tall order for a budget $199 console where it's highly unlikely that people who are budget gamers (i.e., can't afford to pay $350-400 for XB1/PS4) or build a budget $500 HTPC gaming rig with a 750T/R9 270 will actually have a 50 Mbps Internet which is not cheap in the US/Canada or Europe.
5. 150 ms streaming latency is far from sufficient for online multi-player / FPS / racing genre.
6. One of the key aspect of consoles - exclusive games - non-existent!
It's all about the games for consoles, which means once XB1/PS4 have $50 price drops this year, and more must have exclusives come out for those consoles, this $200 console is dead in the water. Even the Wii U is more appealing. NV should have put real effort into designing a next generation $400-500 console instead and beaten Steam machines to market.....what a failed opportunity.
On the other hand this means Android .apk's of modern PC and console games are coming, so if Nvidia ever releases an X1 tablet or phone you'll be able to play on those devices as well.
Ok so I'm kinda in a pickle. I was hoping for a shield tablet 2 to be announced since I'm currently in the market for one, but now that it turns out to be a console would people recommend me to get the shield k1 tablet or a different one?
What I hate is freemium and reliance on DLC. The game developers should be focusing more on designing a whole game than how to break it into access points to monetize it.
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37 Comments
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jjj - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
Not gonna be glasses but it would be nice, not a chromebook with access to the game streaming service but that would be ok , not a discrete GPU for Ara although that would be something they should try , not a GRIDcast stick since it would not be a big enough deal.So what is it to deserve the fuss?
tviceman - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
I'm thinking it'll be a Android-based console that can stream PC games with low latency AND get full Grid support (with or without subscription services attached to Grid).If it's not that, then it has to be VR.
tviceman - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
And by stream PC games, I mean local streaming.jjj - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
I am assuming the 3 devices (TV , console, spercomputer) are in fact just 1ol1bit - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
Hmm, don't need a new TV, already have my HTPC with a 650 hooked up to my 3D Panasonic Plasma...that worked with 3D games with the 650!Jukens - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
This is really hard to watch....ol1bit - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
"ever" have to replace... LOLJukens - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
Really....a crappy looking game at barely 30fps.Jukens - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
"The pixel quality is exactly the same"Jukens - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
Live stream isn't as bad if you mute itol1bit - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
Well, the price is right! Thanks for the live Blog, was cool to watch while doing other reading in Anandtech and other HW sites!tviceman - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
Price is good, considering the controller bundle. It wasn't mentioned (as far as I could tell) whether or not the ability to stream local games from your PC would be an option. If it isn't, that may make this product DOA. Many people that may consider buying this already have 200+ games on Steam and want the ability to easily stream to TV.kron123456789 - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
At last, an ARM based SoC that can run Crysis.kyuu - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
Pretty sure they said you can use the same kind of PC streaming as the other Shield devices if you have a qualifying Nvidia GPU (650 or up or something like that). Not that that's very exciting for anyone with an AMD GPU.SpartanJet - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
I really can't understand using Android for gaming systems. I can't think of a more garbage filled wasteland of pay to win cash grab. There isnt a singe game I play anymore they have almost all been tainted by the money grab. Give me a PC or console anyday for gaming.bunnyfubbles - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
Going with an ARM based SoC based on Android they avoid messy collaborations with AMD/Intel/Microsoft, and it also keeps the product's entry price low. 2x XBox 360 performance in a much smaller/quieter package for the same range the 360 and PS3 are still being sold is a pretty good deal.This system isn't solely targeted at people who are already ardent PC and/or console gamers, this is more of a hybrid Nintendo type move where nVidia is attempting to reach untapped gamers rather than specifically pander to an established base where competition is already high.
Jumangi - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
This logic makes no sense. The reveal is at GDC and they show games like DOOM and Crysis. It doesn't get anymore hardcore than that. This is just NVidia continuing to throw darts at consumers hoping to get something to grab since they have zero presence in the consumer market in front of the TV.Yojimbo - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
No, it's NVIDIA trying to tap a new market (smart tv), and differentiate themselves from other smart tv makers by leveraging their graphics and gaming capabilities. They mention games like DOOM and Crysis to show that it is a real gaming device, but that doesn't mean it's for people who already have a gaming PC and/or a latest generation console. I don't know why you would get one for yourself if you already have an XBox One and a gaming PC.RussianSensation - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
No one cares how fast it is against Xbox 360 because that's a nearly 10 year old console. Gamers buying today will look at either building a budget gaming PC for $500 or just get a $350-400 XB1/PS4. Compared to all those options a $200 console with no must have games and one that requires you to purchase an external HDD if you actually want to do anything with it once you buy your 1st game sounds like $200 straight into the toilet. 2x faster vs. Xbox 360 is nothing compared to XB1/PS4. If someone wanted an underpowered console, there is the Wii U with its great 1st party games. Does NV not realize that choosing Android as their primary OS is a major bottleneck for future game support? Ask yourself this, if they launched a $500 console with GTX980 SLI and Core i7 5960X but it was still based around the existing Android OS for games, would that sell against XB1/PS4? Nope.lucam - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
''Side observation: each generation of NVIDIA products gets bigger''.Of course this hardly can be considered a ''mobile'' chip.
tviceman - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
Ryan I quit watching the live feed about 2/3 the way through. At that point, it was not said whether this would be able to do local game streaming like the previous Shield products (streaming already owned games in a steam library). Can you confirm whether or not this new Shield product will have that capability?Ryan Smith - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
Wasn't mentioned in the presentation, look for the press releasestviceman - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
Thank you good sir!Wardrop - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
I've never got the idea of streaming games. It makes no sense. Every cloud-based SaaS provider is focused on cutting running costs by either using consumer hardware in the datacenter, or ideally offloading processor to the client, like image resizing, etc. De-centralising is more cost-effective and seems to be the trend for obvious reasons, yet you've got Nvidia looking to go the other way for an application arguably more latency-sensitive than anything else in the cloud. On top of that, we're getting to a put where client hardware is getting more powerful than it needs to be. What am I missing here exactly? Why is Nvidia sinking money into something that certainly must fail.tviceman - Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - link
I have no interest in cloud-streaming for games either. I was referring to local streaming.Wardrop - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
Yeah sorry, I wasn't actually meant to reply to your post. AnandTech comments system has always left a lot to be desired.bunnyfubbles - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
seems like a stunt to show off their prowess in the supercomputer/datacenter realmthat being said I agree, it was super cringe-worthy watching him try and convince the world that a 150ms response time is fast. Such high latencies might be ok for certain types of games (slower adventure/puzzle style games where you might want to enjoy some very breathtaking scenery, etc) or possibly even revolutionary for a few niches (MMOs with massive numbers of pcs/npcs on screen but no drop in frames because the supercomputer server handles *everything*)
but the average game is likely to be dreadful to play, especially shooters
Michael Bay - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
Is it bad photos, or do I see quite bad quality of streaming?I mean youtube usually has it better.
nathanddrews - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
Judging by how excellent the rest of the photos are, my guess is that the streams really are that terrible. Even if it were 50% stream artifacts and 50% capture artifacts, it would still be terrible.JarredWalton - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
Ryan was on site, I was helping by adding photos using screen captures of the live stream. So it's a screenshot of a compressed video stream that's showing the content of a compressed gaming stream. Heh. Sorry a lot of the images look pretty bad.yannigr2 - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
So many zeros in this presentation.RussianSensation - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
Meh, NV should have went all the way and designed an x86+Maxwell GPU console to compete with XB1/PS4. The mainstream market won't care for this console at all.1. 16GB of storage means you will be required to purchase an external storage device. That means at least $40-50 for a 1TB HDD.
2. Underpowered CPU and GPU to even get Xbox One level of graphics.
3. Too few games and will continue to be limited by poor game selection due to the Android gaming eco-system.
4. The controller looks too bulky, reminiscent of Xbox original controller.
5. Nvidia recommends 50 Mbps internet speed for 1080P @ 60 fps gaming. That's a tall order for a budget $199 console where it's highly unlikely that people who are budget gamers (i.e., can't afford to pay $350-400 for XB1/PS4) or build a budget $500 HTPC gaming rig with a 750T/R9 270 will actually have a 50 Mbps Internet which is not cheap in the US/Canada or Europe.
5. 150 ms streaming latency is far from sufficient for online multi-player / FPS / racing genre.
6. One of the key aspect of consoles - exclusive games - non-existent!
It's all about the games for consoles, which means once XB1/PS4 have $50 price drops this year, and more must have exclusives come out for those consoles, this $200 console is dead in the water. Even the Wii U is more appealing. NV should have put real effort into designing a next generation $400-500 console instead and beaten Steam machines to market.....what a failed opportunity.
sonicmerlin - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
On the other hand this means Android .apk's of modern PC and console games are coming, so if Nvidia ever releases an X1 tablet or phone you'll be able to play on those devices as well.OldTimez - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
Ok so I'm kinda in a pickle. I was hoping for a shield tablet 2 to be announced since I'm currently in the market for one, but now that it turns out to be a console would people recommend me to get the shield k1 tablet or a different one?mgilbert - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
I say no to Steam, and no to streaming games... I'll get around both, whatever it takes.Yojimbo - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
Wait for a sale on the Space Quest series...Yojimbo - Wednesday, March 4, 2015 - link
What I hate is freemium and reliance on DLC. The game developers should be focusing more on designing a whole game than how to break it into access points to monetize it.