After the Shield handheld gaming console and the Shield tablet, Nvidia (a company mostly known for its graphics processing units) is set to release the “world’s first Android TV console,” another device bearing the same name which will run video, music and apps, as well as a variety of games.
The new Shield console features Nvidia’s latest Tegra K1 processor and a second generation Maxwell GPU. It also supports 4K video output, has both fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi and an Ethernet jack, in addition to an IR receiver compatible with Logitech’s Harmony remote controls. But what makes the device really great is the fact it heavily focused on streaming, with most of the processing done in the cloud on Nvidia’s external supercomputers. This cloud gaming service is called Grid, and users connected to it can play a host of excellent games like Batman: Arkham Asylum or Borderlands 2, in addition to lots of titles from the Google Play store as well.
While you’re going to need a very good internet connection to use the latest Shield console to its fullest capabilities (Nvidia recommends a 5 Mbps connection at a bare minimum, but it should be at least 15 Mbps for the proper experience), the price for the device itself is remarkably low: just $199. Shipping is scheduled to start in the US in May.
[TheCoolist]
