Graphics card favorite Nvidia is going to be entering the portable console market as it releases details of a new console it sets to release sometime in Q2 2013, codenamed Project Shield. This was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Sunday featuring the company's powerful new Tegra 4 chipset and runs the Android operating system.
It boasrts a healthy a five-inch, 1280x720 HD retinal multitouch display and a full-sized console-like controller, Project Shield can also stream games from any PC thats equipped with a GeForce GTX 650 GPU graphics card – allowing gamers to play their games on a TV in any room of the house. Running a pure version of Android, the console can also play any title available on Google Play or Nvidia's own There is also support for the "Stream Big Picture" service, which allows subscribers to Valve's digital download service to play titles on a TV.
Further features include multiplayer gaming (currently via Wi-Fi only), custom bass-reflex speakers and the ability to run Hulu, Netflix and other on-demand entertainment apps. There is an HDMI port for video output, as well as micro USB and microSD slots.
The new handheld will also feature the new chip named the "Tegra 4" that was also announced earlier in the day by Nvidia. This is the company's latest smartphone processor, featuring an array of four ARM Cortex - 15 chips – it will be one of the first quad-core implementations of the latest ARM chipset. During a demonstration of the set-up, the company claimed that the power efficient design would allow users to watch HD video for up to 24 hours. Nvidia has yet to confirm pricing, but with Ouya set to release at $99 and GameStick at $79, it will need to be matched competitively.
It is an strange move from the company that has always brought us some awesome PC hardware but obviously felt like dabbling in pastures new. Nvidia which obviously feels it has spotted a gap in the market between smartphones and dedicated game consoles and we will have to wait and see if this new invention kicks off. If the price is right, then I'm definitely considering buying it for myself!
You can see a very brief demo of the device HERE on Nvidia's official YouTube Channel. We will bring you a full review as soon as it is released!
