NVIDIA Shield Android TV Console Announced

NVIDIA has announced the newest addition to its line of Shield devices at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The technology company unveiled a new Android TV console called the NVIDIA Shield. While we don’t know why NVIDIA is still naming it as such, the company is marketing it as a console for the home, able to offer games, videos, music, and access to tons of Android apps.

NVIDIA CEO, Jen-Hsun Huang, took to the stage and unveiled the device, calling it NVIDIA’s first living room entertainment device. Huang believes that the console will replace other dedicated devices over time, just as apps have replaced music players, cameras, radio, and other devices.

NVIDIA says that over 50 Android titles—Crysis 3, Doom 3: BFG Edition, and Borderlands: TPS—optimized for the Shield will be available for download soon. The gaming experience should be amazing, considering the Tegra X1 processor and its 256-core Maxwell GPU and 64-bit CPU under the hood. Of course, the console comes with a Shield controller.

Another main selling point of the console is its support for 4K playback, delivering up to 60 fps. Other features include 16GB of storage, high-resolution audio playback, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, and HDMI, microUSB, microSD ports. The NVIDIA Shield will be available in May. Priced at $199, the package includes the Shield controller, a remote control, and stand.