The NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet Review
by Joshua Ho on July 29, 2014 9:00 AM ESTWiFi Performance
For the most part these days it seems that the situation for WiFi is much better in mobile than it is anywhere else, but it's still important to test throughput, especially on a device like the Shield tablet that requires low latency, high bandwidth connections in order to support GameStream and GRID. To this end, while NVIDIA hasn't shipped 802.11ac the Shield tablet ships with a 2x2 antenna configuration for a maximum PHY rate of 300 Mbps. Like the Shield portable, this is a BCM43241 chip, likely shared to improve economies of scale. To look at how it performs, we turn to iperf. Before we get into the results of the test, I'd like to thank ASUS for providing the RT-AC68U router to test WiFi perfomance.
Surprisingly, the Shield tablet performs about as well as some single stream 802.11ac solutions like the one found in the Galaxy Note 3. Performance is generally in line with what we'd expect for such a solution, although it would be nice to see 802.11ac for future products.
Camera
While I currently don't have the means to properly test camera, there are still some things to talk about for camera. Both the front and rear camera modules use OmniVision's OVT5963 sensor, which appears to be a 1/4", 5MP sensor. The rear camera has an F/2.0 aperture with 2.95mm focal length, and the front camera has an F/2.8 aperture, with a claimed 4.76mm focal length, although the field of view appears to be somewhat wider. This is the same sensor as the camera in the Nexus 7 (2013). As a rear facing camera, the quality is nothing special but as a front facing camera it's surprisingly high quality. The photo above is with the rear facing camera, the photo below is from the front facing camera. The stock camera application also doesn't show the correct aspect ratio for the camera, so the preview is cropped.
Audio
While I don't have the equipment available to test audio quality and peak volume quite yet, subjectively the two bass reflex ports and dual front facing speakers make for a great experience. It's definitely a major advantage over other devices when it comes to watching movies and playing games as I don't have to cup my hand around the speaker. The larger size of the tablet formfactor means that the stereo separation is much more obvious. On the headphone jack, the device appears to be using a Realtek RT5639 codec. It seems that NVIDIA has continued to use their own speaker protection system that runs on the SoC, as there isn't any clear evidence of a speaker protection IC connected via I2C.
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TheJian - Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - link
Refurb is not part of my vocabulary...LOL, especially of an out of date device with far less power. You're talking 3x the perf in 3dmark here. Even if nexus 7 2013 was retailing NEW for $140 this would be a gimme for me. You rarely get 3x the power for double the cash. Heck you rarely get 50% more power for double cash. We're talking 3x for 25% cash new here. That is ridiculously cheap power and it does things nexus 7 can't do. It's not just the power in this equation. Stylus, streaming PC, Grid, gamepad mapping software etc. You aren't going to draw with a stylus on nexus 7 etc. You won't be sticking in a 128GB SD card either. You're sacrificing so much at this point I'd say your options are only for the severely poor or people not interested in much gaming at all.akdj - Sunday, August 3, 2014 - link
And a ¼ the speed, almost two years behind, and if ever there was a gaming 'tablet'... Nex7 ain't it. Sorry. I've got em both. Someone mentioned it earlier ...Android and Play Store are a waste land for games. Consoles. Computers. Even iOS for short term to lengthy MMO/RPG style games. Nexus 7 is definitely NOT an equivalent, and for what it is, it's also a joke as a reader (portrait) or browser. I've got both models and held out Hope but today, it is the iPad if we're discussing low end 'consumption' tabs with definitely the ability to get some work done with it, especially with the massive third party iOS catering club for keyboard or case, stylus or whatever game you're into, hobby you're interested in or magazine, book or newspaper ya wanna read the App Store has itakdj - Sunday, August 3, 2014 - link
Sorry, I meant to add today's low end consumption and partial creation tablet is the iPad. I think Microsoft has an actuality niche with the SP3. So IMHO, it's iPad or Surface today. From the objective measurements Samsung seemingly has been working behind the scenes to correct the .nex mods and the 'S' series seem to do pretty well in some benches. Still. Play store is barren (I'm using both android and iOS-- FWIW, I love my Note 3akdj - Sunday, August 3, 2014 - link
Ugh. Edit Anand:-). Point was the SP3 is a full on computer with killer display and excellent Intel/iGPU power. So for creation on a tablet you've got another and signficantly more powerful core iX series proc or the K1. Obviously it's twice as much too. What about Gameboy/DS, Nintendo and their piss poor sales these days. I understand WHAT nVidia is doing but other than us geeks does anyone else?kidconcept - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
Yes, I miss-typed. I meant $60 less.Knowname - Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - link
I would like to know if the stylus' features can only be used in that one application. I don't know if there is an app that all you stylus junkies use but I doubt it's the one Nvidia always shows.akdj - Sunday, August 3, 2014 - link
If it works, Sketchbook will drop weeks later. They're cross platform without a care in the world who's using S/B on which device. As long as their using it;)Voldenuit - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
Thanks for the review.Anyone know if the controller is usable on PC (whether with hacked drivers or official support)? Might be nice to kill two birds with one stone (don't currently have a controller for my PC).
NZtechfreak - Monday, August 18, 2014 - link
Just got my Controller today, wasn't working in Dolphin (and the manual says PCs "are not supported at this time"). Hopefully that will come with firmware updates in the future.NZtechfreak - Monday, August 18, 2014 - link
Dolphin on PC that is, realised that could be confusing since I was talking about Dolphin for Android earlier.