The NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet Review
by Joshua Ho on July 29, 2014 9:00 AM ESTDisplay
While this device is targeted towards gaming, as a tablet it also needs a great display. In order to better test this, we turn to our custom workflow in CalMAN 5 to get a better idea of how good the display is. To start, we’ll look at the basics and move on from there. All of these tests were done with sRGB as it provides the best results.
Unfortunately, it seems that the display is a bit dim compared to the competition. It’s still well within spec and plenty bright for indoor usage, but outdoors it won’t be as easy to read. Contrast is definitely up to par though, and as far as I can tell in normal usage image-dependent dimming is disabled, so the display has a relatively high native contrast.
In the grayscale test, NVIDIA has done a relatively good job in keeping a balanced white point, although error ends up a bit high relative to what we’ve seen recently. It’s definitely acceptable for most users, at any rate. It's important to note here that the grayscale accuracy error average is not just a measurement of RGB color balance, as vision also depends upon the luminance aspect to be correct.
The saturation test is where things start to fall apart. Unfortunately, it’s quite clear that the backlight used in this device just doesn’t have pure enough wavelengths for red and blue, and the result is that the gamut is well below sRGB, around what we see for the iPhone 4/4s and iPad mini line. This may be an attempt to improve power consumption, but I suspect that most are willing to forgo some battery life for a higher quality display. NVIDIA’s sRGB calibration is good up to the 80% saturation mark, but everything else past that point will have the same color, so it’s clear that NVIDIA’s display calibration tries to make do with what it has.
As expected, the ColorChecker shows the results of the poor gamut and some issues present in the grayscale. Error ends up relatively high. The display is still decent, but relative to the competition it doesn’t stack up very well.
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Stuka87 - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
I think the tablet on its own is decent. Although it is very heavy for its size (Which BTW this review does not mention its weight anywhere).The controller is what I end up scratching my head over. In their release photos they show a girl gaming with the tablet, but sitting like 3ft away. As if being that far away would be enjoyable.
One other thing that is not clear, if the tablet is NOT on wifi, will the controller still work? The article makes it sound like you have to be on wifi.
Friendly0Fire - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
WiFi *Direct* is a straight connection between the tablet and the controller using the WiFI protocol. It most certainly doesn't need a network to work.Stuka87 - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
Hm, ok. But he specifically said it depends what type of wifi network you are on.lmcd - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
That's for the connection band. Meaning that if one of the two Wi-Fi bands is in use for Wi-Fi, then the other one is the one that'll be used for the Wi-Fi direct.halca - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
Really? That's it for the directstylus review section? I'm disappointed. I hoped to see more comparison between the old and new, and compared to wacom's tech on samsung note line.scbundy - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
Shame about the screen, but with my old Nexus 7 broken and me looking for a gaming tablet replacement, this one appears to fit the bill perfectly. Especially since my gaming PC has a 780 GTX. Can't wait to try it out.dabotsonline - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
"In essence, this device is already ready to serve as an Android TV device."I thought that Google are mandating a very specific UI design for Android TV devices - one which is very different from this? Do you have any inside info regarding the final version this fall / autumn, Josh?
aamir147 - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
I think he means nvidia can eventually add an android TV mode when connecting via hdmi just like you can get a console mode.SpartyOn - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
Personally, I love my Shield Portable (or whatever they're calling the 1st Gen device). Sitting in bed or on the couch streaming the game I just turned off at my desk is fantastic. It's also the best Android emulator device out there.The recent updates to allow outside the home streaming (which this article incorrectly states as only allowing in-home; please change) and 1080p Console Mode streaming via wired Ethernet, have made this a killer mobile gaming device. Instead of carting my mITX build back and forth when I want to play a game via controller on my HDTV, I can now simply hook up the Shield and stream the game, in full 1080p, to the TV and can hook up an XBOX 360 wireless controller with USB OTG. No more hauling a computer around the house or having to settle for a laptop! Seriously awesome.
My wife and I continuously fight to use the Shield when heading to bed, she for her emulators and me for streaming from my gaming rig. I REALLY want to pick up another one so that she can have her own, so I was hoping this was going to be a self-contained device like the 1st Gen, just with the K1 and maybe some weight balancing, an extra miniUSB port, and a 6" screen with less bezel (the bezel with the 5" is HUGE and I'm sure they could creatively get a slightly bigger screen in there).
Unfortunately, the new Shield device as a tablet is... underwhelming. Sure it has snazzy bells n' whistles for a tablet, but with the larger form factor and lack of handholding ease, this really kills a lot of its portability. I prefer the fully contained controller/screen of the original; plus, it was different and really created a new market. Now it's just another tablet in a crowded field. Seems like a dumb strategy to me.
Until they release a refreshed Shield Portable with the K1, I'll be keeping my money. Kudos to NVIDIA though for the 1st Gen device - I love it.
fivefeet8 - Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - link
Unfortunately, you're probably in the minority at this point and I do understand why some would prefer it that way. One of the reasons I didn't get the original shield is because you couldn't do much else with it besides gaming. Even though I loved the hardware and software, I wanted something that could encompass more. Something I could use for both work and play on mobile. The new Shield Tablet fits that almost perfectly.