Nvidia Shield 16gb $199.99 Gamestop

Newegg's ad I got this morning shows their price is going to be 199.99 at 12pm PST today. They call it a promotion, but I'm sure it's a drop. Nvidia called the 249.99 price a holiday promotion, but I never saw it go back up after the holidays, so this should be a permanent drop as well.

 
strait edge follower said:
for 200$ a vita/3ds is a much better buy for your mobile gaming imo
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I do agree with you there. For mobile games, 3DS and Vita are the way to go. There's nothing on ios or android like Link Between Worlds. However, I'm not sure The shield is comparable to 3DS and Vita. Great for PC streaming and (ahem) retro gaming.
 
from what I've read, it's a temporary price drop for the next several weeks.  TigerDirect and MicroCenter have it at $200 as well

 
I personally use it for retro gaming and I find it to be great. Not many Android games have controller input options and there are only a few but only getting this for the touch screen for games is awkward on the system. I've been playing MAME (Coin Arcade) and GBA games I missed out on. It even makes playing Playstation 1 games look bearable to play since it's on a small screen, I consider them "mobile" games. I got it as a gift as I already have a 3DS and a vita so I had to find a reason to use it. I wouldn't personally recommend to someone the shield for just android gaming but as someone else mentioned, retro gaming it the way to go. Otherwise I would pass unless you're interested in streaming PC games to your Shield you would also need a compatible video card to make use of this feature.

 
I've been so tempted by this from the beginning.  It's a really nice piece of hardware, the CPU/GPU and the physical hardware, but...UGH, it's running Android.

Even if it was running Windows RT or iOS (yeah, I know the latter is especially impossible) I'd buy it.

And I agree with the posters who said Vita and 3DS are better buys.

 
Wolfpup said:
I've been so tempted by this from the beginning. It's a really nice piece of hardware, the CPU/GPU and the physical hardware, but...UGH, it's running Android.

Even if it was running Windows RT or iOS (yeah, I know the latter is especially impossible) I'd buy it.

And I agree with the posters who said Vita and 3DS are better buys.
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Why do you hate Android? And I may pick one up, or wait for new model or $150

 
It's also $200 at Best Buy. I've been wanting something for retro gaming, pretty much N64 and below, but I'm not sure what to get. I know I can do a lot of it on my PSP, but its MAME support is pretty crappy. I've been looking at the JXD s7800b, but I don't know.. I hear the battery life is terrible on that. Maybe I'll give this a shot...unless anyone can recommend something else? How's that GCW Zero thingy?

 
gldoorii said:
It's also $200 at Best Buy. I've been wanting something for retro gaming, pretty much N64 and below, but I'm not sure what to get. I know I can do a lot of it on my PSP, but its MAME support is pretty crappy. I've been looking at the JXD s7800b, but I don't know.. I hear the battery life is terrible on that. Maybe I'll give this a shot...unless anyone can recommend something else? How's that GCW Zero thingy?
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I have a GCW Zero. Not a bad little system, but the screen is fairly small, the resolution is quite low (fine for the older games its designed for), and it did have some hardware problems before and after launch (sticking buttons, though mine have been OK). The Shield blows it away in every way, so there really is no comparison.

 
Yeah, for classic gaming, emu's, and proper physical controls, the Shield is the way to go. Nothing else comes close.

 
Got ready to buy a Shield from GameStop and noticed that SAVER will not work because it's a game system, and GS wants $8 for the slowest shipping. I would suggest going with Best Buy or Amazon for this one. I went with BB since I had a rewards certificate.

I'm actually amped about owning one of these, and I have been since I first read about it coming out.
 
Is there any reason to own this if I don't currently have a gaming PC? I believe one is in my future, but currently, I'm a console gamer.

 
lyric706 said:
Is there any reason to own this if I don't currently have a gaming PC? I believe one is in my future, but currently, I'm a console gamer.
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I have a gaming PC, but I haven't used it in years. Plus, it doesn't have an Nvidia graphics card, so it's not relevant anyways. Even though I don't stream from my PC, I often use their GRID service which is pretty cool and works very well. They still haven't announced any long term plans for this service, but so far it's free and offers some great games. Then when you consider emu's and Android, there's tons to do.

 
Got mine in the mail today. It's charging now, but I'm pretty darned excited to try it out. The controller is weighty, though it's lighter than an Xbox 360 controller, which surprised me since it has the added screen. The included manual doesn't give a lot of instructions, but I think it's supposed to be minimalist since it's a gadget aimed at techies. I'm pretty excited about the Google Play compatibility too since I already have a bunch of apps I've already paid for, and of course, I'm interested in those things that start with an 'e' that I'm not supposed to mention. I ordered a 6 foot mini HDMI cable for less than $6 off Walmart.com, so I think I'm set. I was actually more excited about owning one of these than I am about buying PS4 or Xbox One, sorry to say. Did anyone else get one of these?
 
Picked up the Shield last week at Gamestop for $199.  Gamestop is also running a promotion through the 6th where you get a $25 playstore card with the purchase of the Shield, so make sure to have them ring up a card if grabbing one from Gamestop.  It rang up as $0 automatically in the system for me last week.

I have already put a good amount of time in with the system and I love it.  I am able to game for several hours at a time without any hand pain.  The controller is very nice as is the screen.  It is able to run emulators of all kinds at max settings and speed, so it is a great system for all of your gaming needs on the go or at home.  It can also run every Android game you throw at it.  Streaming from my PC system and the Nvidia Grid service also works perfectly with a great picture and no lag.  I definitely recommend one of these, even if you own the Vita and 3DS systems (I own both as well).

 
GaveUpTomorrow said:
Picked up the Shield last week at Gamestop for $199. Gamestop is also running a promotion through the 6th where you get a $25 playstore card with the purchase of the Shield, so make sure to have them ring up a card if grabbing one from Gamestop. It rang up as $0 automatically in the system for me last week.
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Damn. There wasn't a GameStop store within 50 miles of me, so I bought it from Best Buy, but I wish I had gotten mine from GS in store. Nice pick up indeed.
 
Congrats to those who got this, looks like a great little handheld. I think for $200 its a great deal. Don't have the spare cash right now, but I may pick one up later.

Question: do all android games work with the buttons/sticks, or only versions customized for the Shield? And can you play most games without an active WiFi connection?
 
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chimpmeister said:
Congrats to those who got this, looks like a great little handheld. I think for $200 its a great deal. Don't have the spare cash right now, but I may pick one up later.
Question: do all android games work with the buttons/sticks, or only versions customized for the Shield? And can you play most games without an active WiFi connection?
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Well, the Nvidia Tegra store sells games that are configured to work with the system. It comes with Sonic Episode 4 and Expendable: Rearmed, but you have to buy others that are more expensive when compared to their regular Google Play counterparts. I saw Riptide and Grand Theft Auto on the Tegra store when I logged in earlier, but I doubt I'll buy those since I already have them on other systems. And the five inch touchscreen on the Shield work for games that don't have button controls, but I haven't tried any of those yet since I didn't want to eat up the memory with stuff like Angry Birds.
 
josekortez said:
Well, the Nvidia Tegra store sells games that are configured to work with the system. It comes with Sonic Episode 4 and Expendable: Rearmed, but you have to buy others that are more expensive when compared to their regular Google Play counterparts. I saw Riptide and Grand Theft Auto on the Tegra store when I logged in earlier, but I doubt I'll buy those since I already have them on other systems. And the five inch touchscreen on the Shield work for games that don't have button controls, but I haven't tried any of those yet since I didn't want to eat up the memory with stuff like Angry Birds.
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I have Expendable Rearmed (plays great on my Nexus 7), great little action game! Also have Riptide GP and like it too.
 
chimpmeister said:
Question: do all android games work with the buttons/sticks, or only versions customized for the Shield? And can you play most games without an active WiFi connection?
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As stated above, they have the "Shield Store" where games specific to Shield can be bought. Outside of those games, the Shield has a button mapping feature that allows you to map the physical controls to any game that has on screen ONLY controls. So even if a game doesn't work out of the box with Shield, you can fix it. Not a perfect solution, but a pretty good one. Shield FTW!

 
Just one more update after using Shield - I am in love with this thing. I hate to say it, but this week, it just surpassed the Vita as my new favorite handheld, and I didn't think that was at all possible. I can't stop playing it, and the fact that I can use Micro SD cards on it just pushed it ahead of Sony's beast. If you're interested in retro games at all, Shield is a must-get.
 
josekortez said:
Just one more update after using Shield - I am in love with this thing. I hate to say it, but this week, it just surpassed the Vita as my new favorite handheld, and I didn't think that was at all possible. I can't stop playing it, and the fact that I can use Micro SD cards on it just pushed it ahead of Sony's beast. If you're interested in retro games at all, Shield is a must-get.
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Sounds great! A few questions:

Is it comfortable to hold for long periods?
How nice is the screen? Battery life? Buttons and triggers?
Besides retro games, are the Shield-specific games nice?
Finally, can you use your Google Play account with it?

Considering getting one but I need to think hard about it.
 
Is it comfortable to hold for long periods? Depending on your hand size, it's a perfect fit, but it is heavy, so weight might be an issue for extended periods, just depends on the user, but comfort is top shelf.

How nice is the screen? Battery life? Buttons and triggers? The screen is excellent, but the bezel has wasted space, so that can bother some. Battery is the BEST. Depending on use, it can last 10+ hours. Buttons and triggers are console quality, but the d-pad could be better(but it's not bad).
 

Besides retro games, are the Shield-specific games nice? They have some Tegra 4 specific Shield games, and they are mostly very good, but there just Android games with spruced up graphics and physical controls. Which can be a world of difference depending on the game.
 

Finally, can you use your Google Play account with it? YES

When the Shield was first released, Nvidia had a demo finder on their website, as GS's around the country had demo kiosk set up. I'm not sure if demo units are still out there, or if the demo finder is still active, but give a look and see. "N" says that the WiiU needs to be experienced to be understood, but I've played it at stores, and it didn't move me to rush out and buy one. There is nothing there to understand, except for the HUGE tablet controller, that doesn't really add anything to existing games(just another gimmick).

I think if you hold the Shield in your hands and use it, you'll love it. Anyone can see how this was designed to offer the best experience possible in a handheld form and is serious about doing so. At it's current price, it's still the best android gaming option available.

BTW, the speakers are mind blowing, no joke.

 
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Mine should be here by the end of the day. I ordered from Best Buy and got it for retro gaming. Hopefully it doesn't fail to deliver.

 
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