Nvidia Shield Sales are 'Great,' Production Ramping up Soon

[raulpica]

Buying a ATi/AMD GPU only ever made sense to me if the rig in question was AMD-based in the first place since they do work well in tandem. In case of Intel-based rigs though, nVidia is and always has been the way to go, and seeing that those GPU's now appear to work together with the Shield as well, there is absolutely no logical reason as to why a Shield user would not get a GeForce.

Actually I remember reading a benchmark where AMD GPUs worked the best in tandem with Intel, while NVidia cards worked better on AMD platforms.

Funny, huh?

 

[Foxi4]

Actually I remember reading a benchmark where AMD GPUs worked the best in tandem with Intel, while NVidia cards worked better on AMD platforms.

Funny, huh?

How odd, I do remember the exact opposite happening. Were the differences substantial?

 

[raulpica]

How odd, I do remember the exact opposite happening. Were the differences substantial?

Nothing much, I remember that the difference was of 5 fps in the best cases (which when you're way over 80-90fps don't count much), but it was still funny to see that, as everyone thought that AMD GPUs would work best on an AMD platform.

IIRC, it was on Tom's Hardware, but I'm not sure. I've read way too many reviews in the years

 

[Foxi4]

Nothing much, I remember that the difference was of 5 fps in the best cases (which when you're way over 80-90fps don't count much), but it was still funny to see that, as everyone thought that AMD GPUs would work best on an AMD platform.

IIRC, it was on Tom's Hardware, but I'm not sure. I've read way too many reviews in the years

Perhaps it's a recent development, I'm not really up-to-date with the PC hardware scene as of late, can't be bothered.

#2_Poor_4_Gaeming_PC ;O;

 

[rg]

Honestly i will not buy shield or vita or any handheld system that has home pc specs.

Reason for this is simple, for me an handheld system is to carry with me wenn i travel from home -> work or on a train, or during some boring event (like university classes).

This means it's always tops 50 min time to play anything, and therefore needs to be an game that is fun and at the same time not very complex.....

This is why Nintendo DS sells more...

If i want a mega high spec system i can buy a PS3 / ps4 or something like that...

Just my opinion...

 

[Foxi4]

Honestly i will not buy shield or vita or any handheld system that has home pc specs.

Reason for this is simple, for me an handheld system is to carry with me wenn i travel from home -> work or on a train, or during some boring event (like university classes).

This means it's always tops 50 min time to play anything, and therefore needs to be an game that is fun and at the same time not very complex.....

This is why Nintendo DS sells more...

If i want a mega high spec system i can buy a PS3 / ps4 or something like that...

Just my opinion...

Can you explain how better specs make a machine any less portable or how it influences the games on the platform?

Specs give programmers space to spread their wings and code what they want to code, not what the hardware allows them to do. What you're basically saying here that it's infinitely better to have an iron ball chained to your right leg because you're never in a hurry anyways.

What you should be interested in is the form factor, as that's the only factor relevant in your case. You value portability so the device has to be easy to carry around with you.

 

[ElYubiYubi]

Then can you explain why you're planning to buy ATI/AMD graphic cards for your rig? Because quite frankly, your purchases don't make much sense. Why would you consider buying ATI/AMD graphic cards when you bought an nVidia shield that works best with nVidia graphics cards?

Did you buy an ATI/AMD chipset motherboard that prevents SLI or something when you were buying all these computer parts, not realizing that you'd be gimping your shield?

I didn't buy any ATI/AMD Graphic Card. I just bought an APU and more RAM MAINLY for Dolphin and Video Editing. I never said about buying a graphic card

To be entirely fair, those three year old PSP emulators still work like a charm. Sure, it won't do N64 emulation, nor DS (which nearly everybody that uses this forum owns some version of), but I don't think either of those are worth buying a $300 device over just because you get some buttons. Really, anybody that has a useless Android phone laying around can use that as an emulation machine easily with the purchase of a $30 controller add on. Even my Droid X can do some amazing things still, and that hasn't been a relevant phone for a couple of years now. Are you saying that it's a smarter investment to drop $300 on a Shield versus $30 on a bluetooth controller/stand attachment? No matter how you slice it, there are a lot of cheaper alternatives to buying a $300 Android device with a built in controller where emulation is concerned.

For streaming, hey, some of us are more comfortable with certain set ups. I'm cool gaming in bed with my laptop propped against my leg (how I browse GBAtemp much of the time), but I get other people would be happy with a slightly more comfortable set up.

Good Luck trying to emulate something. Even NVIDIA Shield have problems.

 

[Foxi4]

NVIDIA Shield is probably the ultimate console for emulators. All the awesome portable emulators developers are on Android right now, so if you don't want to be stuck with 3-years old PSP emulators, Android is the way to go.

I forgot to add that I agree with this part.

While I can trash talk dedicated Android games as much as I want to (and rightfuly so, as most of those games are trash), the hardware itself is nothing to laugh at, easily providing "the edge" in terms of emulation and considering the fact that Android is an open system, it's a magnet for homebrew developers.

 

[Veho]

Can you explain how better specs make a machine any less portable

Battery life

 

[Foxi4]

Battery life

"Performance on Demand" is better than "Poor Performance All the Time", the PSVita and the 3DS have comparable battery life and yet the PSVita manages to be several times beefier still. That being said, the 3DS XL does take the cake in that regard. Thankfuly I don't have that problem as carrying a charger or at least a USB-compatible charging cable has never been a bother for me.

 

[ElYubiYubi]

The Nvidia Shield Seemed Like A Fringe Device, But It’s Actually A Mobile Gaming Must-Have

 

[IBNobody]

Can you explain how better specs make a machine any less portable or how it influences the games on the platform?

I think he was complaining that the nVidia Shield had spec requirements for home PC streaming. Likewise, the PS Vita has a requirement of owning a PS4 for game streaming. He wanted to play his games when/wherever he wanted, and both streaming setups limit that.

Fair enough, I guess.

I didn't bought any ATI/AMD Graphic Card. I just bought an APU and more RAM MAINLY for Dolphin and Video Editing. I never said about buying a graphic card

You mentioned your intent to buy a dedicated GPU for crossfire. See below...

Didn't buy any graphics card, just an APU with enough RAM to support it. I will Crossfire it later though.

Crossfire is the ATI/AMD branded technology for linking two GPUs together. You can't Crossfire nVidia cards. You have to use SLI and two identical GPUs.

 

[ElYubiYubi]

I think he was complaining that the nVidia Shield had spec requirements for home PC streaming. Likewise, the PS Vita has a requirement of owning a PS4 for game streaming. He wanted to play his games when/wherever he wanted, and both streaming setups limit that.

Fair enough, I guess.





You mentioned your intent to buy a dedicated GPU for crossfire. See below...



Crossfire is the ATI/AMD branded technology for linking two GPUs together. You can't Crossfire nVidia cards. You have to use SLI and two identical GPUs.

"LATER"
Radeon HD 7750
Not anytime soon

 

[IBNobody]

"LATER"
Radeon HD 7750
Not anytime soon

I know you are buying it later. Why wouldn't you buy a GTX-660 later (or even a GTX-650 Ti) instead?

A crossfired Radeon HD 7750 is barely beating a GTX-550 Ti, and that card is 2 generations old.

http://www.techspot.com/review/501-amd-radeon-hd-7770-7750-crossfire/page2.html

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Good Luck trying to emulate something. Even NVIDIA Shield have problems.

This statement shows you have no idea what you're talking about. Excellent.

The problem with emulators on Android isn't so much hardware at this point, it's compatibility with the emulator (though in ND's case with his Droid, he might have issues running N64. But whatever). My Galaxy S4 can emulate everything I've thrown at it with playable speeds. The only things I've had trouble emulating were games that had known compatibility issues that can't be helped. The Shield doesn't have any kind of advantage for emulating over smartphones other than the controller, which can easily be bought for $30 for smartphones.

 

[ElYubiYubi]

I know you are buying it later. Why wouldn't you buy a GTX-660 later (or even a GTX-650 Ti) instead?

A crossfired Radeon HD 7750 is barely beating a GTX-550 Ti, and that card is 2 generations old.

http://www.techspot.com/review/501-amd-radeon-hd-7770-7750-crossfire/page2.html

Because is the latest one I can crossfire with this APU?

 

[Foxi4]

This statement shows you have no idea what you're talking about. Excellent.

The problem with emulators on Android isn't so much hardware at this point, it's compatibility with the emulator (though in ND's case with his Droid, he might have issues running N64. But whatever). My Galaxy S4 can emulate everything I've thrown at it with playable speeds. The only things I've had trouble emulating were games that had known compatibility issues that can't be helped. The Shield doesn't have any kind of advantage for emulating over smartphones other than the controller, which can easily be bought for $30 for smartphones.

Pretty much. To be fair, the new Tegra GPU is quite efficient, but it's not going to be bleeding edge forever. The nice part is that it all comes in one package - the less nice part is that the same effect can be achieved for a fraction of the price.

 

[IBNobody]

Because is the latest one I can crossfire with this APU?

And why would you crossfire with a sucky APU when you can get a decent discrete nVidia GPU that kicks the HD 7750+8670D combo to the curb? And has a side benefit of letting you use your Shield as a streaming device?

Do you not read benchmarks?

 

[ElYubiYubi]

This statement shows YOU didn't get it what you're talking about. Excellent.

The problem with emulators on Android isn't so much hardware at this point, it's compatibility with the emulator (though in ND's case with his Droid, he might have issues running N64. But whatever). My Galaxy S4 can emulate everything I've thrown at it with playable speeds. The only things I've had trouble emulating were games that had known compatibility issues that can't be helped. The Shield doesn't have any kind of advantage for emulating over smartphones other than the controller, which can easily be bought for $30 for smartphones.

S4>>>>>>His Droid

And Shield DOES have Hardware advantage. The only other CPU comparable is the new Snapdragon 800

And why would you crossfire with a sucky APU when you can get a decent discrete nVidia GPU that kicks the HD 7750+8670D combo to the curb? And has a side benefit of letting you use your Shield as a streaming device?

Do you not read benchmarks?

Because I'M NOT into PC gaming? This is just for Dolphin and Video Editing

And BTW I can happily play enough with just this APU

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

S4>>>>>>His Droid

And Shield DOES have Hardware advantage. The only other CPU comparable is the new Snapdragon 800

Ok, fine. My old HTC Evo could emulate PS1 games just fine, and while the more intensive N64 games played a bit slow, I was still able to emulate Mario Kart at playable speeds. Like I said, hardware isn't the problem with emulation, which is what you're trying to imply, the software is.

What I meant was, buying a $300 glorified "gaming" device for emulation was a stupid choice, which is what you did, because the average smartphone nowadays can emulate anything fine.

I'm not necessarily saying the Shield is a bad device, just that it's a bit silly to pay $300 for something a smartphone someone may already have can do with a $30 controller.