I’ve been a gamer for 30+ years. I’m very peculiar when it comes to connecting a new device to my tv. It has to provide a service that can fulfill my needs. I’ve had streaming devices since the x-box first came in to the scene with it’s god level hack. That allowed Xbox Media Center to be installed in the early 2000s. You can say I was spoiled from there on.
My Needs Are Plenty
I need my streaming device to play in the latest HD technologies. Both an easy to use and a highly customizable user interface is a must. Also required is a robust set of emulators readily available to feed my nostalgia. I love playing retro games. I also need to be able to play the latest gen games. Because of all this, I need it to work with a tv remote and a gaming controller. And I don’t wanna spend time setting them up. The Nvidia Shield Pro offers this and then some.
A Long And Hard Journey
When the original Xbox became obsolete, due to the higher bitrate of the videos and evolving tech. I set out to emulate this experience with other devices. I tried The FireTV , a great streaming device but not great for gaming. The Roku stick also was a bust. The newer generation consoles also fell flat. The Sony PS3 hack was great for gaming, but the interface was clunky for streaming. PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox one were just no good for my needs. I even tried Chinese claimed to be the Holy Grail. The PC came really close, but the lack of a YouTube app was a huge let down.
It Descends From Heaven
I’ll be honest , at $200 . It took me a good amount of research before I could justify spending the money on the Nvidia Shield. That’s around the price of a switch light, or a 3ds. However, I needed to bend my tv to my will. I was determined. I’m happy to report that not only do I feel it was totally worth the price. I believe it’s a steal now! I did everything I wanted and then some.
A streamers Paradise
It has a highly customizable interface and a long list of apps for all palettes. You can watch Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Hulu, pretty much all the big names in streaming. You can also get a lot of great IPTV apps for even more tv viewing choices. The one app that isn’t available is Apple TV. So If your invested in Apple echo system it would be a harder sell. I personally enjoy watching Vudu, and link it to my Movies Anywhere account. That way I can watch all my digital movies from one app. The Nvidia Shield actually runs android tv, a simplified version of Android . It runs great on tvs and it’s easy navigate with a tv remote.
One Of The Best Deals In Gaming
I believe the Nvidia Shield Is The Best Money You Can Spend If Your A Gamer. Thanks to Android it has a ton of emulators to choose from. The only real problem is getting the (roms) or games. A simple google search fixes that though. Retro gaming is a beauty in the Nvidia Shield . I’ve been able to play games up to Game cube generation. Admittedly It plays very few at a decent frame rate. But Mario Kart plays great! Nintendo NES, Sega master system, Game boy advance , Super Nintendo , Sega genesis, Sega Saturn ,PSP, Sega dream cast, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, Turbo duo, PCE, the always popular MAME arcade emulator, are all perfectly playable here.
The GeForce Now app is a subscription app that allows you to play games from a server. Which means that you can play Graphic intensive games from a machine that’s no more powerful than a Nintendo Switch. I played a few one player games and it performed great. Though I haven’t tested it with Multiplayer games where a microsecond lag can hurt your score.
Also of note, you can play your pc games remotely with the Nvidia Shield. It connects to your steam account to achieve this. I’ve used this feature a lot. And I liked it so much that I was seriously considering a pc only gaming rig. Though Sony does have a lot of awesome first party titles. And it would be the best idea for me.
It’s All About The Peripherals
It does have an Nvidia controller that works rather well with all emulators and it’s native Geforce Now app. And requires little to no setup on your part to get to gaming asap. Though they’re kind ‘a expensive.
It’s worth noting that Bluetooth connectivity is also an option. For example if you have a Ps4 or Xbox controller you can pair it to your Nvidia Shield and game with a top of the line gaming controller. I tried this and was severely disappointed at the results. Android lag kicks in pretty bad a few minutes into a gaming session. However I was determined and it paid off! I discovered this little device call 8bitdo .
This little device changed my world! It allows you to connect your ps4, ps5 etc. controller to the NVidia Shield. And it removes that annoying the lag! I’ve been using the PlayStation controllers for years now and being able to game with them is a god send to me. This company 8bitdo makes a ton of controller peripherals for pretty much any system you can think of, and at $20 it’s an absolute steal.
I’ve owned an Nvidia Shield for about 2 years and as a gamer it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. Don’t believe me? Just give it a try. And you too will fall in love. Thanks for visiting me, and as always. Stay Retro.
