Nvidia Shield Portable vs. Nintendo Switch: competition brewing due to same Tegra processors

Catherine Salvador Wednesday, January 18, 2017

NVIDIA introduced the new Shield TV at CES 2017 | Nvidia

The recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing shows what the next-generation Nvidia Shield Portable is made of. This has got the gamers comparing the gadget with the upcoming Nintendo Switch.

The FCC filing shows that the next Nvidia Shield Portable will be almost similar to the current model, except that it has slight changes in dimensions. However, it retains its flip screen, the microSD card slot, headphone and HDMI port.

The first model came out in 2013 and no major update has been made until news emerged that a second model is coming out. The news led to the gamers comparing its specs to the equally awaited Nintendo Switch, especially since both gadgets will be installed with custom Tegra processors.

The Nvidia Shield Portable 2, according to the filing, has been exposed following the 180-day confidentiality agreement. The handheld gadget boasts several key features like an 802.11ac 5GHz Wi-Fi radio and Bluetooth Low Energy.

It also sports a home button, capacitive controls, aside from a new control module. The screen is also bigger than the 5-inch screen size of the current model. The size of the Nvidia Shield Portable 2 is seen at 4.23 inches tall, 5.46 inches wide and 2.38 inches thick while the current console is measured at 6.22 inches tall, 5.32 inches wide and 2.24 inches thick.

As for the Nintendo Switch, it has 32 GB of built-in memory, coupled by a microSD card slot to expand its storage. It is said to function like the PlayStation 4 (PS4), but with a one-touch button to save the players' gameplay and share to Twitch, YouTube or any other sites.

The Neon Blue and Neon Red variant of Nintendo Switch | Nintendo

Unfortunately, the next-generation Nvidia Shield Portable will not come out soon. While Nintendo Switch already has a release date, the rollout of Nvidia's upcoming handheld gadget is believed to have been delayed. It is rumored that the company has canceled the project following the filing.

Therefore, how they compete in the market remains to be seen.