Good for
Game Boy, NES, Genesis, GBA
Support listed to
DS
OS
Android 5.1
Released
Jan 2013
The Shield Portable is a budget clamshell retro handheld from Nvidia with a 5.0-inch 1280×720 IPS screen, WiFi and Bluetooth, and runs Android 5.1. It is best suited for Game Boy, NES, Genesis, GBA, with support listed up to DS.
Played on the Nvidia Shield Portable
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Emulation
Supports 11 of 18 tested systems: 6 at excellent, 2 running well.
Mid-generation systems
Mixed5 of 5 systems listed as playable or better
Modern systems
Unsupported0 of 4 systems listed as playable or better
Classic systems
Excellent6 of 6 systems listed as playable or better
Sixth-generation systems
Unsupported0 of 3 systems listed as playable or better
Emulation source notes
- DS: Nintendo DS: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
- 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
- GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- N64: Nintendo 64: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
- NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- PS1: Sony Playstation: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
- PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
- PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- Wii: Nintendo Wii: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
- SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
- Saturn: Sega Saturn: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable
- Switch: Nintendo Switch: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
- Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
- Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
Specifications
Display
Screen
5.0 inch
Aspect ratio
16:9
Resolution
1280 x 720
Pixel density
293.72 PPI
Panel
IPS
Refresh rate
60 Hz
Performance
Chipset
Nvidia Tegra 4
CPU
Cortex-A15
CPU clock
1.9 GHz
CPU cores
4
CPU threads
4
GPU
Nvidia GeForce Tegra 4
GPU clock
672 MHz
RAM
2 GB DDR3
Storage
Internal 16 GB & External MicroSD
Architecture
ARM
Build
Battery
7350 mAh
Weight
579 grams
Dimensions
158 mm x 135 mm x 57 mm
Material
Plastic
Charge port
Micro USB
Controls
Shoulder buttons
Stacked
D-pad
Top
Thumbsticks
Symmetrical
Extra buttons
Power, Home, Volume, Back
Features
FAQ
- What systems can the Nvidia Shield Portable emulate?
- The Nvidia Shield Portable plays systems up to DS well. It is at its best with Game Boy, NES, Genesis, GBA.
- Can the Nvidia Shield Portable play DS games?
- Yes. DS performance on the Nvidia Shield Portable is rated good in our catalog. Nintendo DS: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
- Can the Nvidia Shield Portable play PSP games?
- Only partially. PSP on the Nvidia Shield Portable is playable with compromises. Sony Playstation Portable: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- What operating system does the Nvidia Shield Portable run?
- The Nvidia Shield Portable ships with Android 5.1.
- What screen does the Nvidia Shield Portable have?
- It has a 5.0 inch IPS display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, running at 1280 x 720 at 293.72 PPI.
- When was the Nvidia Shield Portable released?
- Nvidia released the Nvidia Shield Portable in January 2013.
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