It's still too early to know for sure if Nvidia's Shield portable gaming console will sink or swim but according to CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, it's off to a great start. The outspoken chief admitted as much during a recent conference call to discuss quarterly earnings.
He went on to point out that everything they have shipped thus far has sold out although they are just now starting to ramp up production. Before you read too much into his words, however, Huang said they've only shipped several thousand units to partners thus far. Even so, he said he expects Nvidia will do quite well with Shield over the long haul but it's still quite early to tell for sure.
Nvidia's Shield portable gaming console has been on the market for less than two weeks, earning a number of favorable reviews in the process. Experts have praised the system's customizability and high-quality build which features a sharp and bright touch screen. Others are fond of the Shield's responsive buttons and solid battery life but like any other device, it isn't perfect.
Some have noted that Android isn't a great gaming platform. Other cons include a heavy and bulky design, a lackluster display resolution and the fact that PC streaming requires expensive hardware and is only available over local networks.
Whether or not Nvidia can / will address some of the Shield's shortcomings in a future revision likely depends on the success of the niche handheld in the coming weeks and months.