NVIDIA Shield Portable 2: A Nintendo Switch Competitor We Might Never See In The Market [Video]

NVIDIA made their presence felt during CES 2017 when they came out with their SHIELD Android TV Box and have Google Assistant incorporated in it. However, there was one item of note that seemed to be absent but highly anticipated.

The NVIDIA Shield debuted in 2013, however, has not been updated since its release. NVIDIA during the time in between has released a variety of devices, which included tablets, and Shield branded set-top boxes.

After months of speculations, another NVIDIA Shield Portable might soon arrive, a recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filings were uncovered that provided the first look of a new flip-up portable console, The Verge reported.

NVIDIA Shield Portable 2 specs

The new device has the same physical structure as that of the original with a few minor differences. NVIDIA have added a center control module with capacitive buttons with the same 5-inch screen, according to Trusted Reviews. However, the screen looks bigger for having a thinner bezel.

The FCC filings, however, does not provide details about the internals of the new NVIDIA Shield Portable 2. It would be however, safe to speculate that the new device was given significant upgrades, notably the Tegra K1 used in the Shield Tablet or the X1 used in the SHIELD Android TV Box.

Documents confirm that the NVIDIA Shield Portable 2 sports a 5GHz Wi-Fi and a new version of Low Energy Bluetooth. Photos show a MicroSD card slot, a headphone jack, and an HDMI port.

A note worth mentioning is that the NVIDIA Shield Portable 2 was submitted for regulatory certification last year with an 180-day confidentiality request. Upon expiration of the granted request, the device has since then surfaced on the FCC website.

Questions are now raised when NVIDIA will put the NVIDIA Shield Portable 2 on the shelves. By all indication, the NVIDIA Shield Portable 2 was supposed to be released last year. Speculations are mixed saying the company ditched development of the product in favor of the SHIELD Android TV Box, while others are saying the reason is Nintendo Switch that is running on a customized Tegra X1.