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NVShieldFeature

Nvidia has announced a replacement program for its Shield Pro console, though the company claims just a tiny fraction of the shipped devices are actually afflicted. According to the visitor, this recall simply affects Shield Pro users who bought the 500GB version of the panel, not standard users with the 16GB flavor. Co-ordinate to Nvidia, devices that need to be replaced are those which exhibit the following characteristics (screenshot from Nvidia's GeForce forum):

NV-Recall

Nvidia hasn't given any further data on what caused the outcome, but has promised to supplant the defective units for customers, or to work with them to secure RMAs through other retailers where it is able to exercise so. The visitor claims that less-than 1% of all units have been impacted, but besides notes that the result can "worsen over time." If you lot're seeing issues with graphical abuse or unusual pauses today, in other words, you lot'd best deal with the problem now earlier things become worse.

The timing on this particular recall is a bit awkward, given that NV prominently chosen out the Apple TV in a recent weblog mail service. aggressively positioning Shield as the best all-in-i microconsole and dismissing the Apple Television set as only good for people who play "Crossyroad" [sic]. (This appears to be a misspelled reference to the mobile game "Crossy Road," which debuted for iOS late last year).

CrossyRoad

To be off-white to Nvidia, it's non wrong — the Shield Idiot box is one of the most powerful microconsole gaming platforms available today — but it'south embarrassing to be recalling your own hardware less than a week later slamming Apple'due south latest set-acme box. There'south also the fact that while it may be the well-nigh powerful of the micro-consoles, micro-consoles themselves aren't exactly setting the world on fire. Hardcore gamers are still opting for the Xbox 1 and PS4, while casual gamers are happy with relatively modest game performance. Nvidia'due south Maxwell gives them an advantage in this space, to exist sure, and they offer game streaming options that other providers tin can't match — simply are those features plenty to bulldoze products like Shield equally a wedge into the wider gaming market? So far, the answer seems to be "No" — and that may limit Shield Television's appeal in the long term.

This is also the second recent recall of Shield hardware, and though nosotros applaud Nvidia for taking activity to resolve the issues it's encountered with each Shield device, announcements like this tin leave the impression that the hardware is less-than-reliable. So far nosotros run across no sign that's true, but if you have a device affected by the retrieve, drop in and let u.s. know if new hardware fixes the trouble.