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Let's cut straight to the chase: Nvidia Shield is a superb, state-of-the-art handheld product - the most powerful Android hardware on the market right now - integrated into a beautifully built controller that ranks alongside the Xbox 360 pad in terms of ergonomics and response, while exceeding it in terms of the quality and feel of the materials. Shield isn't perfect, but for a first attempt at a handheld console from a firm known for graphics technology, it's a stand-out effort.Shield isn't available in the UK at the moment, but the small matter of an ocean was never going to trouble Digital Foundry, so here we are with an American unit we imported. On first removing the device from the packaging, impressions are a little mixed - on the one hand, there's an immediate sense of the quality in the build and materials, particularly from the rubberised underside of the unit which fits into your hands with a reassuring level of grip. It's a somewhat solid beast, weighing 579g - over twice the weight of PlayStation Vita - but integrating that sheer mass into what is essentially an Xbox 360 pad design with a clamshell flip-up display pays off: your hands wrap around the contours of the underside perfectly, and while Shield definitely makes its presence felt in your grasp, the weight distribution ensures that there's little danger of any fatigue, even after a couple of hours of sustained play.
Nvidia's debut handheld features best-in-class performance and an exceptional spec across the board in all areas, although it could have done with a larger screen and a front-facing webcam.
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