Next Generation NVIDIA SHIELD Android 8-Inch Tablet Breaks Cover In FCC Filing

NVIDIA’s SHIELD Tablet has been on the market for nearly two years and made quite the splash with gamers thanks to its fast Tegra K1 processor, 8-inch Full HD display, and support for the SHIELD wireless controller. However, two years is a long time on the market for any hardware product — even one that has been routinely updated via software.

Luckily, we can thank the FCC for providing a few scant details on the successor to the first generation SHIELD Tablet. The new tablet, which has the model number P2290W, measures 8.46 inches x 4.72 inches and is 0.30 inches thick. Weighing in at 12.34 ounces, the next generation tablet also has a 5100 mAh internal battery.

For comparison, the current generation SHIELD Tablet measures 8.8 inches x 5 inches and is 0.36 inches thick. It weighs 12.6 ounces and features a 5200 mAh battery.

Current Generation SHIELD Tablet

Other features of the new tablet include 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, and a microUSB port (instead of the newer USB-C port). For now, that’s about all we have to go on with respect to the next generation SHILED Tablet, which leaves us to speculate on what can be in store for consumers.

Perhaps we’ll see NVIDIA’s Tegra X1 processor show up, possibly with 3GB or 4GB of memory in tow (up from the current 2GB). And maybe we’ll see a bump in storage capacity from 16GB/32GB to 32GB/64GB. And we don’t think it would be out of line to see a 2560x1440 display thrown into the mix as an upgrade from the current 1920x1080 display.

We may not have to wait too long to see what NVIDIA has in store since the SHIELD Tablet has already passed through the FCC’s hands.