Nvidia launched the Nvidia Shild tablet, a high-performance tablet Tuesday aimed at gamers who want the convenience of a mobile device. The tablet has an eight-inch high-definition display and will retail for $299, with an optional $40 coverto be also available . A wireless controller can be added for some extra $60.

The SHIELD tablet is powered by the the NVIDIA Tegra K1 mobile processor, which has 192 GPU cores, and will be supplemented by regular, over-the-air software upgrades.

The device was built specifically for gamers. It features an 8-inch, full HD display, front-facing speakers and an optional cover that both protects the screen and can be used as a kick-stand.

To transform it into a complete gaming machine, NVIDIA has built the SHIELD wireless controller. The SHIELD tablet also offers optional LTE for gamers to take their online gaming anywhere.

The device can stream games from a PC desktop or notebook using NVIDIA GameStream technology, which streams from NVIDIA GeForce GTX- powered GPUs.

It can also stream PC games from NVIDIA GRID. Gamers can access the GRID cloud gaming beta, available to SHIELD owners in Northern California, to stream a library of PC games, and then save them in the cloud.

It also features ShadowPlay, a game-capture tool that lets users save and stream their gaming moments to Twitch. Gamers can stream titles from the SHIELD tablet to friends and foes worldwide. SHIELD tablet also includes a 5MP front camera.

In the Console Mode, users can take tablet gameplay to big-screen TVs. Gamers can connect their SHIELD wireless controller, sit back on the couch and play PC and Android games, browse the web, and watch their favorite movies -- all in native 1080p HD.

Up to four wireless controllers can be connected to the device to game along with friends. It is the first precision controller designed for both PC game streaming and Android gaming, and features a headset jack supporting stereo audio and support for game chat, a built-in touch pad, volume control, and voice command and search.

Nvidia is also offering on the SHIELD tablet a stylus powered by its DirectStylus 2 technology. Twice as responsive as its predecessor, DirectStylus 2 technology enables GPU-accelerated 3D painting, a new capability where pigment and paint mix and bleed physically, in real time, and the palette is naturally illuminated in 3D as the user adjusts the light source. Artists can also use DirectStylus 2 to capture the attitude of every stroke on the SHIELD tablet, take notes with the integrated apps and handwriting recognition, or get creative with the NVIDIA Dabbler app's realistic watercolor and 3D Paint oil painting.

The SHIELD tablet comes preloaded with the NVIDIA SHIELD Hub app. The app offers one-touch access to a shop of SHIELD-optimized Android games, along with quick launch capability for installed games and apps.

Also bundled is the Frostbyte game Trine 2: Complete Story. Originally a hit on PlayStation, Xbox and Steam, the game is now optimized for great gameplay and graphics on the Tegra K1 processor.

SHIELD tablet additionally offers full access to Google Play, where gamers can download thousands of apps, including Netflix, Pandora and more.

The SHIELD tablet comes with either Wi-Fi connectivity, or Wi-Fi and LTE. It's available in 16- and 32GB, with MicroSD support (up to 128GB), starting at $299. The SHIELD wireless controller retails for $59. The SHIELD tablet cover retails for $39.

The SHIELD tablet, wireless controller and tablet cover are now available for preorder in the United States, Canada and select European countries.

SHIELD Portable Software Upgrade

Nvidia also plans to release a software update for SHIELD gamiong device on July 29th.

Headlining this upgrade is support for the new SHIELD wireless controller, which is faster and more responsive, and up to four SHIELD wireless controllers can be used simultaneously in multiplayer games. It also offers bi-directional audio and VOIP via a single stereo headset jack and its reduced power requirements of Wi-Fi Direct enable up to 40 hours of gaming from a single charge.

The software update also offers access to SHIELD Hub, previously known as TegraZone.

Netflix has been updated, too, and can now stream in full HD at up to 1080p in Console Mode.

GameStream and Android on-screen controls have received a new lick of paint in the latest SHIELD Software Upgrade, improving usability and adding shortcuts to items such as Steam and the on-screen keyboard. To bring up the new and improved on-screen controls, long hold the Start button while playing a PC game in GameStream or an Android game.

GameStream itself sees improvements in the SHIELD Software Upgrade with a new round of performance and security enhancements. Specifically, for SHIELD portable owners who are streaming their PC games outside of the home with Remote GameStream, there is a required router settings change for manual port forwarding. Simply add 48010 as an additional port to the current list of TCP ports that are already manually forwarded.

Finally, if you're connected to Ethernet for 1080p, 60 FPS GameStream, an Ethernet indicator now displays in the Android notification bar in place of the Wi-Fi indicator.