NVIDIA's new 65-inch 4K G-Sync gaming displays run Android TV

By published

Well, this is surprising.

NVIDIA's stepping into the gaming display space, partnering with a bunch of companies — Acer, Asus, and HP to start — to release their own version of a BFGD, or Big Format Gaming Display (opens in new tab). These 65-inch gaming displays are aimed at hardcore PC gamers who want a huge screen, and have impressive specs like a 4K resolution, HDR, as low as 1ms latency, G-Sync, and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Interestingly, they also have a full-on Android TV experience built in.

The pitch is that the hardcore gamers will come to the BFGD for the best experience when they hook up their PC and play, but then when they're done with that and want to take a break they flip over to a full NVIDIA Shield Android TV experience:

This critically-acclaimed device, that before now was only available as a separate box, runs at up to 4K, in HDR, and has a whole host of apps and features. For streaming there's support for Amazon, HBO, Hulu, Netflix, YouTube and many other key channels; for home and remote playback there's best-in-class Plex and Kodi support; for extra gaming fun there are Android games and exclusive conversions of classic titles, such as Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3; for remote PC playing there's GeForce NOW and GameStream; for relaxed user control there's voice-powered Google Assistant; and for future household tech there's SHIELD's Smart Home technologies.

So not only do you get the benefit of having an Android TV experience, but you get the NVIDIA version of that — that means Amazon Video, GeForce Now streaming and GameStream streaming. Presumably, this is rolling with the same specs as a standalone NVIDIA Shield Android TV box, which is still the industry leader. A few other TV manufacturers have gone with Android TV for their default interface, but this is interesting to see as a value-add for something that is primarily focused on having the right specs for optimal gaming performance.

Because this is a partnership deal, NVIDIA is leaving it to Acer, Asus and HP to make their own announcements about BFGD releases. So we don't know details about availability or pricing. ASUS has announced that its version will be the ROG Swift PG65, but has no details beyond that (opens in new tab).

Andrew Martonik
Andrew Martonik
17 Comments
  • Oh, no! We got nearly 0 selection of "normal" TVs now. Noway this happens to monitors. Why would anyone need cheap slow android phone hardware in their ultra-hi-end TVs and monitors? 
  • You have no idea what the NVIDIA Shield is then clearly. It's far from "cheap slow Android phone hardware." The current NVIDIA Shield TV box can already deliver 4K HDR video as well as handle some pretty serious gaming (Tomb Raider for example) and all the cloud stuff. Research is your friend.
  • Xbox 360 can run previous Tomb Raider too. And that's the hardware from 2005 that can be bought today under $100 (I sold mine for ~$80). That level is VERY far from modern PCs or consoles which 99% of 4K HDR 120HZ TVs/monitors can afford. And if you do own a modern PC or console... Why would you want some "wow, it's as powerful as 13 yo hardware" phone in it also?
  • Sure, but it's not a dedicated console or a gaming PC. Basically you're looking for problems where they don't exist in what's an exciting sounding new product. You don't like the Android TV bits? Don't use it. Isn't rocket science. Why wouldn't NVIDIA try to leverage its own products? It's also not a phone. Nothing like a phone. You're just being ridiculous. Go read up on the Shield on Android Central.
  • It makes device more complex which means more points of failure, more cost (for a very few customer value), longer boot time and other problems.
  • My Shield TV boots up faster than my Windows PC, I still don't see your point.
  • My monitor boots in a blink. And I see no reasons why would I wish it to become slower.
  • Android TV has a "fast-boot" enabled. I had a 2016 Sony TV with Android TV built in to it, and it acts like a tablets lock button when in standby mode.
    I would "turn off" the TV with my remote and even after a few days of not using it, when I turned it back on, it would "unlock" and be back to where I was perfectly, no delay. Also, it is was "booting" you can set it up to go straight to HDMI 1 whilst this boots so less delay there too.
  • You should start working for Android Central. In fact, many of you should do the same, considering what this site looks like lately ...   Absolutely nothing in this news has anything to do with Windows.
  • Since when is 65" huge? That's a normal size in 2018! I game with my Xbox One on 105" screen and I wouldn't consider it huge.
  • For a gaming monitor, 65-inches is huge. This isn't a TV remember. Monitor first, TV second.
  • Wow some people don't have the space or money you know, it's definitely not the norm
  • Too bad it's NVIDIA, this won't work with the FreeSync on Xbox One X.
  • It will not. But you know...AMD could get up off its ass and do something similar ;-)
  • I feel you on that one,but I am also getting disapointed in my "X" more and more every day.  Have already had to factory reset the thing twice since I got it on release day.  That is not even considering the time I needed to do one in order for the 4k blu-ray to work again after the update.   
  • Support hdmi 2.1 for VRR?
  • Wow this is awesome... I regret just buying the Alienware 34 curved Gsync monitor now.