Taiwanese computer systems and components maker ASUS is thought to be prototyping a handheld Android games console. The new games system has a working title of the 'ASUS Gamebox'.
The ASUS Gamebox has appeared in benchmark results from the popular AnTuTu mobile benchmarking tool. This is often a good source of info for upcoming devices as benchmark results contain a decent smattering of device specifications. Interestingly it reveals that despite the name 'Gamebox', which implies this is a box for under your TV, the console has a built-in 1280 x 720 pixel display which matches that built-into the Nvidia SHIELD.
Let's look through the specs which are outlined above. The ASUS Gamebox will feature an Nvidia Tegra 4 clocked at up to 1.9 GHz, 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. The system will initially employ Android 4.3 as its OS.
While we know the screen resolution we don't know its size. Nvidia uses a flip-up 5-inch display on its SHIELD console but the other major name Android console with a built-in screen, the 7-inch Archos GamePad takes a very different approach. As a gaming device ASUS has eschewed any camera, similar again to the Nvidia SHIELD. There are no pictures, illustrations or blueprints, blurry or otherwise, for the upcoming ASUS Gamebox so we can't say what to expect for the form factor.
The last two comparisons are of virtual machine performance and multitasking performance.
We would expect ASUS to enter this handheld game console market and undercut Nvidia. ASUS is using half the built-in memory of the Nvidia console which would make it cheaper to produce. The price will be key to its success. Perhaps we will see the ASUS Gamebox feature at the MWC in a fortnight's time.
