When comparing Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact vs NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet, the Slant community recommends NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet for most people. In the question“What are the best Android gaming devices that have proprietary game controllers?” NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet is ranked 2nd while Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is ranked 3rd. The most important reason people chose NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet is:
The Shield has great hardware, including a Tegra K1 GPU, stereo speakers, and a resolution of 1920 x 1200, for $300, cheaper than the similarly spec'd Nexus 9. This makes for a great gaming experience, as well as a snappy interface in everyday use.
Specs
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Pros
Pro 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor
Pro Micro SD slot
There is a built in micro SD slot that is expandable up to 128GB.
Pro 4,500mAh battery
For being so thin it is remarkable that a 4,500mAh battery is being used.
Pro 3GB RAM
The device has built in 3GB of RAM.
Pro Native PS3 controller support
The Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact offers native PS3 Dual Shock controller support.
Pro PS4 remote play
As of November 2014 the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact offers remote play with the Sony PS4.
Pro Thin
At 6.4mm this device is extremely thin.
Pro Waterproof
The Zperia Z3 is completely waterproof
Pro High-spec hardware at a good price
The Shield has great hardware, including a Tegra K1 GPU, stereo speakers, and a resolution of 1920 x 1200, for $300, cheaper than the similarly spec'd Nexus 9. This makes for a great gaming experience, as well as a snappy interface in everyday use.
Pro Stream games from GTX powered PCs
Users of the SHIELD have the ability to stream games from high end GTX powered PCs, allowing high performance gaming anywhere in the house.
Pro Near stock Android
NVIDIA opted to not mess around too much with the OS and stuck with a mostly stock experience, keeping modifications to a minimum other than what was needed to provide its core gaming features.
Pro Immersive audio
The SHIELD Tablet features front-mounted stereo speakers, which make for an excellent experience while gaming or watching movies. This is in contrast to most other tablets, which generally have a single small speaker, often not pointed in the same direction as the screen, primarily meant only as a fallback for when headphones aren't used.
Pro Built in Twitch support
The device is able to instantly stream to Twitch by utilizing a option that is built into the notification pull down.
Pro Stylus support
There is a storage space for a stylus (that comes in the box) in the device.
Cons
Con Expensive
At $499.99 the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is overpriced when compared to tablets with similar specs. The term "Sony Tax" comes to mind.
Con No camera flash
There is no flash for the rear camera which will make low light photos difficult to take.
Con Only 1200p
For the premium price Sony is charging for this tablet to see that the screen is only 1200p when cheaper competing devices offer higher resolutions is a bit disappointing.
Con Wireless controller does not come with device
The proprietary SHIELD controller does not come with the device, it is $60 extra to purchase one.
Con Drains battery in idle
The tablet is poorly optimized for idle standby mode, and drains the battery when you aren't using it, losing up to 25% when left alone for 4 hours.
Con Inconsistent quality control
Reviews seem split, and there are many complaints on the forums, indicating that the device has poor quality control, with many users getting duds.
Con Cannot be repaired
Con Construction quality is cheap
The chassis is made of plastic and both the case and the screen flex when pressed.