LIVE FROM CES 2014: Nvidia announced its Tegra K1 mobile processor, claiming that “for the first time, next-generation PC gaming will be available on mobile platforms”.

In a presentation Sunday night, Jen-Hsun Huang, CEO of the company, said that the differences between the architectures of mobile devices and games consoles create an unnecessary level of complexity.

Citing Nvidia’s background in the graphics processing space, he said: “We’re bringing that heritage to mobile. It bridges the gap for developers, who can now build next-gen games and apps that will run on any device.”

The company said that Tegra K1 is “the first mobile processor to deliver the same graphics features as the next generation of consoles (Xbox One, PlayStation 4) and faster performance than current generation consoles (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) all in the palm of your hand”.

Tegra K1 uses Nvidia’s 192-core Kepler GPU. It will be available in a 32-bit version with quad-core ARM Cortex A15 CPU, and a 64-bit “dual Super Core CPU” incarnation based on ARMv8, which “brings the energy-efficient heritage of ARM processor technology to 64-bit computing”.

It provides full support for the latest PC-class gaming technologies, including DirectX 11, OpenGL 4.4 and tessellation. “These capabilities will enable PC and console game developers to finally bring their stunning, visually rich titles to mobile devices,” it said.

This also enables it to run “the world’s most advanced game engine”, Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4, which powers “hundreds” of games on high-end PCs and consoles.

In addition to its mobile device credentials, Nvidia said that an “automotive grade” Tegra K1 will enable auto manufacturers to run “a variety of auto applications that had not previously been possible with such low power consumption”.

In a statement, it said: “Tegra K1 will drive camera-based, advanced driver assistance systems – such as pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning and street sign recognition – and can also monitor driver alertness via a dashboard-mounted camera.”

The 32-bit version of Tegra K1 is expected in devices in the first half of 2014, with the 64-bit to follow in the second half.