First, let's clear things up a little. As you know, processors are used in the most different devices– from computers to virtual glasses and photo frames. It would be neither logical nor rational to create a unique processor for each device. Therefore, one platform can be used in different devices.
The most popular platform of our time is ARM. This is also the name of the company that develops processors. It does not produce them itself, but simply sells licenses. Manufacturing is carried out by both little-known Chinese factories and global giants: Marvell, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, nVidia, etc.
The evolution of ARM is quite extensive and has a long history. The classification of processors itself can be of two types: classification by generation (ARM9, Cortex); classification by architecture (ARMv6, ARMv7).
Naturally, the higher the platform class, the higher the processor performance will be. True, many tablet manufacturers, while praising their product, are not entirely honest about the real capabilities of their device. In order not to fall for the beautiful packaging, you need to understand a little yourself, at least about popular processors and know how to check the performance.
Tablet CPU Performance: Video
How to check processor performance
To find out the processor performance, use special applications. For example: AnTuTu Benchmark, PassMark. Install the application from the App Store. Any adequate seller will not prevent you from doing this. When you first launch the application, it will ask you to do a test.
There are a lot of tests: a test of the speed and multitasking of the processor and RAM, tests of graphics, I/O devices, etc. As a result, a report will be presented with a certain number of conventional units. For clarity, the application will build a rating of devices, where devices with the best indicators will be above your device, and those with lower ones, respectively, will be below. You can also look at the detailed report in your own gadget.
Tablet processor performance comparison
Let's take a look at the CPU performance rating, presenting the most popular models and some that have become obsolete, but are still present on secondary markets. They are also found in inexpensive this moment tablets costing up to 3,000 rubles, here is a list of them.
VIA 8505
The operating frequency can reach 800 MHz. This is a very weak processor. Its performance is only enough for reading books, listening to music and slow web surfing. Installed on gadgets with Android_1.6.
Rockchip 2808
The frequency also does not exceed 800 MHz. Performance isn't much better, but you can still watch unconverted videos in HD quality.
Qualcomm MSM7227
The first CPU from the company that invented CDMA. The maximum frequency can reach only 600 MHz, but this is enough for watching HD video and working in simple applications.
Marvell NS166
One of the first processors that started working well with graphics. The operating frequency can reach 100 MHz. It was implemented mainly on tablets running the second Android.
Rockchip 2918
The CPU that worked best with the Android operating system. Built on Cortex A8 architecture, which allows it to work in frequency range up to 1200 MHz. Has one of the best performance battery life in any modes. At its cheap price, the processor supports Adobe Flash technology; equipped with a video accelerator, which allows you to play 3D games.
NEC Renesas EV2
The CPU is interesting because, with low power consumption, it can almost perfectly process Full HD video. This was achieved thanks to the dual-core Cortex A9 platform and the built-in Mali 400 3D graphics core.
NVidia Tegra 2-3
With the advent of this CPU, a new era began for mobile gadgets. The third Tegre had 4 processor cores (Cortex A9) and (!) 12 graphics cores installed. The entire Tegra series (up to the new Tegra 4) was created mainly for gaming tablets.
Modern CPUs:
Now let's look at the list of the most modern processors for tablets.Qualcomm Snapdragon 600
The CPU, based on ARMv9 architecture, consists of 4 cores of 1890 MHz each, an Adreno 320 graphics core and built-in 3G and GPS modules. Support laid down USB interface 3.0 and cameras up to 21 Mpx. The AnTuTu rating gives devices on this processor up to 26,000 units.
Amlogic M802
So far the processor is installed only on one tablet - Onda V975m, but it has quite good potential. 4 processor cores at 2 GHz and 8 graphics cores at 6090 MHz. AnTuTu indicators are 30,000 units.
Mediatek MT6592
One of the most powerful modern CPUs. 8 cores of 2 GHz each and 4 graphics cores of 700 MHz. Antutu gives tablets up to 30,000 units. The CPU supports HDMI, GPS and 3G streams.
NVidia Tegra 4 line
nVidia's solution exceeded all expectations. The processor can run games from home computer. Of course, not the latest, but... This was achieved thanks to the integrated GeForce ULP GPU video accelerator, which has 72 graphics cores. There are 4 processor cores, 1.8-2.3 GHz each.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 line
Qualcomm 4-core CPUs operate at frequencies up to 2.3 GHz. High-quality graphics are achieved through the Adreno 330 video accelerator.
Apple A7 APL5698
CPU that is installed on iPad 4.1 and 4.2. Made using 64-bit ARMv8 architecture. The processor has only 2 cores of 1.4 GHz. The numbers hover around 35,000 units on PassMark, which is similar to AnTuTu Benchmark's 17,500 units. Graphics are achieved by the PowerVR G6430 video accelerator.
Apple A7 APL0698
There is little difference from the previous processor. The main difference is the frequency – 1.2 GHz. Installed on iPad Mini 2 and iPhone 5s.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
This processor has the highest frequency, which is 2.5 GHz for each of the 4 cores. Adreno 330 is integrated for graphics computing.
How to improve tablet performance
To improve performance, you can overclock the CPU. You should immediately understand that this is fraught with failure of the gadget - forever. Therefore, you need to do everything very carefully. So how to overclock a tablet? You will need to get root rights if you don't already have them, and download AnTuTu CPU Master (not Benchmark). Once all this is done, you can start.
After launching the application, immediately uncheck the “Apply at startup” checkbox so that the tablet can reboot normally if you accidentally or intentionally set the frequency too high. Otherwise, the tablet may not boot at all. Neither resetting nor flashing will help.
Increase the frequency by no more than 10% of the rated frequency. Click the "Apply" button and experiment with the device. Play games, watch movies, etc. If everything is fine, then you can increase the frequency a little more. If the tablet starts to glitch or reboots, you need to reduce the frequency.
Once you find the optimal frequency, check the previously unchecked “Apply on reboot” checkbox. After rebooting, the device will work continuously increased frequency until you install another one. It is advisable to do the acceleration itself slowly and gradually. As practice has shown, a sharp increase in frequency often leads to device failure.
Date of publication: 03/09/14The tablet has turned from a fashionable electronic gadget into a valuable assistant for students, businessmen, young mothers, and freelancers. Thereby electronic device You can easily solve work issues, communicate with relatives, friends and acquaintances on Skype, share bright photos and launch your favorite computer games. As you can see, the device has a lot of functions. However, they are difficult to implement without the support of a powerful processor.
Evaluating the processor
When choosing a tablet, it is important to evaluate not only appearance device, but also its specifications:
- amount of RAM;
- screen resolution;
- operating system type.
These indicators determine how comfortable you will be working with an electronic gadget. However, all these characteristics fade without a high-quality, reliable and high-speed processor. It is worth assessing first of all:
- processor operating frequency;
- Number of Cores;
- processor model.
A couple of years ago, a tablet that had a single-core processor was considered a profitable and practical purchase. Its performance felt reactive, and downloading media files within 2-3 minutes was not irritating.
Today, user requests have increased significantly. They choose processors for tablets that have at least two cores in order to watch movies in HD quality, run computer games and faster communication via messengers. They are frustrated with waiting 60 seconds for web applications and pages to load. A processor with four cores handles such small tasks within 10-20 seconds. As a result, surfing the Internet becomes pleasant - not annoying or annoying.
Also power central processor in a tablet is of no small importance for processing information. Agree, it’s not very pleasant to wait 5-6 minutes for a text document or a 2-minute video to load on the screen. In this case, it is necessary to “overclock” the speed of the processor or “pump up” its technical indicators. There are enough programs for this. For example, a CPU for a tablet. This application will provide maximum information about the electronic gadget and speed up the processor.
Number of cores in the processor
Many buyers are interested in the question: “What number of cores is considered optimal for a tablet processor?”
Experts are confident that the choice of this indicator directly depends on your goals in using the electronic gadget.
Let's say that you plan to work with text documents and occasionally play short videos. In this case, it is quite enough for you to choose a processor for a tablet with two cores.
It will provide fast loading text editors for writing articles, reviews and testimonials, video materials. A tablet of this type can also handle working in a browser with only 2-3 tabs open. But to run computer games or work with numerous tabs in the browser, you need a device with a more powerful processor. There is a possibility that a mini-computer with two nuclear processor it simply won’t handle virtual fun, and when loading numerous web pages it will turn off and on automatically every time to save battery.
Which processor is better for gaming on a tablet?
They say that best option for fans of computer games, this is a tablet computer with a quad-core processor. With it, you will quickly launch large games and will not worry about the game stopping at the very end. interesting place or the electronic gadget reboots without any reason. The game will give you the most vivid impressions and a carefree holiday. But the main thing is that you can run your favorite games anywhere and at any time: on the train, in mall or on the beach. By the way, there will be no problems with choosing electronic gadgets in this format - they are produced by all leading manufacturers of the world market.
How to test the processor?
Many users have doubts: is the tablet with multi-core processor, how do they write about it in magazines and talk about it among experienced computer scientists? You can check this indicator when purchasing the device. At retail outlets you can always download the game or play online. You will appreciate the speed of the electronic gadget, its capabilities and technical performance.
Better more expensive, but better quality?
The number of cores in the processor affects the final cost of the device. Many buyers are put off by this aspect. But there is also another side to the coin. The more cores a processor has, the faster it works and the more reliable it is. Judge for yourself: powerful processor processes large volumes of information, does not freeze and allows you to solve a complex of urgent matters in a short time.
Quality assurance
When purchasing a device, you receive a quality guarantee for a period of one year. The processor is the first to signal that an electronic gadget is not in order - it begins to slow down and loads slowly text documents and video materials. As soon as you notice a malfunction, contact a technician. By eliminating this small oversight, you will extend the life of your electronic gadget.
At the time of buying tablet computer carefully check the technical characteristics of the processor and its performance, keeping an eye on our recommendations, and then the gadget will become your faithful assistant for many years!
When we go to electronics stores to choose a tablet, we constantly hear from sellers about how good this or that tablet is, how many cores it has, and how high their frequency is. Are these indicators really important, and which processor is better for a tablet?
A tour of the characteristics
In describing the characteristics of processors, there are three main indicators:
- manufacturer;
- Number of Cores;
- frequency of data processing.
For regular user these characteristics look simply like a set of letters and numbers that do not say anything, so the main emphasis is directly on quantitative indicators.
Manufacturer
There are some huge corporations that are engaged in manufacturing quality processors. For example, we can cite brands such as Intel, Qualcomm, MediaTek, etc. They have been working in their field for many years and offer users truly high-quality components that will last for a long time. But the same MediaTek produces mainly solutions for budget devices, while Intel and Qualcomm are installed on high-performance gadgets.
Number of Cores
In most cases, this indicator is decisive for most users, since, supposedly, the final performance of the tablet will depend on it. This statement is partially true, but only for a separate line of devices. For example, a quad-core Android tablet will handle typical tasks faster than a similar device running the same OS but with two cores.
Everyone has also heard about processors with eight cores, but here, as a rule, four of them are in a constantly active state, and additional ones begin to work to distribute the load when the main ones are at their peak frequency. When performing standard tasks, all the same cores will be active.
Speaking of architecture, a parallel can be drawn between two devices such as Apple iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. These are two top-end smartphones, but the first runs on a processor with only two cores, while the second has an eight-core processor.
Without going into technical details and comparisons, we can say that the number of cores plays a role only if the choice is between devices of the same architecture, for example, two Android tablets, and not between the brainchildren of Google and Apple.
CPU frequency
The last quantitative indicator is very important for users. Exclusively in all product descriptions, the maximum frequency at which the installed processor is capable of operating is indicated, while most tasks are performed at minimum speed. For example, a Cortex A15 processor whose specified frequency is 1.7 GHz for mobile devices, operates at 1 GHz most of the time, and peak power is locked by the manufacturer to reduce battery drain.
When choosing any tablet, be it a device for gaming or for surfing the Internet, you should not focus on digital indicators. Decide what you want to use the device for, and only then delve into the technical details.