You can see it's Android by looking at the screenshots. Though I do agree that some of these last posts would probably have looked better in the context of a liveblog or similar overarching coverage of ASUS's Computex press event. Although it arguably feels like pageview-padding, I don't mind seeing things split out like this for clarity's sake.
I do sometimes wonder who decides to make this sort of thing quad-core. Is it a problem where they are just filling space with relatively small A7 cores because of i/o, or just marketing (four cores are obviously better than two, amirite guys!!!)? I mean, nobody buying a $150 tablet does so because they expect high-end performance. Since the vast majority of tasks--especially mobile tasks--don't benefit from the extra cores, I find it hard to believe that it would be worth any increase in die area to add more cpu cores, even if "quadcore" makes it sound faster and maybe increases your linpack score.
What are you basing this on? Have you done some actual modelling?
Cause I have real world tests and simulations test results right in front of me, and I can tell you that at least when it comes to Android, due to multi-threaded nature of the OS, due to the fact that each app runs as a different user... and most importantly due to the way Davlvik JIT works (hint: it's very SMP optimized) quad-core does actually make a difference.
And this is Cortex A7 we are talking about. Single-threaded performance is really slow. If you have a many cheap Chinese smartphone and tablets which use these MTK chips, if you look at their last gen products which used dual-core A7 and then compare them with recent products (say Jiayu G3 with MTK 6577 processor vs. Jiayu G4 with MTK 6589 processors) you can see how much of difference those extra 2 cores make.
Not sure I agree... There may be some cases outside of the utterly artificial 'usual' Android benchmarks, but 99% of the time, disabling 2 cores on my (now sadly deceased) One X [Tegra 3], Nexus 7 [Tegra 3] and Nexus 4 [S4 Pro] makes no difference to actually using the devices other than the extended battery life. Even in games.
In fact, my partner's Nexus 10 (also running AOKP PUB) is the fastest ARM-based Android device I've used, despite the somewhat overstretched GPU and the fact that it gets thrashed in benchmarks by the Nexus 4... I'd conclude that a more complex or higher clocked dual core is a much better bet for Android right now.
How is it that this low end $149 model has Bluetooth 4.0 but their new top of the line Transformer Pad Infinity they also just announced only has Bluetooth 3.0? Makes absolutely no sense to me. Would love an explanation if there is one, because I'm completely dumbfounded.
They current top-of-the-line MediaTek SOCs have embedded Bluetooth 4.0 in them. I have a MediaTek MTK6589-equipped phone. The quad-core Cortex A7 and low-clocked SGX 544MP graphics is plenty fast paired with a 720p screen and it gets around 13K on AnTuTu v3.3 (3D graphics score in AnTuTu around 3.5K).
How does Cortex A7 compare to Cortex A9 in general (performance and battery life)?
And any guesses on how this compare to Tegra 3 in Nexus 7 in particular? (Guess it is hard to tell without knowing this A7's frequency and what is the GPU ...)
That could have been a nice tablet if ASUS had not insisted in including cameras. Specifically the rear lens looks quiet protruding, thus destroying any reasonable chance of putting this table flat on its back.
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leecbaker - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
Is this Android? Estimated battery life? Article is kind of uncharacteristically weak on details...teiglin - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
You can see it's Android by looking at the screenshots. Though I do agree that some of these last posts would probably have looked better in the context of a liveblog or similar overarching coverage of ASUS's Computex press event. Although it arguably feels like pageview-padding, I don't mind seeing things split out like this for clarity's sake.Pirks - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
stupid asus fucks can't even provide for microsd card slot in this thing, fuck asus, surface ftw!Rockmandash12 - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
It has a micro sd card.Chaser - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
FTW if they give them away.hamsteyr - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
Interesting. Any idea on the processor manufacturer?The only one I know that makes A7 Quads is MediaTek or AllWinner, but it almost seems unlikely for Asus to pick up these processors.
Alien959 - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
Why, I know Acer uses them, but anyway quad core mediaTek is nothing special performance wise being quad core http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Amoi-N828-Smar... but for the price is more the enough.teiglin - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
I do sometimes wonder who decides to make this sort of thing quad-core. Is it a problem where they are just filling space with relatively small A7 cores because of i/o, or just marketing (four cores are obviously better than two, amirite guys!!!)? I mean, nobody buying a $150 tablet does so because they expect high-end performance. Since the vast majority of tasks--especially mobile tasks--don't benefit from the extra cores, I find it hard to believe that it would be worth any increase in die area to add more cpu cores, even if "quadcore" makes it sound faster and maybe increases your linpack score.aryonoco - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
What are you basing this on? Have you done some actual modelling?Cause I have real world tests and simulations test results right in front of me, and I can tell you that at least when it comes to Android, due to multi-threaded nature of the OS, due to the fact that each app runs as a different user... and most importantly due to the way Davlvik JIT works (hint: it's very SMP optimized) quad-core does actually make a difference.
And this is Cortex A7 we are talking about. Single-threaded performance is really slow. If you have a many cheap Chinese smartphone and tablets which use these MTK chips, if you look at their last gen products which used dual-core A7 and then compare them with recent products (say Jiayu G3 with MTK 6577 processor vs. Jiayu G4 with MTK 6589 processors) you can see how much of difference those extra 2 cores make.
Azurael - Tuesday, June 4, 2013 - link
Not sure I agree... There may be some cases outside of the utterly artificial 'usual' Android benchmarks, but 99% of the time, disabling 2 cores on my (now sadly deceased) One X [Tegra 3], Nexus 7 [Tegra 3] and Nexus 4 [S4 Pro] makes no difference to actually using the devices other than the extended battery life. Even in games.In fact, my partner's Nexus 10 (also running AOKP PUB) is the fastest ARM-based Android device I've used, despite the somewhat overstretched GPU and the fact that it gets thrashed in benchmarks by the Nexus 4... I'd conclude that a more complex or higher clocked dual core is a much better bet for Android right now.
aryonoco - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
Quadcore A7 screams MTK 6589 to me.Why do you think Asus can't pick one of these processors? Sony just announced their low-end C3 smartphone running the same MTK chipset.
At these price points, every dollar matters. Besides these are nearly reference ARM implementations, nothing wrong with them...
ET - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
It's good to see a high profile company producing a tablet at this price point with this kind of spec. Now I'm somewhat sorry I bought an Onda V712.FlyBri - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
How is it that this low end $149 model has Bluetooth 4.0 but their new top of the line Transformer Pad Infinity they also just announced only has Bluetooth 3.0? Makes absolutely no sense to me. Would love an explanation if there is one, because I'm completely dumbfounded.SymphonyX7 - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
They current top-of-the-line MediaTek SOCs have embedded Bluetooth 4.0 in them. I have a MediaTek MTK6589-equipped phone. The quad-core Cortex A7 and low-clocked SGX 544MP graphics is plenty fast paired with a 720p screen and it gets around 13K on AnTuTu v3.3 (3D graphics score in AnTuTu around 3.5K).sarbartha - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
Which company's A7 quad core is this tab using?SydneyBlue120d - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
What is the GPU inside?guidryp - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
We need a report button for trolls.ssiu - Monday, June 3, 2013 - link
How does Cortex A7 compare to Cortex A9 in general (performance and battery life)?And any guesses on how this compare to Tegra 3 in Nexus 7 in particular? (Guess it is hard to tell without knowing this A7's frequency and what is the GPU ...)
chrnochime - Wednesday, June 5, 2013 - link
You need to STFU.chrnochime - Wednesday, June 5, 2013 - link
that was for Pirks. Damn commenting system.ShieTar - Thursday, June 6, 2013 - link
That could have been a nice tablet if ASUS had not insisted in including cameras. Specifically the rear lens looks quiet protruding, thus destroying any reasonable chance of putting this table flat on its back.