Modern cellphone gaming

You could play Quake 3 on a Nokia with max graphics and FSAA at 20+ FPS 3 years ago. Why is this suddenly impressive?
MW3 graphics quality isn't much better, except for the higher screen res.

 

Mali 400 is generally 1.2 to 2x the speed of the SGX540 (depending on clocks of the SGX540 - they vary wildly), in 3D games. In 2D... well... it doesn't stand a chance. the SGX arch is generally accepted to be the best TBR existing today, with Adreno falling somewhat behind, and nVidia being almost purely a bandwidth hungry desktop architecture with agressive z-culling).

However, for most users of a MALI 400 GPU, it will be faster, why? The Mali 400 is most well known for the only consumer phone that has the GPU - the Galaxy SII. The Galaxy SII and it's 800x480 display. Much fewer pixels than the 960x540 and 1280x720 [16:9] displays of current high end phones (for reference, the iPhone 4/4S has a 960x640 display - a squat ~16:11 format).

However, most offscreen benchmarks (all are 3D only, afaik), support the notion of the Mali 400 being 1.2-2x the speed of the SGX540 (again... depends wildly on clocks).

 

Well now we have dedicated mobile games, that compare to handheld consoles of this generation in graphic and in gameplay. Paired with realtivley intuitive controls smartphones are getting largely used as gaming devices on the go. Just look for Dead space, Gta 3, Shadowgun etc. and you will see that cellphone games have come a long long way from their humble begginings

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

 

Actually, you have that backwards. 2D and OpenVG is what Mali excels at. It's 3D where it's mostly no better than an SGX540... it's the really complex scenes where it's 4:1 ratio of Pixel:Vertex shaders shows. The PowerVR GPU's don't have this issue since they're USSE2 (Universal Scalable Shader Engine 2) unified. The Mali-400 that Exynos uses has the luxury of a VERY high pixel fill rate, and that's why it shines with 2D/OpenVG/Flash.



In scenes where there's not much going on or just aren't very "heavy", the Mali-400 will do somewhat better than the PowerVR SGX540, but it's nowhere near the A5's SGX543 MP2+.

 

Thank you I stand corrected.


Actually, that first chart you have brings up a few things I'm curious about...

doesn't that mean the Adreno 220 (on a Qualcomm chip designed with dual channel memory, but only one is ever used since the other channel is off package - in addition to a slower CPU arch.) is potentially faster? It's driving qHD panels near the SXG540 (304MHz clock) and Mali 400 WVGA results!

Though on another note, Anandtech's benchmarks all use the stock software setups, so that does have a minor effect, too; and the second test looks a wee bit flawed since a reference platform Nexus S is slower than a TouchWiz'd Infuse 4G (though to be fair, the CPU in that is clocked 200MHz faster?).


EDIT: though looking at the Galaxy Nexus review on Anandtech, the SoC page in particular....


it seems to be a mess, lol. Probably due to the Adreno, SGX, Mali, and Tegra ULP architectures all being rather different from one another, lol In some cases, the Adreno is near the top, in some cases, the highly clocked SGX540 variant (384MHz, now) is not so hot o.0


EDIT2: and some of the tests on the Qualcomm S3 (with Adreno 220) reference platform (supposedly with dual channel populated) and a WVGA display.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4243/...mance-1-5-ghz-msm8660-adreno-220-benchmarks/2

makes it all more of a mess

 

I'm not sure about tegra, but another advantage of the exynox-Mali chip is that it can be manually over or under clocked and volted, depending on the user's needs

Sent from my samsung galaxy s2 using tapatalk

 

The Snapdragon dual-core SoC's so far have all been single channel. I'm not sure if one is simply not utilized or not though. The Adreno 220 is a competent GPU though. It's arch is similar to Mali in that it's not a unified architecture, but it's balanced differently with regards to Pixel:Vertex shader ratios. Adreno and Mali also use tiling in certain stages of rendering to save on bandwidth. PowerVR architectures use a full tiling scheme, where NVIDIA's GeForce ULP doesn't use any tiling at all.

Yea, the Nexus S uses LPDDR1 like the GT-i9000 Galaxy S, whereas the Infuse 4G and Charge are running LPDDR2 on a revised Hummingbird platform codenamed Exynos 3110. The gains from using LPDDR2 on Hummingbird SoC's is pretty significant. My Captivate scores around a 23-2500 in Quadrant with CM7 and an overclock to 1.4GHz. My Infuse with LPDDR2, CM7 and a 1.4GHz overclock got over 4500 and several times bumped 5000.

The Qualcomm reference platform shouldn't be put in any benchmark because it doesn't adhere to any of the other standard testing standards. For one it's not using vsync, and another is that it doesn't have a framerate cap implemented in the drivers. Another reason is it's pure stock AOSP Android with no weighty skin on top. That artificially inflates test scores.

Indeed. The Mali-400MP that Exynos has can be over or under-clocked according to user needs. The Adreno is locked in hardware. The PowerVR cores can be overclocked but it's a more delicate process than Mali on Exynos.

 

Since it's tied to your steam account and credit card, I think I'll just wait till they iron out all the chinks.

Sent from my samsung galaxy s2 using tapatalk

 

@Hal 9000

Thank you

The second channel is simply not used, since it's wired off package, therefore necessistating another package be utilized on space cramped cell phone boards. Qualcomm is moving to resolve this by putting both PoP for Krait, so ODMs would use both channels.

Though according to qualcomm, the Adreno 200 family is Unified Shaders.
https://developer.qualcomm.com/discover/chipsets-and-modems/adreno

 

NP!

But about the Adreno shaders, they may claim unified but they're not. The Adreno GPU uses a different rendering technique than either the PowerVR, Mali, or NVIDIA GPU's so they can't really be compared.

PowerVR is the only one with a truly unified shader architecture, where all the "shader SP's" can be used any way the GPU/App needs.

 

Stumbled on this while browsing Youtube, all I can say is this is gonna be awesome. Talk about Gaming on the go,this will probably make a cell phone that you can wear around your wrist, and I wonder how much CPU/GPU power can be packed into that. Third video btw is just shocking to me.

Spoiler

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Those are really cool but I think we're a ways off from having those go mainstream... and they have other issues to solve too. I mean I'd love to be able to take a hammer to my phone (???) and have it be just fine, but then they've got to make the other components out of that material, and oh god the battery, what about the battery. They still haven't even figured out how to make a battery that lasts more than 2 days, we need stuff that can last week(s) before computing power advances further! As it is now, if i want to play games on my phone for 8 hours, chances are slim that the battery will actually give me that time, and my NS has notoriously good battery life for an android.

My next phone will be a quadcore phone so I can game and do whatever I want, and I'm half-heartedly hoping that there will be at least a tiny bit of advancement in the battery field by then. But the chances of having a battery breakthrough by summer/fall this year to go along with the GS3 and who knows what else, I dunno man...

 

For sure, but that is just simply amazing the direction tech is going, only a matter of time till my PC monitor is like the one from Minority Report!

 

You really need to ask a question what real life problem does this technology solve and then you will know if it will go live. I see no urge to make phones or gaming pads that can bend. Lets imagine i have A4-A5 size backpack — putting today's ipad2 there will take less space then a tube with next generation bended screen. So whats the point?

Same goes for wrist phone — looking on it doesnt give me a feeling like i want smth like that, its cool and all but it just doesnt look convenient.

Really thin and really durable — yes that would be cool.

 

Doesn't get much more durable then a sledgehammer to the face?

 

The durability I can see as a selling point for phones, but I don't think the flexibility is really applicable. When you put your phone up to your ear you don't expect it to flop in half. The small amount of space it takes up is a plus side though, might mean a little more room for other componants.

I can see applications for things like watches, but just not for phones.

 

Another thing is that naturally people dont want everything around them to GLOW like a full sized lcd screen wrapped around a hand and pretending to be a watch.

 

The full sized thin screens, could have an application for tablet's/netbooks or even full sized laptops, but not watches. I think FunkyMunky was talking about the samsung or sony variant being used for a watch, not the Toshiba one.

Just look at these concepts:
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wat r u talking abt man? i still play snake on my android and it still kick a**

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dsd164.snake97&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5kc2QxNjQuc25ha2U5NyJd

 

Ah, but it's not nearly as satisfying as playing with those awesome rubber buttons. You know it's true.

 

Thanks for that. D;
Damn my indestructible Nokia was cool.
Played more Snake that actual phone related usage.

 

too bad gaming on touchscreen itself isn't much fun. Only controllers are a solution... but yeah than it's not portable gaming anymore

Would be interesting if you can use your phone to play games on your TV (with mini HDMI) or on your PC, tablet, etc.
Plug and play

 

Like this?

Grand Theft Auto 3 III GTA 3 gaming on Samsung Galaxy S2 with PS Sixaxis Controller and MHL TV

 

Seriously the games looks pretty bad on a 50 inch HDTV. The resolution is too low on the Cellphones and I have tried numerous games with my former LG Optimus 2x and it doesn´t look good on a large display. The resolution is the same on both phones.

No problem running games with touchscreen controls though, just get used to it and it will be fun and not frustrating.

 

Deagleson, I upgraded to the T-mobile variant of the Galaxy S2, Kinda mad that it didn't come with the Exynos/Mali, but I have just OC the S3 to 1.83GHZ. Games amazing no hitches at all even on Stock. I still have my G2x for my tegra games, but this new S3 w/ Adreno 220 GPU is beastly.

 

I think it has to do with some differences in T-Mobile's network so they went with Qualcomm.
If i where to upgrade now i would probably have chosen the successor for the Galaxy Note.

Now if only Cyanogen could get some kernel sources so it can do YouTube.
I dont want to be stuck with TouchWiz'ed ICS. >_>

 

I was looking at the new Note, but as the GS2 barely fit my hands , The note would be to big. You are right though about the reason why Exynos was not included. Stupid T-mobile has to be the only company in the world to use a 1700MHZ band. I wish they would have at least optimized the TW interface to work better on the Qualcomm feels a little laggier than the ATT version that has the Exynos. Did you get the Samsung update to ICS?

 

Its not the final product but its usable as a daily rom.
XDA link.

 

I have a decent smartphone with the same screen the Galaxy S 2 has. But no way I would game on a cell phone. What a waste of time. Its fine for browsing on this forum quick, texting, reading comics, but watching movies and gaming on this tiny screen is wasted time. Why bother.

 

Turn based RPGs, puzzles and tower defence type of games play well enough on smartphones but FPS games are horrible.

But this is also why i want a Galaxy Note instead.
A 5" tablet that can act like a phone is like the perfect fit for me.
That or a nice 12" ultraportable.

 

looks good.

 

Nah not a waste of time, laying in bed before going to sleep and be able to play FPS, Racing, Simulators and other genres quickly on a highend smartphone is really nice.

Or on the bus stop just having that gaming device in your pocket is just awesome. I mean just look at Modern Combat 3 that´s having Modern Warfare in your pocket.

I just wished they would release Mass Effect 2 or Gears of War for Smartphones and I would be all set or Skyrim

Well I will probablly though play more on my imported PS Vita though not carry it in the pocket since it is quite big handheld gaming device.

 

Obv you aren't going to game for hours on a phone, it's just to kill time while waiting. On the bus, waiting for a friend, on the can (don't deny it), whatever.

fwiw, I don't really play action games on my phone because a 4" touchscreen is prettty cramped when you've got onscreen controls. Mostly it's pokemon or minecraft e.

 

Emulators are really where it's at. None of the games for smartphones/tablets can match the old SNES titles, NONE!

Between my computer and my Kindle (the e-reader, not the fire) I really don't find smartphones and tables all that useful. It is nice to quickly google something, or play some words with friends, I find trying to fit TV or gaming while waiting for the bus just to be wasted time, disconnected from the world. That's what music/books are for.

 

Oh yeah. Got a weak Xperia Play that still manages to run most of the HD Android games at great speeds. But what really works out? The emulation with the dedicated controls.

 

The Galaxy note takes the gaming crown for me .

I have tried all the good phones including the Xperia Play,4s etc.

But man 1280x800 on a phone really is something you have to experience even without mechanical controls.

Its a huge phone though so be prepared .

 

Huge phone or tiny tablet?
Or maybe both?

 

Ha ha yes that is more a tablet than an phone, damn I think the Galaxy S2 is almost tablet size too, just too big for being a smartphone.

 

i think the galaxy s2 is the perfect size. my usage is like 3:1 internet/gps : phone/sms.
the screen is big enough for browsing etc and its still small enough to fit in my pocket.
and its absolutely kickass for mobile gaming. and lastly i can get games like dead space and mw3 legitimately free thu samsung apps.

 

Better size of a smartphone is actually the LG Optimus 2x, the S2 is too big.

 

I don't mind the size, I think 5" (or 5.3") to be perfect for people like me with humongous hands, but I do mind the $700 price tag for a phone...

 

The SGS2 (global one) is .1 in wider than the Optimus 2x and .1 in thinner.

 

Yeah I know but it looks way larger than O2x when you lay them side to side. Ah well it isn´t that larger actually just my eyes that thinks so.