Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 Performance Preview

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blackmagnum

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Trying not to be an Apple fanboy, but their A7 processor supports 64-bit instructions since last year. They lead innovation due to their clientele having more open-ended budget for the device than Android users (can't remember link to the study).
 

JOSHSKORN

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Did I read that right? There won't be ANY 64-bit Android Phones until 2015? It's going to take practically TWO YEARS to play catch-up to the iPhone? Mind you, most iPhone users don't know the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit, anyway, but it's "better" and that their logic for upgrading. Preying on stupid people basically has become (or always has been?) Apple's business model, and it's paid off. Sometimes, I wish I wasn't anti-Apple. C'mon, Android...get with the program!
 

rantoc

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Just find it funny tragic that more and more phone displays are almost at the same resolution as in many general desktop PC's.

Also find it funny that their marketing team dare to call this "Ultra HD", would be fun to see a benchmark of this running that 4k resolution in any 3D descent detail benchmark=P

"It actually approaches what a fairly modern desktop CPU's integrated memory controller can do. All of this extra memory bandwidth isn’t for the CPU, though. It's reserved for Qualcomm’s new Adreno 420 GPU."

Yeah mostly is for the GPU, where a modern PC gpu alone pushes well over 300gb/sec. Close no? =P
 

ta152h

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Is it too difficult for you guys to write a consistently good and accurate article? It's like you do the hard stuff, and then screw up details.

For example, why are some charts from 0 to somewhere above the max score, and others start at, for example, 2300 and go to 3000.

I realize you guys aren't really computer people from this terrible lack of attention to detail (which someone who does more than write about computers has to have as a personality flaw), but can't you hire someone that can look over this stuff, and at least try to present it in a consistent way? Writers who aren't computer people make these types of mistakes, because their minds aren't ordered enough, but you guys really need someone like that, because all the articles suffer from imprecision and lack of clarity (and over use of words like 'alacrity', which really implies emotion, and isn't a true synonym for speed. Again, precision ...)

For example, I'm looking at charts, and am shocked by some, then realize it's just because you guys screwed up the scaling, and can't stay consistent.

Don't worry, a chart that shows very little difference because you used the full scale isn't bad. Because, if you really think about it, neither is the performance, and if you can't see a big difference in the chart, you aren't going to see a big difference in the performance. But, when you see one bar over three times longer than another, and the real difference is less than 20%, don't you think that gives the wrong impression?

If you do all the hard work, and then screw up details, it's just not as good as it could be. And yes, I've learned these sites like to say things in a way it is correct, but then present it in a manner which gives the opposite impression. Try writing without bias, and maybe this will go away. Charts are one way, comparing Kabinis with Haswells are another. Commenting more on charts that read what you want, while just presenting charts you don't like the results of, are another way. Or commenting on the part of the chart you like, while ignoring the part you don't. It's not as subtle as you might think, or maybe it is, and you don't even realize your bias. But we do.

I used to love this site, especially when Thomas Pabst used to write in his crazy way. But, it's slowly, and inexorably getting worse. There are better sites now. Maybe skip the really bad car reviews (do you really think your opinions even approximate professional sites like Car and Driver? At all? ) and focus more producing better quality computer articles. It should be easy, you guys get a lot of good information, often do reviews that people want but other sites skip, but then screw it up with a lack of attention to detail and consistency.
 

hannibal

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Well I really expect new article in near future where Tegra K1 and 805 are against each other. And then 810. It is interesting to see what 64bit computing will bring to mobile platforms... Mobile gaming is getting quite serious in next few years!
 

irish_adam

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I dont see why you are all so impressed with 64bit. I mean if you believe that the A7 is super amazing because it is 64bit then you're an idiot. The fact that its 64bit adds minimal performance and is 100% gimmick and just so that they can claim to be the first.

It reminds me of when AMD released their first 64bit chips and microsoft released XP64, you soon realised that unless you had 4gb or more of ram then there was no difference (well except that none of your hardware drivers would work grrrr).
Why would Qualcomm rush out a 64bit chip when there isnt any real improvement to be had? surely its better that they focus on things that will actually improve performance and battery life? I mean they havent even finished a 64bit version of android yet so what would it even run on? Until we see the need for more than 4gb of ram on phones then i really dont see the point
 

sandrah

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This article shows why I don't come on this site much anymore, clearly this review was brought to you by the sponsor Qualcomm, because they omitted it's actual competition, the Nvidia K1 and only put it against last years Tegra 4, because you would see with the K1 on here that the 805 gets trounced in the graphics department, badly, AnandTech has a review showing both this developer 805 tablet and the released consumer Shield Tablet.

"It’s exciting to see Snapdragon 805 blow past both the 801 and the A7. Qualcomm's Adreno 420 also earns the honor of being the first mobile GPU able to run T-Rex at 1080p with playable frame rates."

Actually no, the 805 isn't even out yet, these benchmarks are showing a developers tablet, the Nvidia K1 on the other hand is already out and being sold in stores in the Shield Tablet and smashes the 805 on that test, 39.0 FPS on the T-Rex offscreen looks like 2 year old hardware next to the K1's 68.7 FPS.
 

wekilledkenny

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Did I read that right? There won't be ANY 64-bit Android Phones until 2015?
Are you seriously considering doing some FP-64 workloads on a smartphone? I have yet to see an Iphone with 4 GB of RAM...

"We’ll have to wait for the Snapdragon 810's introduction in 2015 before we see a new 64-bit CPU architecture supporting the ARMv8 instruction set." <- this article refers to the Qualcomm Snapdragon family of chips. Meaning you won't see any Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered 64-bit Androids. TI, Samsung, Nvidia, etc. can release 64-bit ARMv8-compatible chips in the meantime.
 

matt64

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they omitted it's actual competition, the Nvidia K1 and only put it against last years Tegra 4, because you would see with the K1 on here that the 805 gets trounced in the graphics department, badly

We did not deliberately omit the Tegra K1 from our benchmarks. This article was written before the media was even allowed to see the Shield Tablet and we still haven't received a K1 device to benchmark. Our upcoming Shield Tablet review will include a comparison between the 805 and K1. And yes, the K1 will be generally faster as I alluded to in my conclusion.

There actually has been one device released with the Snapdragon 805 SoC–the Galaxy S5 Broadband LTE-A. It's only available in South Korea though :(

- Matt H.
 

matt64

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Meaning you won't see any Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered 64-bit Androids. TI, Samsung, Nvidia, etc. can release 64-bit ARMv8-compatible chips in the meantime.

Nvidia's Denver core may beat Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 to market, primarily because it's not based on an ARM architecture. Everyone else has to wait for ARM. Samsung could also release a 64-bit SoC before the 810, since they use stock ARM designs and don't need to spend time customizing it. At this point it still seems like 2015 will be the year for 64-bit ARM though.

- Matt H.
 

matt64

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I mean if you believe that the A7 is super amazing because it is 64bit then you're an idiot. The fact that its 64bit adds minimal performance and is 100% gimmick and just so that they can claim to be the first.

Kind of like quad-core CPUs in smartphones? :)

There are actual benefits with 64-bit beyond how much memory the processor can address. Still, it's only a small part of the A7’s total performance. The bulk of it comes from improved IPC due to its wider design.

- Matt H.
 

matt64

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For example, why are some charts from 0 to somewhere above the max score, and others start at, for example, 2300 and go to 3000.

I understand and share your frustration regarding the scaling of charts. We are reviewing our procedure and will likely go back to the practice of starting all charts from zero.

For the few articles that I've written, I try to point out the actual percent differences in my analysis to make things clear. I also point out any anomalous scores and try to comment on and compare each device in the chart. If any of you have suggestions about how I can improve my benchmark analysis discussion, or things you would like to see, please let me know.

(and over use of words like 'alacrity', which really implies emotion, and isn't a true synonym for speed. Again, precision ...)

I don't recall using this word in any of my articles. If I did, please point me to it so I can avoid this mistake in the future.

Try writing without bias

Do you feel this article is biased or are you making a general comment?

- Matt H.
 


while their smartphones might be good, lets not forget the atrocious laptop price to performance ratios.
 

Doug Lord

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"does it compete with Nvidia’s Kepler-powered Tegra K1?"

No and you know it!!!! Anand Tech tested the Shield Tablet several days ago. You guys are pretty close with them, so we know you read it. The OS II CPU bench was 1,100 Vs 1,400. The Trex offscreen was 40 vs 70. The K1 is a truly Next Gen device that puts Android on the level of integrated Intel laptop GFX. Battery life and lack of GOD make it a tablet only chip though, so for Cell Phones this will only compete with Apple.
 

jasonelmore

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Did I read that right? There won't be ANY 64-bit Android Phones until 2015? It's going to take practically TWO YEARS to play catch-up to the iPhone? Mind you, most iPhone users don't know the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit, anyway, but it's "better" and that their logic for upgrading. Preying on stupid people basically has become (or always has been?) Apple's business model, and it's paid off. Sometimes, I wish I wasn't anti-Apple. C'mon, Android...get with the program!

Its not android that is behind, it's Qualcom. They got caught flat footed when Apple announced the 64bit A7 SoC. Quallcom didnt even have a 64 bit soc on the drawing board when the A7 was released.

If you remember, one of qualcom's pr team quickly de-nounced the advantages of 64 bit, when apple released a7. Then the engineers at qualcom had the dude fired and reversed the statement.

ARM simply played favorites by introducing apple to the ARMv8 arch before anyone else. why? because they sell tons of devices and Apple built ARM basically.

Apple's huge device sales have also afforded it tons of leverage on the pricing and availability of parts and tech.

TSMC's 20nm Node has been delayed a full 1.5 years for everyone (nvidia, AMD, Qualcom, etc..) EXCEPT apple. TSMC has been baking 20nm for 6 months ONLY for apple's A8 CPU.. Basicly the equipment they have that is capable of 20nm is all devoted to apple.

Same with camera tech. Apple gets the latest sony mobile camera's before anyone else, because they sell more devices than anyone else.
 

somebodyspecial

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Preview without RETAIL K1 already shipping which as anandtech shows, destroys this Qcom S805 sponsored preview ;)
http://anandtech.com/show/8296/the-nvidia-shield-tablet-review/5
It's comic they say first to do 4K, umm, NV already here, does TWO 4k streams at once in a demo so clearly they can decode 4K also, and again you can buy today.

This Qcom dev unit isn't for sale, and already beaten handily. S810 will be released after Denver which is IN HOUSE while S810 isn't. They'll lose that war too and the response won't come until way later with IN HOUSE again from Qcom. NV's going to be on a role for the next year or two in tablets at least until qcom goes back in house.

Should have just aborted the preview and put it in with K1 testing. We already know it loses to a product already out. Qcom must be throwing around some money these days due to K1 ;)
 

somebodyspecial

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Denver will beat 810 to market because it's in Google's HTC Nexus 9 (Probably mid nov). S810 is said to come 6mo+ after S805 and won't be in house custom like krait (so perf and battery life situations will be reversed now vs. Denver). Answer to in house should be another 6 months behind S810 maybe more, so facing M1 (or whatever maxwell 20nm Tegra is called). It should have a decent cpu, but I don't think they'll catch NV again on the gpu side with NV's gpus from desktops coming to mobile every year now along with all the driver experience, dev experience with the hardware long before it hits mobile etc. All advantages for NV (or AMD if they'd get it the race here soon!) and devs who have less work since they already know NV inside out on desktop first.
 
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