Is faster better??

You see, I don't get this argument when people argue a tablet/phone is faster than another. Faster at doing what exactly? Apps starting ahead of me thinking of opening them?
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  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    Username. wrote: »
    You see, I don't get this argument when people argue a tablet/phone is faster than another. Faster at doing what exactly? Apps starting ahead of me thinking of opening them?

    Of course, in this context, faster is better.

    if you used a tablet of half the speed of your current one you'd be able to tell.

    it's not just launching apps. an obvious example is rendering large web pages. resizing images to display in your gallery.
  • GeordiePaulGeordiePaul Posts: 1,323
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    Also a faster device is likely to be smoother in overall use. Smoother UI = big difference in the quality of the overall experience. Good example, compare a Nexus 4 with a Galaxy S3, both similar performing phones, but the Nexus is FAR smoother.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    Username. wrote: »
    You see, I don't get this argument when people argue a tablet/phone is faster than another. Faster at doing what exactly? Apps starting ahead of me thinking of opening them?

    Yes, faster processor, GPU, RAM etc is always better
  • swordmanswordman Posts: 6,679
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    It depends faster in itself is of little consequence if the tablet is not giving you what you want.

    For example I have traded my nexus 7 for a nook Hd+, spec wise a slower tablet but the 9" full HD screen for the slight trade of in performance was well worth it for me given they are about same price.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    swordman wrote: »
    It depends faster in itself is of little consequence if the tablet is not giving you what you want.

    For example I have traded my nexus 7 for a nook Hd+, spec wise a slower tablet but the 9" full HD screen for the slight trade of in performance was well worth it for me given they are about same price.

    That is true...but if the Nook was faster then it would make it even better.

    Out of interest how are you finding the Nook HD+? I've a Nexus 7 and would like to having something with a larger screen but without spending too much!
  • swordmanswordman Posts: 6,679
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    I find it excellent I have to say the screen is fantastic.

    There is a code for £10 off at PC world if you look on hotukdeals which means the 16gb version is £129.00. It takes sd card so I had no worries about the lower memory version.

    I really don't notice the speed difference but then I don't play many games on it which may have a bearing. For movies, net, books it is plenty fast enough I have installed a launcher to replace the B&N UI and it works and looks like any top android tablet now.

    It is very nice to hold very light and a nice size more than happy for the money I have to say.

    http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/nook-hd-16gb-9-full-hd-tablet-129-99-pcworld-using-code-1619315
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    Picked one up this afternoon - and so far finding it great. Much better with the larger and clearer screen and not noticed any of the games I play struggle on it either. A great bit of kit for not much money.
  • swordmanswordman Posts: 6,679
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    Yep I have to agree for vfm I would say best tablet out there
  • wakeywakey Posts: 3,073
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    alan1302 wrote: »
    Yes, faster processor, GPU, RAM etc is always better

    I hope that's sarcasm as its far from the truth. Its about the overall package and the user experiance that provides rather than the figures quoted.

    The marquee elements like CPU and GPU speed are always good for marketing as you can show in figures why your device is better but if the other hardware causes a bottleneck or even the OS does the what good is that

    If you take an iPad and and Android tablet with the same CPU and GPU speed you would most likely notice that the iPads performance suggests its much faster, this is simply that iOS is more streamlined than Android as Android has to be a little bloated as it needs to run on a much larger catalogue of hardware specifications. So an Android tablet needs more grunt to produce what seems like a comparativly fast device
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    wakey wrote: »
    I hope that's sarcasm as its far from the truth. Its about the overall package and the user experiance that provides rather than the figures quoted.

    The marquee elements like CPU and GPU speed are always good for marketing as you can show in figures why your device is better but if the other hardware causes a bottleneck or even the OS does the what good is that

    If you take an iPad and and Android tablet with the same CPU and GPU speed you would most likely notice that the iPads performance suggests its much faster, this is simply that iOS is more streamlined than Android as Android has to be a little bloated as it needs to run on a much larger catalogue of hardware specifications. So an Android tablet needs more grunt to produce what seems like a comparativly fast device
    i think uou have misunderstood what alan1302 was saying, and that has caused you to write a thesis about why it was wrong.

    If the post had been - 'Yes, all other things being equal, faster processor, GPU, RAM etc is always better' - i think it might have been clearer.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    flagpole wrote: »
    i think uou have misunderstood what alan1302 was saying, and that has caused you to write a thesis about why it was wrong.

    If the post had been - 'Yes, all other things being equal, faster processor, GPU, RAM etc is always better' - i think it might have been clearer.

    That's exactly what I meant.
  • tdensontdenson Posts: 5,773
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    wakey wrote: »
    If you take an iPad and and Android tablet with the same CPU and GPU speed you would most likely notice that the iPads performance suggests its much faster, this is simply that iOS is more streamlined than Android as Android has to be a little bloated as it needs to run on a much larger catalogue of hardware specifications.

    I think it actually goes deeper than that. One also has to take into account the fact that Apple has control over both the O/S and the hardware, and as a result can achieve much tighter integration and in some cases bypass publicly available APIs to go more directly to the hardware.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    tdenson wrote: »
    I think it actually goes deeper than that. One also has to take into account the fact that Apple has control over both the O/S and the hardware, and as a result can achieve much tighter integration and in some cases bypass publicly available APIs to go more directly to the hardware.

    Also that is comparing one Tablet and OS with another...the original question was is faster better...is you put a faster processor or more memory into an iPad or an Android Tablet it would be better.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    Faster is almost always better, though not always needed.

    Samsung of course chose both old and new for their S4 smartphone. And it almost appears they throttled the faster newer Atom beating 8 core SOC by 10% so as to make both S4 versions equal.

    Saying that I'm often happy with a middle ground as that gives us modern technology at a very comfortable price.
  • GeordiePaulGeordiePaul Posts: 1,323
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    tdenson wrote: »
    I think it actually goes deeper than that. One also has to take into account the fact that Apple has control over both the O/S and the hardware, and as a result can achieve much tighter integration and in some cases bypass publicly available APIs to go more directly to the hardware.

    I thought one reason was something to do with Android apps having to run in a Java virtual machine, hence slowing it down, could be wrong though as I'm not a programmer, just something I heard.

    Apple stuff is optimised for the hardware and software it's ran on, whereas android apps are based on the need to be cross-platform compatible.

    ETA: Re-reading your post, I think we are kind of saying the same thing :)
  • Mr. CoolMr. Cool Posts: 1,551
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    wakey wrote: »
    I hope that's sarcasm as its far from the truth. Its about the overall package and the user experiance that provides rather than the figures quoted.

    The marquee elements like CPU and GPU speed are always good for marketing as you can show in figures why your device is better but if the other hardware causes a bottleneck or even the OS does the what good is that

    If you take an iPad and and Android tablet with the same CPU and GPU speed you would most likely notice that the iPads performance suggests its much faster, this is simply that iOS is more streamlined than Android as Android has to be a little bloated as it needs to run on a much larger catalogue of hardware specifications. So an Android tablet needs more grunt to produce what seems like a comparativly fast device

    Exactly, how is Android bloated? Also, an Android tablet doesn't need more 'grunt' so it runs more smoothly just because it has to run on a wide range of hardware configurations. That's wrong.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    Mr. Cool wrote: »
    Exactly, how is Android bloated? Also, an Android tablet doesn't need more 'grunt' so it runs more smoothly just because it has to run on a wide range of hardware configurations. That's wrong.
    Done right, there is no such thing as bloat. The S3 getting 3 and 1/2 times the standby life of its rival proves that.

    Nothing stands still, and Apple's limited configurations also makes for many a future dilemma.
    The iPhone 5 and Mini are close in resolution so even now that 'exclusive iPad' app thing sits very strange.

    To me, separate Pod and Pad apps are, if anything, a consumer hindrance ,not an advantage.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    Mr. Cool wrote: »
    Exactly, how is Android bloated? Also, an Android tablet doesn't need more 'grunt' so it runs more smoothly just because it has to run on a wide range of hardware configurations. That's wrong.

    So why does Android need more power to do the same as iOS or Windows Phone? Because it needs to work on more hardware? Doubt it very much.
  • GormondGormond Posts: 15,838
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    alan1302 wrote: »
    So why does Android need more power to do the same as iOS or Windows Phone? Because it needs to work on more hardware? Doubt it very much.

    It's because Android is a fully multi-tasking OS, this comes with both good and bad things.

    Having used both systems I like Android better on my phone as I like to personalise it more and iOS better on my tablet as everyone in the house tends to use it. It's all subjective though.

    One thing is definitely true though, iOS doesn't need as high a spec as Android to run at the same speed this is why my iPad 2 is faster than my Nexus 7.
  • MassiveDynamicsMassiveDynamics Posts: 661
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    Gormond wrote: »
    One thing is definitely true though, iOS doesn't need as high a spec as Android to run at the same speed this is why my iPad 2 is faster than my Nexus 7.

    The original Nexus 7 has a problem with its flash controller which affects performance over time unless you wipe it (sounds like Windows).

    A brand new 1st gen Nexus 7 supposedly benchmarks slightly quick than an iPad 3 - if you believe the benchmarks!

    I have an iPad 3 and a Nexus 7, I can't say I notice any difference between them. I did notice that a Nexus 4 is much more responsive than a Nexus 7.
  • GormondGormond Posts: 15,838
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    The original Nexus 7 has a problem with its flash controller which affects performance over time unless you wipe it (sounds like Windows).

    A brand new 1st gen Nexus 7 supposedly benchmarks slightly quick than an iPad 3 - if you believe the benchmarks!

    I have an iPad 3 and a Nexus 7, I can't say I notice any difference between them. I did notice that a Nexus 4 is much more responsive than a Nexus 7.

    Yeah I notice that my N4 is much faster than my N7.

    How do I make my N7 faster? By wipe do you mean a format? That's not really an option tbh lol
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    The very same restore fix will apply to an iPod, iPad and iPhone.
    Your average mp3 player simply never really needed Trim.

    Now that Android has Trim support,I'm half wondering if Linux does.
  • swordmanswordman Posts: 6,679
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    Gormond wrote: »
    One thing is definitely true though, iOS doesn't need as high a spec as Android to run at the same speed this is why my iPad 2 is faster than my Nexus 7.

    Can't see how you can say that at all, funnily enough I have been using an ipad2 for the last few days (long story) and granted it is a bit older but its performance is pretty poor I have to say even in simple apps such as netflix.
  • GormondGormond Posts: 15,838
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    swordman wrote: »
    Can't see how you can say that at all, funnily enough I have been using an ipad2 for the last few days (long story) and granted it is a bit older but its performance is pretty poor I have to say even in simple apps such as netflix.

    My iPad 2 is lightning fast like my Nexus 4, and I have used it since launch with no reformat.

    My Nexus 7 noticeably stutters even just going between home screens.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    Gormond wrote: »
    My iPad 2 is lightning fast like my Nexus 4, and I have used it since launch with no reformat.

    My Nexus 7 noticeably stutters even just going between home screens.

    My ipad mini and ipod touch are very fast too (use the same chip as the ipad 2). My ipad mini was a lot faster than my nexus 7 when I owned both and my ipad and ipod are faster than both my galaxy note and galaxy tab 2 10.1. The A5 might be an old chip but it's still efficient.
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