What processor frequency is best for a tablet? The best Android tablet: review of models, technical specifications and reviews

Consumer electronics stores are filled with a variety of tablets. At first it seems that they all differ only in size and price tag. Even externally the devices are very similar! How to choose the right model for yourself? The answer is simple - read this article. We promise that after reading the material you will easily choose the most suitable tablet for yourself.

Sometimes, when choosing a tablet, a consumer focuses on secondary parameters. We wish you to avoid these mistakes. This article does not mention some characteristics precisely because they are not worth paying attention to. In a word, we will be glad if this guide helps you!

Choosing an operating system

An operating system is a collection of utility programs found on any fairly complex electronic device. It is its presence that allows “regular” applications to use the hardware capabilities of the gadget, ensures interaction with the user, etc. Modern tablets are equipped with one of three popular operating systems: iOS, Android or Windows. There are also “tablets” on store shelves that have a couple of operating systems installed at once. But this is more of an exception to the rule and concerns the Android/Windows combination.

iOS

The most stable operating system is iOS. It is maximally optimized, due to which it does not require a large amount of RAM. When choosing an iOS tablet, you get a user interface thought out in detail and a huge number of diverse applications. But be prepared for the fact that many of them will be paid. This OS is the property of Apple, so it is installed only on its iPad tablets, the cost of which is higher than devices with Android or Windows on board. But Cupertino products have the longest technical support, and the performance of even outdated generations of Apple gadgets is not inferior to competing offerings built on modern hardware platforms. A huge advantage of the entire family of iOS devices is the presence of a convenient ecosystem. Of course, to take full advantage of it, you need to be the owner of more than one device with an apple on the lid. The downside of the closed nature of iOS is the difficulty of directly exchanging user files and the limited ability to customize the interface. Well, the inability to expand the available memory capacity scares off many potential buyers.

Pros: easy to use, easy to learn, has a developed and convenient ecosystem.

Minuses: closed platform, memory cards are not supported, problems with exchanging third-party files, impossibility of customization (installing themes and other utilities that change the interface).

Android

The Android operating system is open and free, which is why most tablet manufacturers choose it. The software is developed by Google. The system is regularly updated, but owners of budget devices may not feel this. Some manufacturers are simply too lazy to update the firmware for those tablet computers that have been replaced by new models. The openness of Android means for users the ease of replacing “standard” applications: player, browser, keyboard, dialer, etc. Another thing is that changing really fundamental things requires the presence of “direct” hands and often entails a loss of warranty. The most unpleasant feature of this operating system is the growing appetite for system resources and the tendency to become overgrown with digital “garbage”. If a couple of generations of Android ago a sufficient amount of RAM was considered whole gigabytes, then in 2018 they are already talking about 2 Gb Total. As for “garbage,” the built-in OS tools have not yet learned how to successfully deal with it. In particularly advanced cases, only a complete reset with the loss of ALL user data allows the device to return to a comfortable operating speed. Fortunately, such a radical method is rarely required.

Pros: rich functionality, the ability to change the interface at your discretion, a large number of free applications.

Minuses: rare system updates on budget tablets, increased resource requirements for stable operation.

Windows

Tablet computers with Windows on board have existed for a long time. But it was only a few years ago that they started getting rid of fans and processors that drain battery power. And with the release of the tenth version of this operating system, the interface of such devices has become much more user-friendly. On the one hand, Microsoft programmers creatively adapted many necessary things, for example, quick display of active applications, implemented a back button and a notification center. On the other hand, Windows 10 has learned to automatically switch to a more convenient mode when working with the keyboard, and the corresponding algorithm is configured. Compared to Android, this system is better optimized for low-power hardware platforms. But this same feature has become an indirect reason that current Windows tablets are either high-performance solutions or downright weak, but with a keyboard. Well, the main advantage of the Microsoft operating system is the ability to use almost any “adult” applications. Some of them don’t even have a keyboard, as long as the hardware capacity allows it.

Pros: the most convenient environment for full-fledged work with a variety of content, support for third-party peripherals.

Minuses: extremely limited number of offerings with average performance levels.

Let's figure out what size tablet to choose

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7-8 inches

Portable tablets are well suited for use at home, work or school. This is facilitated by their minimal dimensions and weight. It is with the help of such “tablets” that people read books, listen to music, watch movies or play games on the go. Compact tablets are convenient as car navigators, as well as tools for mobile surfing. Finally, it is the optimal size for children's hands.

Pros: compact dimensions, minimal weight, low cost.

Minuses: The resolution most often turns out to be low, and the filling is not powerful enough.

10 inches

The best choice of tablet for home use. At the same time, modern tablet models have become so thin and light that no difficulties arise when transporting them. Large dimensions allow you to place a better acoustic system and a higher-capacity battery in the body of such a device. At the same time, many manufacturers believe that such a large tablet does not need a conversational GSM module, even if the circuit design provides support for 3G technology.

Pros: The display size is suitable for solving a large number of tasks. Both in mobile and stationary use cases.

Minuses: in budget models, graininess is noticeable due to insufficient screen resolution, many tablets lack a telephone module, and Windows devices do not have high-performance hardware.

More than 10 inches

Larger tablet computers are now available. They are equipped with a screen with a diagonal of 11 to 13 inches. Usually these are “tablets” with iOS or Windows installed; equally large devices with Android are produced much less frequently. It is clear that such devices are not very mobile and, as a rule, they are aimed at professional use.

Pros: the best size for comfortable work with both the keyboard and the stylus. Good for watching movies.

Minuses: too large dimensions and considerable weight.

Choosing the best processor for a tablet

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Strictly speaking, the “motor” of most tablets consists of several specialized nodes, technologically combined on a single substrate, and it is called a single-chip system (System-on-a-Chip or SoC). The only exceptions here are high-performance professional-level solutions built on Intel Core M or ULV processors, but we will not consider the features of the latter.

Number of cores

So, a typical SoC contains a number of computing units (cores) that have an ARM architecture. Again, the exception is single-chip systems of the Intel Atom family that work with x86/x64 instructions. Cores can be combined into so-called clusters and this is done to optimize energy consumption. Let's say, half of them operate at high frequencies and are turned on when necessary to service requests for greater computing power. The second “works” the rest of the time, and since the nuclei in it are relatively low-frequency, significantly less energy is consumed. It is impossible to give unambiguous advice on what number of cores is optimal in a particular case. For example, the 6-core A11 Bionic chip (from Apple) will tear the latest 8-core Helio P40 (from Mediatek), as they say, to shreds. The most we can recommend here is to pay attention to the “freshness” of the kernels. When choosing a processor for a tablet, it is best to focus on the Cortex A55/A75 generation, or at least on the A53/A73 combination (energy efficient/fast, respectively), as well as their custom versions.

Video subsystem

The second component of the mobile processor is the accelerator - a kind of built-in video card. If the tablet is not intended to be used for gaming or working with complex graphics, you don’t need to pay much attention to the performance of this unit. Otherwise, you have to take into account the speed at which the video accelerator is capable of performing floating point operations (Flops). In addition, screen resolution also matters here. Everyone has their own idea of ​​a comfortable refresh rate, as well as requirements for graphics quality settings. However, we would venture to say that tablets with SoCs delivering about 100 GFlops have sufficient gaming performance.

SoCs and their manufacturers

The development of the ARM architecture itself was carried out by a company of the same name, which licensed its solutions to everyone. Currently, the rights to this intellectual property have been acquired by the Japanese corporation SoftBank. There are about one and a half thousand licensees in total, but we are interested in the following products:

APPLE Ax

Based on the licensed ones, the Cupertino team is developing its own version of the kernels. PowerVR accelerators from Imagination Technologies are used as the graphics subsystem. The A11 Bionic single-chip system already has its own GPU, but tablets based on this SoC are not yet available. Very powerful chips in every sense, even the outdated A9. There are fewer cores, lower frequencies, and they beat all competitors.

Pros: Apple tablets have truly high gaming and general performance, and also support all the most advanced features.

Minuses: overpriced.

Samsung also prefers to modify stock cores. Its SoC series 7870, 7880, 7885 and all eight-thousand series are currently relevant. To process graphics, they use older versions of Mali accelerators (T830, T880, G71). What can I say - the power of such a system is enough for all the needs of the tablet and its owner. If necessary, South Koreans install third-party SoCs in their devices.

Pros: Samsung tablets are characterized by excellent performance and the presence of all modern bells and whistles.

Minuses: price, sometimes unoptimized firmware.

INTEL ATOM

The feature of this single-chip system is its extremely low power consumption. The company managed to “shrink” its thermal package to a couple of watts, and Intel now does not want to change this situation. Accordingly, we are not even talking about any performance records. Unfortunately, low-budget Windows tablets are based on the Atom platform.

Pros: Tablets based on Intel Atom chips are affordable and have decent battery life.

Minuses: The power of a single-chip system is only enough to perform simple tasks.

This SoC family is produced by a subsidiary of Huawei for some mobile devices of the parent brand. The Chinese do not bother with upgrading stock ARM cores, so their single-chip systems usually work a little slower than their classmates. Just like Exynos, Kirin chips have Mali graphics accelerators. The trouble is that HiSilicon engineers (or management) like to save money. Where Samsung's SoC uses a 12-core version of Mali, Huawei mobile processors often make do with 4-core ones. With all the ensuing consequences.

Pros: a brand with very decent flagship-level chips.

Minuses: Mid-budget single-chip systems have good overall performance and mediocre gaming performance.

MEDIATEK

The brand of the same name is more fully represented than all its competitors in the segment of low-cost solutions. The company uses ready-made cores and graphics (PowerVR and Mali). It does not engage in optimization, does not have its own production, and its financial capabilities do not allow it to invest in partners. As a result, MediaTek single-chip systems lag behind alternative offerings because they are manufactured according to outdated technological standards. On paper, such SoCs may look great, but in real life, not so much. But the company’s chips simply work perfectly with GPS.

Pros: a huge range of entry-level and mid-level single-chip systems.

Minuses: noticeably inferior to industry leaders in technological terms.

SNAPDRAGON

The most popular and most widespread single-chip systems. They are developed by Qualcomm based on deeply redesigned licensed cores and its own Adreno accelerators. Such SoCs are characterized by excellent general and gaming performance, good energy efficiency, and other goodies. The main disadvantage is the increased cost.

Pros: Snapdragon chips make excellent tablets of various levels.

Minuses: They are relatively expensive, and the most affordable solutions are inferior to their direct competitors on other platforms.

RockChip, Spreadtrum and the like

They specialize in ultra-budget solutions. Stock cores and accelerators, the most “rough” technological standards possible at the time of production—no miracles can be expected from such single-chip systems.

Pros: the corresponding tablets have tempting price tags.

Minuses: suitable for the most undemanding users. As a rule, they have an outdated set of wireless interfaces and are not at all impressive in terms of autonomy.

Technological process

We have already mentioned this term several times, it remains to explain what the standards used to create the SoC influence. Everything is very simple, the smaller the chip topology, the higher its operating frequencies (performance) and the lower the power consumption. The most technologically advanced mobile crystals are now manufactured at 10 nm standards. The 14-16 nm process technology is also still quite modern.

RAM

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It is a storage device with quick access to content that requires constant “maintenance” of the stored information. When the power is turned off, the latter simply disappears. While the tablet is operating, the RAM contains the operating system kernel, various services, running applications, as well as most of the data they use. If there is not enough space for a priority task, some user programs running in the background may stop and move to the so-called cache. With a more rigid option, only important data remains there, and the applications themselves are completely “unloaded”. The bad thing is that a significant lack of RAM leads not only to slower operation of the device, but also to active use of the built-in memory, i.e. its accelerated wear. The more applications you plan to use simultaneously (for example, a social network client, instant messenger, music player, game), the more impressive your tablet should be in terms of this characteristic. For hardcore gamers, we generally recommend focusing on the amount of memory with an “extra” gigabyte. At the same time, a clear excess of this resource entails increased battery consumption.

1 GB

A critical minimum, sufficient for the system to operate and one or two simple user applications. In principle, such a volume is available in low-power devices that are not suitable for anything else. It is best if the operating system of a tablet of this class has a lightweight user shell. Ideally, “naked” Android.

Pros: affordable price.

Minuses: serious restrictions on the number of programs running in the background.

2 GB

Normal amount of memory for most applications with a moderate appetite for system resources. It is enough for several background applications, five or two open tabs in the browser and displaying images on the screen with a resolution no higher than Full HD. “Heavy” games will work, but almost all other tasks will have to be stopped. This applies to Android and Windows. The iOS operating system will not experience any problems with 2 GB memory.

Pros: The lack of RAM is almost never felt.

Minuses: insufficient volume for particularly demanding games and resolutions above Full HD.

3 GB

Comfortable amount of RAM for the vast majority of situations and scenarios for using the tablet. Guarantees stable system operation with a 2K resolution screen. Noticeable delays can only be observed when running two resource-intensive applications in parallel.

Pros: There will always be enough memory, with the exception of specific cases.

Minuses: Hardly ever.

4 GB or more

More than three gigabytes of RAM is still relatively rare in tablets. This volume does not limit the user in any way; it is enough for any number of applications and all three-dimensional games.

Pros: absence of any restrictions.

Minuses: high price.

Additional functionality

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Memory card slot

Any tablet computer has some amount of non-volatile memory. It is also called constant. It stores the operating system and user data (applications, music, videos, documents and other files). A microSD card slot helps expand the available space. Unfortunately, Apple products do not have it, so you will have to decide right away which iPad with how much built-in memory to buy.

Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G

Before buying a tablet, be sure to familiarize yourself with what modules are used to connect to the Internet. Budget devices offer data transfer only via Wi-Fi. Slightly more expensive devices have a SIM card slot. In this case, you can connect to 3G networks. Modern models are capable of working with fourth generation mobile networks. It would be a good idea for you to clarify which LTE bands the tablet supports. Domestic operators can exchange data on the bands B3, B7, B20, B38 and B40. But there is no particular variety in terms of high-speed Internet connection capabilities among 4G tablets yet. Returning to Wi-Fi, let us recall that this wireless interface can operate at frequencies of 2.4 and 5 GHz. If you frequently use your tablet in an apartment building or a large business center, you should opt for a dual-band model.

GPS navigation

Most tablets can successfully perform the functions of a navigator, but there are some models built using a universal radio module. Those. The device supports cellular networks - there is GPS. An example would be the “simply” Wi-Fi and Cellular versions of the iPad.

Cameras

The last thing you should pay attention to when choosing a tablet is the camera. Nowadays, it’s a rare manufacturer that integrates decent optics and a sensor into a tablet. The resolution of the main module matrix is ​​most often five or eight megapixels. The photo quality does not exceed that obtained when using a mid-priced smartphone. There is nothing to say about budget tablets - they produce blurry or too noisy pictures.

Keyboard support

In general, there are no fundamental restrictions for using a Bluetooth keyboard in any tablet. And many models with the Windows operating system have full-size USB ports, which makes it possible to connect a manipulator or input device via a radio channel through an appropriate adapter. The peculiarity of the listed options is that such methods do not guarantee the stability of the pairing, and they are also accompanied by increased energy consumption. If you plan to use the tablet for active work with text, choose a tablet with a supplied or optional keyboard connected via a mechanical connector.

Photo: cdn.funkyspacemonkey.com

When choosing a drawing tablet, first of all we pay attention to:

• stylus- it must be included in the kit.
• display— resolution and diagonal should be as high as possible.

Additionally, look at the operating system. A huge number of graphic editors have been created for Windows, but not every tablet will run Photoshop. Therefore, in some cases it is worth looking towards Android, which is much better optimized for use on a portable device. Professional models on iOS are ideal for digital creativity, but they also have an appropriate price.

Tablet computer for the Internet

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If you buy a tablet primarily for surfing the Internet, when choosing, pay attention to:

• display— its diagonal should be large enough so that small print can be easily read.
• 3G or 4G support- thanks to it you can access the Internet via mobile networks.

It is advisable to familiarize yourself with the amount of RAM. The larger it is, the more stable the browser will work, the more tabs you can open. The operating system is of least interest. Surfing the Internet is the same for both iOS and Android or Windows.

Tablet computer for games

Photo: img.inforico.com.ua

If you are choosing a tablet for gaming, then pay attention to:

• CPU— you need to focus on a model with a powerful graphics subsystem.
• RAM- many modern games are demanding on its volume; they require at least 3 GB.

Additionally, you should familiarize yourself with the battery capacity. Even a tablet with a fairly solid battery will not allow you to play for more than four hours at a time. What can we say about Chinese devices with tiny batteries...

Tablet computer for a child

Photo: gursesintour.com

If you are going to give a tablet to a child, then pay attention to:

• availability of children's mode— there is absolutely no need for a child to go to “adult” sites, and the user interface of the device should be colorful and extremely simple.
• accessories— the device will have to withstand increased loads, so a thick protective bumper will be very useful.

Pay attention to the possibility of the tablet “growing” along with the child’s development. Specialized models are good in terms of ease of access to children's content, but they do not have much potential.

It would seem that not so long ago the main topic of discussion among gamers were the two eternal brand wars - against Radeon and AMD against Intel. The protracted battle has already lost its meaning, and fans of this or that brand simply cannot convince each other. Now gamers have another platform - mobile. And here there is a much wider variety of manufacturers, so it has become much more difficult to determine which processor is best for games.

And the point here is not even in the “stones” themselves, but in the fact that marketers first of all promote the brand. The advertisement highlights the features of the interface, operating system, camera and other elements of smartphones and tablets, while the brand of the processor and its performance are mentioned only in passing. In order not to mix everything together, let's look at the types of CPUs for . We will only consider the processors of Android devices, since there is no choice as such on the iOS market.

Most users do not distinguish between the concepts of chipset, processor and SoC (system-on-chip). In fact, these are three different terms. A chipset is a set of chips that enable the processor, memory, and other electronics to work together. SoC is a multifunctional system built on a single chip. The SoC includes not only the processor, whose performance is usually discussed, but additional processors responsible for processing audio, video, standard tasks, and so on.

For example, the Tegra 2 SoC chipset has 8 processors:

1. For video encoding;
2. For video decoding;
3. To process images (for example, from a camera);
4. For working with sound;
5. Graphic;
6. For standard procedures;
7. and 8. For basic computing processes - two Cortex-A9.

When determining the number of cores of a particular chipset, they talk specifically about the main computing processors, and in our case there are two of them, that is, Tegra 2 is a dual-core processor.

Why are so many other data processors installed in the SoC? To reduce device power consumption. At the moment, LTE modules are also built into chipsets, which reduces battery consumption compared to previous solutions when this communication module was installed separately.

Frequency, cores and performance

The vast majority of tablet buyers believe that the number of processor cores directly affects performance. In this view, an 8-core CPU is always in an advantageous position relative to two-, four-, and even more so single-core ones.

The situation is the same with the clock frequency: the higher the number, the better, believe owners of portable devices. But this logic is not entirely correct, since productivity depends on more factors.

For example, one of the important nuances of microchip architecture is the standard of the technological process for manufacturing processors. In smartphones and tablets, 32 nm is now most often used. Roughly speaking, this is the thickness of the conductive paths that transmit signals from element to element. The lower this value, the better, because the resistance will be lower. The 20 nm norm is just beginning to gain momentum, but when it will become mainstream is unknown.

We will not go into all the details of chipset development and implementation of various technologies. The bottom line remains the same - games on a tablet with a dual-core processor can run more smoothly than on a device with four cores and a higher clock speed. There can be many reasons for this. Of course, this is not always the case, but we must understand: a large number of cores and a high frequency of their operation is not the key to success.

Software optimization

The most important thing for performance is optimizing the firmware, the operating system itself and software. For example, we can take the iPad Air 2, which has a triple-core A8X processor clocked at 1.5 GHz. When developing iOS 8 and the firmware of the device, Apple focused specifically on the hardware of this tablet and the processor, so its optimization is close to ideal. At the same time, you can take any Chinese tablet based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 800. This processor has four cores with a clock frequency of 2.3 GHz.

If it were possible to compare both chipsets without using different operating systems and other components, Snapdragon would win outright. But many factors ultimately give us a completely different picture. Air 2 has amazing performance and a smooth interface, and the latest games with the highest level of graphics run on the tablet without any problems. Maybe the Apple A8X is the best processor for a tablet?

In the case of Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, the situation may be different. The Chinese tablet Docomo F-02F does not have any particular problems with the interface, but they are still noticeable. Some game projects go just fine, while others do not produce high enough FPS. But Pro 8.4 based on the same chipset does not raise any complaints at all. As you understand, it is not always possible to get a straight answer when comparing two different processors.

Software testing of processors

Often, when choosing a tablet or smartphone, people rely on the performance of various tests, believing that the higher the number shown in the result window, the better the device they got. In fact, there are many pitfalls lurking here too.

Browser testing

Sometimes tablet reviews include comparative tests of browsers on different devices. If the devices are similar in terms of hardware and platform, then this makes sense. But the greater the difference between devices, the more useless these numbers are. At the moment, the fastest browser is considered to be the Blackberry BB10 operating system, but all devices with this OS are developed on outdated processors. Fortunately, we are trying to determine which processor is better for games, and here the situation is much simpler than with browsers.

AnTuTu test

AnTuTu testing apps are now the standard for tablet reviews. There is no review where competitors' test scores were not used. And in this case, we advise you not to rely heavily on the accuracy of the data obtained.

The number that the application produces after testing shows the sum of the following results:

• memory performance;
• integrated processor performance;
• calculation of floating point numbers;
• 2D graphics performance;
• 3D graphics performance;
• SD card writing and reading speed;
• I/O performance.

Among them there are tests that have a direct meaning, such as calculating numbers. And there are also those whose testimony can be called cloudy. For example, 3D graphics performance indicators should not be trusted. But we are considering the total amount, which means we won’t be able to get an exact answer.

If we compare the ratings of Note 4, Apple iPhone 6 Plus and Meizu MX4, it turns out that, despite different software and hardware, their performance is on the same level. It is unlikely that all three devices behave the same in all cases. Everyone has their positive sides, and there are also disadvantages, but we won’t know anything about it from the test results.

At the same time, the AnTuTu test tries to show what the device is capable of under maximum load. The chipset of tablets is designed in such a way that it does not constantly work at high power, because because of this it would be discharged in a few minutes. The clock speed of tablet processors varies depending on specific applications and their requirements. Let's say, for 2048 the performance required is not at all the same as for Modern Combat 4. But we can consider the test results as a reference figure, based on which we will choose the best processor for the tablet. If we choose a CPU specifically for such purposes, then we are not interested in performance in the browser or in light arcade games.

AnTuTu scandal

Last year, it turned out that Samsung programmers were able to come up with a way to trick performance testing applications. The Korean company's devices understood which application was currently running and changed the clock frequency. So the AnTuTu indicators turned out to be overestimated. On the other hand, this is how most software works, so there was no significant deception here, but still the company did not act completely honestly.

Dependency on RAM

If the amount of RAM is limited, then even the most powerful processor will not give you a comfortable FPS level in games. Gamers sometimes get the idea that too much RAM is an unnecessary luxury. This is partly true.

The Android operating system can only work with three gigabytes of RAM. The restriction may soon be lifted, but this will not be such a significant event for gamers for the second reason.

Modern games do not require too many of these same gigabytes. Of course, for some projects one will not be enough, but two are quite enough. 3 GB will be able to justify itself in one case out of a hundred. It is still difficult to predict when games will become so demanding that increased amounts of memory will become the standard for top-end smartphones.

Processor manufacturers

Qualcomm

Qualcomm is the market leader. The trust of users and tablet manufacturers was quickly won with the help of high-quality, powerful SoC chipsets and constant innovation. For example, the built-in LTE module first appeared with this brand. Of course, promoted chips are more expensive than others.

MediaTek

The main competitor of the previous brand is MediaTek. Unlike the leader, this company is trying to produce chipsets at an affordable price. Although at the initial stage of development the quality of the company’s chips was not at the highest level, which still remains a stain on the manufacturer’s image.

Samsung

The Korean manufacturer of tablets and smartphones Samsung tries to use only its own developments in its devices. Exynos chipsets keep up with the leader and its competitors, but have not yet gained popularity, mainly due to the use of processors on tablets of the same brand.

nVidia

Nvidia's Tegra processors are still trying to find their niche and win fans. For PC gamers who buy a tablet, such names sound more solid than the obscure words Snapdragon or Exynos. What makes Tegra different is that the company itself optimizes the most powerful and popular games, increasing the performance of some projects on its hardware.

Intel

Intel Atom processors are just gaining popularity in the mobile market and have already achieved good results. They are distributed mainly under special conditions, so they often become the basis of Lenovo devices.

Conclusion

So, we have decided that choosing the best processor for it is very difficult, since everything depends on the operating system, installed shell, firmware version, amount of RAM and other factors. However, we found out that the leaders are top processors from Qualcomm and MediaTek. But it’s always difficult to choose, since new hardware solutions appear very quickly, and if you don’t want to change your device once a year, then you’ll have to look at your competitors very carefully.

But the best processor for a tablet at the moment is the MediaTek MT8392. 8 cores with a frequency of 1.7 GHz are highly optimized and provide not only amazing performance, but also low power consumption: the cores are turned off when power is not needed, and the clock speed is also reduced. In addition, the developers of Modern Combat 5 have updated their game, providing improved graphics and high FPS for the new powerful chipset.

First, let's clear things up a little. As you know, processors are used in a variety of 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 performance of the processor, special applications are used. 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 look at the CPU performance rating, presenting the most popular models and some that have become obsolete, but are still present in the secondary markets. They are also found in currently inexpensive 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 operation in the frequency range up to 1200 MHz. It has one of the best battery life indicators in all modes. Despite 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 for mobile gadgets began. 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 for USB 3.0 interface and cameras up to 21 Mpx is included. 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 at 2 GHz each and 4 graphics cores at 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 a 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. Installs 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 constantly operate at an increased frequency until you set a different 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: 03/09/14

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Updated: 07/13/2018 16:39:42

In 2018, the mobile processor market is oversaturated. Almost all manufacturers produce their own chips - both those specializing in such components (like Qualcomm, MediaTek or Intel) and electronics developers (Huawei, Samsung). At the same time, too much depends on the processor to take a tablet without looking at this parameter.

A little about processors for mobile devices

If in computers processors perform only one function - they calculate according to algorithms pre-installed in the chip, then in smartphones and tablets they play a vital role. In fact, a mobile processor is only partly a processor. Yes, it counts in the same way as a desktop one, but at the same time it performs many more functions.

In fact, all sorts of Snapdragon and MediaTek processors are not processors. This is SoC - system on a chip (System-on-Chip). Their design includes:

Computing cores. Determine the tablet's performance when performing complex tasks and multitasking;

Graphics accelerator. A kind of “video card” that processes the “picture” on the screen;

Modem. Determines the speed of mobile Internet;

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controllers. Determine the data transfer rate over these wireless networks;

Charge controllers. Requires fast charging technology for operation;

Image processor. Determines the quality of photographs;

Thus, buying a device with a slow processor results not only in general “brakes” of the tablet, but also in inadequate operation of other functions. And some opportunities may simply not exist.

For example, not a single Intel Atom device supports fast charging technology. This is because the company that developed the chip did not include this function in it.

How the rating of processors for tablets was compiled

When compiling the rating, we used only “manufacturer-neutral” processors from three companies – Qualcomm, MediaTek and Intel. Chips produced by Huawei (HiSilicon Kirin line), Apple and Samsung (Exynos series) were not taken into account. They are used in tablets only from these manufacturers.

In addition, we decided to refrain from adding individual processor models to the rating. There are too many of them. Instead, we compared processor lines - especially since the differences within the series can be minimal.

Rating of the best processors for tablets

Best processors for premium tablets

Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 series (800, 810, 820, 825, 830, 835)

Why first place: Maximum performance and the latest technology.

Description: The Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 series includes the most advanced, flagship and powerful processors. The manufacturing company implements its latest technologies in them, which provide the best quality of mobile communications, maximum performance and - what is especially important for some users - photo processing mechanics. Pictures taken on devices equipped with these processors turn out to be of really high quality.

The series includes quad-core SoC chips with four clusters. Therefore, each computing module can work separately. This is important, for example, when running undemanding applications - the chip does not heat up and consumes minimal energy.

All cores in the QS800 SoC have the same frequency. Models 2016 and newer feature dual-thread per core technology. Built-in powerful Adreno graphics accelerators support augmented and virtual reality.

Advantages

High performance – maximum in the rating;

Powerful modems and mobile communication modules;

Support for modern technologies - fast charging, augmented reality, LTE-A and others.

Flaws

Expensive – installed only in flagship devices;

Noticeable heating under load and during charging;

An extremely poor selection of tablets with these processors.

Intel Core m (m3, m5) and Intel Core i (i3, i5) series

Why second place: Maximum performance, but only for Windows tablets.

Description: Intel processors of the fourth - and newer - generations can be used not only in desktop computers and laptops, but also in tablets. When properly configured by the manufacturer, these chips can operate with passive cooling and therefore do not require coolers. However, they maintain near-desktop performance.

However, the architecture of the processors (x86 and x64) does not allow them to be used with mobile OSs such as Android. The tablets they are equipped with run exclusively on Windows 10.

Depending on the specific chip model, processors can be equipped with 2 or 4 cores, as well as an integrated Intel HD Graphics card. All feature dual-threaded computing technology, three cache levels and other technologies that increase performance.

It is worth noting separately that these are the only processors in the rating that are processors, not SoCs.

Advantages

High, almost desktop performance;

Individual cores, not combined into clusters;

Supports passive cooling.

Flaws

Noticeable throttling (decrease in performance when heated);

Compatible only with Windows and other desktop operating systems;

There is an extremely poor selection of tablets equipped with these processors.

MediaTek Helio X series (X10 and X20)

Why third place: Optimal performance and low power consumption.

Description: The MediaTek Helio X series includes flagship chips from this Chinese manufacturer. The development company in them did the almost impossible: installed 10 computing cores. However, it is worth noting that they are combined into three clusters of 2 or 4 modules, and the clock frequency varies between them.

For example, the flagship MediaTek Helio X20 has 10 cores – 2 at 2.5 GHz, 4 at 2 GHz and 4 at 1.4 GHz. Because of this, the overall processor performance is quite average. But the system’s power consumption is minimal - for example, in the Doze deep sleep mode, only 1.4 GHz cores are activated, artificially limiting battery consumption.

However, the performance of Helio X series processors is higher than other MediaTek chips. That is why they were included in our rating. In addition, Helio X implements modern technologies, for example, video recording in 4K resolution.

Advantages

Low power consumption;

Support for modern (relatively modern) technologies;

Low heating.

Flaws

Average performance;

Limited support (operating system updates are rare);

Slow cold GPS start, which is typical for all MediaTek processors.

The best processors for mid-range tablets

Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 series (600, 615, 625, 650 and later)

Why first place: High performance and powerful graphics accelerator.

Description: The Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 series includes high-performance processors in the mid-price category. They are the ones most often installed in flagship tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 and S3. The high performance of such processors ensures smooth operation, both in multitasking and single-tasking modes.

But the main advantage of the Snapdragon 600 series processors is the powerful graphics accelerator. It supports high-resolution screens, including Retina-like ones, and AR technologies.

The processor architecture includes 8 cores. But in some chips they work separately, while in models 650 and 652 they are combined into clusters and differ in clock speed. However, regardless of the architecture, the performance of these processors remains high, which is why they topped the rating of chips for mid-price devices.

Advantages

High performance;

Powerful graphics accelerator;

Support for high-speed modems.

Flaws

Noticeable heating during use;

Noticeable throttling;

Limited support for 4K video shooting and HDR photography.

MediaTek Helio P Series (P10, P20, P23, P25, P30 and P60)

Why second place: High performance, but limited manufacturer support.

Description: The MediaTek Helio P series, which took second place in the ranking, includes processors designed for tablets and smartphones in the mid-price segment. However, it includes fairly powerful chips with a balanced architecture. The processor design includes 8 Cortex ARM64 cores, which can have the same clock speed or be combined into clusters depending on the specific model.

The main advantage of the processors is support for high-speed LTE. For example, the P23 model supports two 4G communication modules at once, which will be appreciated by lovers of electronics from Chinese manufacturers. They often install two SIM card trays in their tablets and separate modems for each.

The P30 model supports HDR, telephoto and wide-angle video shooting, and the MediaTek Helio P60 chip is compatible with artificial intelligence technologies.

Advantages

Low heating during operation;

High performance;

LTE support for almost all generations.

Flaws

Low graphics accelerator performance;

Slow cache memory;

Rare low-level software updates from the manufacturer;

Intel Atom x series (x3, x5)

Why third place: Processors that provide optimal performance for tablets and hybrid laptops running the Windows operating system.

Description: The Intel Atom x series closes the rating of processors for mid-range devices. Despite the fact that the chips belong to the budget price segment, they are better suited for Windows tablets than Celeron or Pentium. Atom X series processors are manufactured using a 22nm process technology (or even smaller), so they do not require active cooling - just a wide radiator is enough.

Depending on the specific model, the series processors are equipped with two or four cores, and the average clock speed is 1.5 GHz. The chips are complemented by built-in Intel HD Graphics, which provides sufficient performance even for some fairly old games.

Like the chips from the Core m series, Atom x are processors, not full-fledged SoC systems. Therefore, the operation of the remaining components of the tablet depends on the components installed by the manufacturer.

Advantages

Minimal heating, even during charging or under load;

Compatible with mobile and desktop operating systems;

The compactness of the computers in which they are installed is due to a special chipset.

Flaws

Noticeable throttling;

Slow cold start of wireless networks (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE, GPS);

Rare low-level processor software updates.

The best processors for inexpensive tablets

MediaTek MT87XX Series (MT8752, MT8732)

Why first place: High performance and support for 16-megapixel cameras.

Description: As mentioned earlier, processors determine not only the performance of the tablet, but also its functionality. Therefore, you shouldn’t expect anything more or less powerful from the chips included in this rating. For example, even the top-of-the-list MediaTek MT8752 only supports 16-megapixel cameras.

But it is compatible with the most modern software compression codec H.265, thanks to which chips equipped with this processor can shoot Full HD video at 60 fps, and the finished file will “weigh” significantly less than usual.

MT8752 is based on an eight-core architecture and has a clock frequency of 1.7 GHz. The younger model – MT8732 – is equipped with four cores with a clock frequency of 1.5 GHz. However, both chips are quite fast and provide high smoothness even in multitasking mode.

Advantages

Support for modern video recording technologies;

High performance and low heat;

Fast cold start of wireless communication modules.

Flaws

Limited compatibility with hardware components;

Limited manufacturer support;

Slow cache memory.

MediaTek MT86XX series (models MT8693, MT8685)

Why it's in second place: Optimal performance, but noticeable heat.

Description: Processors occupying second place in the ranking are installed in most tablets in the budget and “lower middle” price categories. The MT8693 model is equipped with six computing cores, combined into two clusters (2 at 2.0 GHz and 4 at 1.6 GHz). The junior chip – MT8685 – has in its architecture already 4 cores of 1.5 GHz, operating separately.

Both models support fairly current technologies - 13-megapixel cameras, H.265 software and hardware codecs, LPDDR3 cache memory, 5 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1. Good optimization ensures fast cold start of wireless modules.

However, processors get noticeably hot during operation, as a result of which they require good cooling. If the tablet manufacturer does not provide it, noticeable throttling is observed, expressed in a drop in the speed of the entire operating system.

Advantages

Low price, thanks to which they are installed even in the cheapest tablets;

H.265 support;

Quick start of wireless modules.

Flaws

Noticeable heating during operation;

Noticeable throttling;

Low graphics accelerator performance.

Attention! This rating is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

The Android operating system is a fairly popular operating system, which is mainly used for phones, tablets and even some netbooks. Many people wonder which Android tablet to choose, but let's first figure out how the Android operating system works and consider its advantages and disadvantages. Thanks to the advice of our experts, you can easily choose the best tablet computer that will easily satisfy all your needs. We also invite you to familiarize yourself with

Operating principles of Android OS

The operating system acts as an intermediary between the software and the device itself. In Android, for every action there is a corresponding process. For example, the desktop and the shortcuts that are located on it have a process associated with an application program. This program creates a signal that indicates that the background placement needs to be drawn. This all points to the required address. The microprocessor of this operating system calculates how the dots should be placed on the screen, after which the driver turns on, which begins to perceive the screen as an output (input) device.

The program that is responsible for the desktop also controls the launch of system applications. But once they are opened, other processes are activated, allowing the applications to interact with Android. This operating system is capable of multitasking, allowing you to work with a large number of applications. The only small drawback of this system is the high consumption of device RAM, but in general it has not performed poorly.

Which processor is better for an Android tablet?

The processor is the main component of any computer, tablet or phone. It is very important to choose a good processor that it copes with its task. Otherwise, the work will not be effective, which will lead to a waste of time. How to test the processor? To do this, you need special programs with which you can do this. The most popular processors for tablets:

AMD. The company is now developing new G-series processors that have x86 “Jaguar” architecture and are produced using modern 28 nanometer technology. AMD processors use an APU system (integrated), which consists of a video card and a processor. Such hybrids, due to their small size, have proven themselves to be excellent. They provided a lot of great features, but they failed to completely replace an external graphics card.

Intel. The company is currently developing Intel Haswell (fourth generation processors), which are made using 22 nm technology. They improved the already outdated Ivy Bridge architecture in processor performance and energy efficiency.

Rockchip 2918 . CPU processors work well with Android OS on tablets. It was developed on the Cortex A8 architecture, and now this allows it to operate in a large frequency range. This processor showed the best results in battery life in various modes. It is cheap, but at the same time it is capable of supporting Adobe Flash technology and has a built-in video accelerator, which makes it possible to play 3D games.

RAM and built-in memory

RAM is very different from what developers offer us and what actually exists. For example, the average tablet running Android 5.0 requires 512-1024 MB, and this is only for the operating system. Next, you need to allocate 250 MB for additional service applications, the Google Play service needs to allocate 70-80 MB, the graphical interface will take 180 MB, even the desktop will take 70 MB. As a result, for normal functioning of the system you need 2 thousand MB of RAM, and for expensive phones from Samsung you will need about 3 GB of RAM.

According to experts, for expensive models that use Android 6.0 firmware, you need from 1.5 to 3 GB of RAM. For tablets with Android firmware from 4.0 to 5.0, up to 2 GB of RAM is required. In budget versions and models in which I use old firmware, about 500 MB of RAM are needed.

After these observations, we can conclude that for the normal functioning of a device with AOSP firmware, 600 MB of RAM must be allocated. For proprietary firmware you will need more than 2 GB of RAM.

Advantages and disadvantages of this operating system

The advantage of Android over other operating systems is that the device is “open” to the user.

Advantages:

• The ability to freely install applications from unknown sources (which is not the case in iOS).
• Access to user files on portable media and in the internal memory of the device.
• Great possibilities for customizing the appearance (not available in iOS).
• It is possible to use "closed" applications, and there is an option to use application stores.
• You can install unofficial firmware.

The openness of Android brings with it not only advantages, but also shows the disadvantages of this operating system:

• There is quite a lot of fragmentation of the system, this is due to the large number of devices under its control.
• Updating the firmware can take quite a long time.
• Some tablets have a defect that slows down the system (this does not happen on new versions).

Popular programs for tablets on Android

There are many useful applications for tablets running the Android operating system. Let's figure out what programs you should install?

An excellent application for Android devices that can optimize performance on any device. This program has 3 functions:

• Optimizer;
• Accelerator;
• Antivirus.

In addition, the AppLock function can protect personal data, and Clean Master will help with the tablet freezing or slowing down, rapid battery drain, low memory and overheating of the device. The program monitors the system and warns the user when it is necessary to delete cache or unnecessary files, cool the gadget or stop applications.

This is a file manager that is rightfully considered one of the best for tablets and other electronic devices. This program contains several functions:

• Explorer, application manager and file manager;
• The application allows you to conveniently manage all files;
• It has an excellent interface and modern functionality;
• Gives access to connect to a computer via a tablet.

The best application for accessing the Internet on a tablet. Regular browsers will not create the stable and comfortable experience that UC Browser provides.

Features that highlight this program:

• The program adapts to the Internet speed and compresses traffic;
• It has a nice and comfortable interface with excellent functionality, you can also change the design at any time;
• As in regular browsers, there is an “Incognito” function and the ability to open several pages at the same time;
• The ability to block pop-ups and ads is a huge plus.

Which Android tablet is better to buy?

Nowadays gadgets are quite expensive. Therefore, it is very important to purchase a really good model. Let's look at the best Android tablets in 2016-2017, according to owner reviews:

There are many gadgets in Russia, but many users chose this particular model. This is a fairly inexpensive Android tablet with a 10-inch screen. The device has a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory, an 8 MP main camera and a 5 MP front camera, Bluetooth 4.0, and a 7 thousand mAh battery. Operating system – Android 5.0. The average price in Russia is 19 thousand rubles. More than 3 million units have already been sold.

It is also a relatively inexpensive tablet that has already been chosen by millions of people. Operating system – Android 5.1. This device has a fairly powerful processor with 4 cores of 2.24 GHz each, an excellent 7.9-inch screen with a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels, built-in memory of 16 or 64 GB, and a 6190 mAh battery that can operate for about 12 hours. The gadget has a metal body, but weighs only 320 grams. Price in Russia: 15 thousand rubles.

This tablet lags in terms of sales, with about 1.5 million people choosing it, but it has good characteristics and is in no way inferior to the models already reviewed. 9.7-inch screen with a resolution of 1024x768, quad-core processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, 6 thousand mAh battery. The device also has a 2 MP front camera and a 5 MP main camera. Price in Russia: 21 thousand rubles.

Conclusion

The Android operating system has many advantages that its competitors do not have. This will allow you to comfortably use the selected tablet.

For example, Windows Phone has a gloomy interface, programs will always try to sell you something, and it’s also difficult to get to the necessary files.

Apple does not have such problems, but you will come across others. To start using a gadget on this operating system, you need to register with many services that provide, although cheap, but bad applications, poor quality videos and books.

Many people choose Android OS for a tablet because it is easy to use, you can completely change the interface, and there are no problems that are inherent in other operating systems. I hope our tips will help you choose the best Android tablet and enjoy the right purchase!