Thread: Anandtech News

As much as it might pain some of us to hear it, Apple's iMac really did essentially legitimize the all-in-one as an alternative to the typical desktop-and-monitor combination. There have been Windows-based alternatives here and there historically, but it's only been in the past couple of years that the Windows all-in-one market has really started to gain traction. Of course, the fact that system requirements have also reached a point where a large range of CPUs are still sufficiently fast helps.

At present, the iMac's Windows counterparts also offer a functionality that Apple has yet to duplicate: touch interface. HP adds an additional wrinkle with the TouchSmart 610: a hinge that allows you to slide the unit down and use it "kiosk style". That hinge, along with the latest Intel hardware and a surprisingly high quality screen, suggests a machine intended for myriad uses...not just an all-in-one computer, but an all-markets-in-one appliance. Find out how it performs as we put the TouchSmart 610 to the test.


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Since the launch of iOS 5, a number of users have begun reporting decreased battery life on their iDevices, and alongside it have been reports of battery life issues afflicting the iPhone 4S. We investigated the iPhone 4S' power consumption in our review, and found that power consumption is on par with or less than the iPhone 4. Nevertheless, we predicted that there were a combination of software issues afflicting a subset of 4S owners and users with iOS 5 installed.
Today, Apple has confirmed to AllThingsD that this is the case:

We have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks.

In addition, Apple has released iOS 5.0.1 beta today which includes note of these software fixes which will hopefully improve battery life for affected customers. In addition, the beta restores multitasking gestures for the original iPad, security improvements, and improvements to the data store policies for applications, among others.

No doubt iOS 5.0.1 will release in a few weeks after this beta gets its own soak period in the hands of developers. We'll be investigating to see how this updates impacts the iPhone 4S' performance in our own battery life tests.
Source: AllThingsD, Apple Developer Portal



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Platter density has been the crutch of hard drive makers in recent history. Increasing spindle speeds can reduce random access latency, but at the expense of cost and thermals. Improvements in random access performance via increasing spindle speed pale in comparison to what is possible with solid state storage, not to mention that driving motors at speeds beyond 10,000 RPM becomes quite difficult. The focus on increasing platter density is also difficult, but higher density platters can actually lead to reductions in power consumption rather than the opposite (through a reduction in the number of platters per drive). There's also the fact that if you can cram more data on a single platter there's a direct impact on sequential accesses.

Yesterday Seagate announced its transition to 1TB platters with its new 7200RPM-only Barracuda line. The move marked a significant change for Seagate as it is phasing out the Barracuda Green brand, and shifting the focus of the high-performance Barracuda XT.
Read on for our review of the new 3TB Seagate Barracuda.


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Facebook had 22 Million active users in the middle of 2007; fast forward to 2011 and the site now has 800 Million active users, with 400 million of them logging in every day. Facebook has grown exponentially, to say the least! To cope with this kind of exceptional growth and at the same time offer a reliable and cost effective service requires out of the box thinking. Through a combination of software optimizations and a careful selection of hardware, Facebook set out to create a platform that would meet their needs, and then they open sourced the design to the world.
The Facebook Open Compute server design was ambitious: “The result is a data center full of vanity free servers that is 38% more efficient and 24% less expensive to build and run than other state-of-the-art data centers.” Even better is that Facebook Engineering sent a couple Open Compute servers to our lab for testing:

As a competing solution we have an HP DL380 G7 in the lab. Recall from our last server clash that the HP DL380 G7 was one of the most power efficient servers of 2010. Is a server "targeted at the cloud" and designed by Facebook engineering able to beat one of the best and most popular general purpose servers? That is the question we'll answer in this article.


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In August, at the TouchWiz UX event, we asked a Samsung representative when we would see Exynos in a tablet, he promised it would be within the year. They've kept their promise. Earlier today we confirmed with Samsung that the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus will come with an Exynos SoC, and clocked at 1.2 GHz it will carry the same oomph as found in the Samsung Galaxy S 2.
When we first met Honeycomb, in the Motorola Xoom, the only variations between models was exterior. Each sported a 10.1" screen at 1280x800 and was equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 2 SoC. Not much has changed about that until now. Recently though, we've seen new SoC's receive their own Android 3.x ports, starting with the Archos G9 line and their TI OMAP 4 SoC's, then the Huawei Mediapad with its Qualcomm Snapdragon S3, and now Samsung's Exynos in the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. All of these processors feature two ARM A9 cores, and all but the NVIDIA are clocked the same. But will they perform differently when pitted against each other?

Anand spent some time mulling over this question in our Samsung Galaxy S 2 (International) review, and it breaks down to four key areas of difference: clockspeed, MPE/NEON implementation, memory interface and GPU. Clockspeed is straightforward, with no 1.2 GHz Tegra 2 parts on the market there will be an inherent 20% performance increase in these newer devices. When NVIDIA released Tegra 2, they aimed for a smaller die size by eliminating ARM's Media Processing Engine, something the other SoC's include, so in some tests Tegra 2 will be at a further disadvantage. Further, only the Tegra 2 uses a single channel memory interface, limiting memory bandwidth. Mobile graphics have grown in complexity rapidly, owing not just to interest in mobile gaming, but also, at times, to supplement the CPU in certain tasks such as web browsing and UI navigation.
The Tegra 2 impressed initially with smooth performance in complex tests and demos; and while it remains a potent GPU, the Mali-400 will be king of the Android GPU hill for sometime. Qualcomm uses their somewhat aging Adreno 220, and with the G9 Turbo series now expected to run TI's OMAP 4430 (clocked at 1.2 GHz, in lieu of OMAP 4460) we expect the similarly aging PowerVR SGX 540 clocked at 304 MHz. Neither the Adreno nor the PowerVR GPUs stand a chance of toppling the Mali, but will provide good competition for the Tegra 2.
We've taken a look at each of these platforms in phones, and come away with the Exynos as the clear leader. So, we're excited to see how these platforms fare when exposed to Honeycomb, which should be a closer indicator to how they'll perform when Ice Cream Sandwich lands.



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Last week, we reported that Andre Yang had managed to overclock AMD's FX-8150 CPU to 8.46GHz, breaking the former record set by AMD. Andre Yang has now been able to break his own record by roughly 120MHz, which is fairly notable increase given that the previous record he set was only 30MHz greater than the record before that. The new world record is 8584.8MHz to be exact, 123.3MHz greater than the previous. The record is not official yet, though, as it has not appeared in CPU-Z's validation database.

Andre used the same Crosshair V Formula motherboard and the only difference seems to be the higher core voltage, which was 2.076V in the new record (1.992V in the old one). Andre used liquid nitrogen for cooling, so even higher overclocks could be achieved with liquid helium, which liquefies at -269 Celsius while it's -253 Celsius for nitrogen in atmosphere pressure (though they are usually in pressure tanks when used for cooling, making them are a bit warmer due to higher pressure). Bulldozer's upcoming B3 stepping could also improve the overclock-ability, possibly making 9GHz plausible.



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Acer has announced a Facebook campaign where users can get a free Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook. In order to join the competition, users need to like the sweepstake page and enter relevant contact information. Unfortunately, this promotion is US only, so international Facebook users cannot participate (clicking the sweepstake link leads to Acer's Facebook page). Acer will be giving away one ultrabook everyday through December 31st. The campaign started yesterday so with quick math, Acer will be giving away a total of 60 Ultrabooks during the campaign.
We reported about Acer's S3 Ultrabook already in September, with more depth-in release coverage in October. Acer will be giving away the cheapest $899 model, which specs are listed below.

Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook Specifications
Screen Size	13.3"
Resolution	1366x768
Processor	Intel Core i5-2647M (1.6GHz dual core with HT)
Graphics	Intel HD 3000
Memory	4GB DDR3-1333
Storage	20GB SSD + 320GB 5400rpm HD
Ports	2x USB 2.0, HDMI
Dimensions (WxHxD)	12.59" x 0.51" x 8.52"
Weight	2.98lb

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We knew this was coming, but HTC still had some surprises in store. The HTC Rezound will hit retail channels for $299 on November 14th. This latest halo phone comes to us with an emphasis on the audio, but it's the display we're particularly keen on seeing. Let's dive into the specs and have a look at what we can expect.

Performance will be driven by the familiar MSM8660 clocked at 1.5 GHz, we explored this platform at this clock speed in the Mobile Development Platform we explored. The MDP's performance was stellar, but it wasn't held back by power optimizations necessary to make a viable everyday cellphone. So while our MDP data gives us some idea of what the top end of our expectations might be, we're certain a retail device will look more like the performance we saw in the Evo 3D review.

When Anand took a look at the TouchPad, seemingly an age ago, he noted the Wolfson Micro silicon inside which provides the hardware to implement the Beats Audio software. The Rezound is billed as the first Beats Audio smartphone in the US, kin to the Sensation XL available in the UK. We're not sure whether the Rezound will have a similar Wolfson Micro codec, but the Beats Audio technique is capable of drastically improving the audio quality by providing improved low and midrange frequencies. The Beats by Dre ear buds that will ship with the Rezound won't have you leaving your favorite Shures in the drawer but they should be an improvement over the usual cheap buds that come with phones these days.
The Rezound comes with the venerable MDM9600, speeds will mirror those of the rest of VZW's LTE fleet, but even it's 1620 mAh will not drastically improve battery performance over other LTE devices. The other specs are halo phone par: 8MP/1080p rear shooter, 2MP front shooter, 16GB on board storage, 16GB microSD included, 1GB RAM and the usual Bluetooth and WiFi capabilities.
Where the Rezound raises questions is in the display technology. At 4.3" and with a 720p resolution, the Rezound has a stupendous 341 ppi pixel density, and the stated display technology is Super LCD which should thrill the AMOLED detractors amongst you. What we don't know is whether there remains a Pentile matrix, as we've seen on the Droid 3, in an RGBW format. If not, this could be amongs the finest displays on a phone this year. But even with a Pentile matrix, the subpixel density should far exceed the human eye's ability to detect a Pentile grid, leaving just the color representation as a concern.
We're reaching out to HTC for more information, and are excited to get our hands on it. Stay tuned.

Physical Comparison
	Galaxy Nexus	Galaxy S II (International)	Motorola Droid RAZR	HTC Rezound
Height	135.5 mm (5.33")	125.3 mm (4.93")	130.70 mm (5.15")	129.5 mm (5.1")
Width	67.94 mm (2.67")	66.1 mm (2.60")	68.90 mm (2.71")	66.0 mm (2.6")
Depth	8.94 mm (0.35")	8.49 mm (0.33")	7.1 - ?? mm (0.28" - ??")	13.7 mm (0.54")
Weight	135 g (4.76 oz)	115 g (4.06 oz)	127 g (4.48 oz)	??? g (??? oz)
CPU	1.2 GHz Dual Core Cortex-A9 OMAP 4460	1.2 GHz Dual Core Exynos 4210	1.2 GHz Dual Core Cortex-A9 OMAP 4430	1.5 GHz Dual Core Snapdragon MSM8660
GPU	PowerVR SGX 540 (@384 MHz)	ARM Mali-400	PowerVR SGX 540 (@304 MHz)	Adreno 220
RAM	1 GB LPDDR2	1 GB LPDDR2	1 GB LPDDR2	1 GB LPDDR2
NAND	16 / 32 GB NAND	16 GB NAND with up to 32 GB micro SD	16 GB NAND, 16 GB microSD class 4 preinstalled	16 GB NAND, 16 GB microSD preinstalled
Camera	5 MP with autofocus and LED flash, 1080p30 video recording, 1.3 MP front facing	8 MP with AF/LED Flash, 2MP front facing	8 MP with AF/LED Flash, 1080p30 video recording, 720p front facing	8 MP with AF/LED Flash, 1080p30 video recording, 2MP front facing
Screen	4.65” 1280 x 720 Super AMOLED	4.27" 800 x 480 Super AMOLED Plus	4.3" 960 x 540 Super AMOLED Advanced	4.3" 1280 x 720 Super LCD
Battery	?Removable 6.48 Whr	Removable 6.11 Whr	Sealed 6.56 Whr	Removable 5.99 Whr

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We are getting closer to the launch of Sandy Bridge E and Intel's motherboard partners are eager to get out some early press about their motherboards. We saw a lot of what to expect from SNB-E motherboards at IDF, but most of the manufacturers have been holding back a bit of information on how they plan to differentiate in this ultra-competitive industry.
With Sandy Bridge we saw some of the first boards to sport UEFI instead of a traditional BIOS interface. With Sandy Bridge E, expect to see many motherboard manufacturers use their UEFI implementations as one avenue to stand out from the crowd.
Gigabyte is trying something a bit new with its X79 UEFI: a simplified "3D" UI. Instead of navigating through lists and sublists of options, Gigabyte's new 3D BIOS interface gives you a picture of your motherboard with a few predefined, highlightable sections. You can hover over and click on the SATA ports for example to bring up a list of SATA related configuration options. The same applies for rear IO, memory, PCIe, voltage regulators and naturally the CPU socket.




The advanced mode will still remain, Gigabyte is simply using 3D BIOS to make configuring your motherboard easier for those users who are less comfortable with the process. Check out the gallery below for more screenshots and the video above to see Gigabyte's 3D BIOS in action.
We'll have our full review of Sandy Bridge E and the X79 platform later this month.
Gallery: Gigabyte Shows off Simplified "3D BIOS" Interface for X79 UEFI



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I had a feeling I was going to have to write a post like this after I published that Rick Bergman left AMD. Those of you who remember the RV770 and RV870 stories may remember the name Carrell Killebrew, one of many AMDers who was instrumental in the complete turnaround of their GPU strategy. If you flip back through the RV770 story you'll remember that there was one AMD executive who supported Carrell's strategy of a small(er)-die RV770. The relevant exerpt from the RV770 story is below:

There were many individuals at ATI that were responsible for the RV770 we know today getting green lighted. ATI’s Rick Bergman was willing to put himself and his career on the line, because if this didn’t work, he’d be one to blame. Carrell recalled a story where Rick Bergman and others were at a table discussing RV770; Rick turned to Matt Skynner and asked him if he thought they could really do it, if they could make RV770 a smaller-than-NVIDIA GPU and still be successful, if it was possible to create a halo in the Performance segment. Matt apparently pondered the question, turned to Rick and said “I think we can”. Carrell felt that ATI might not have gone down that path if it weren’t for Matt Skynner’s support and Rick Bergman making sure that the project was executed as well as it ended up being.

With Bergman gone, I was afraid Carrell would follow. Unfortunately, it's a lot worse. Not only is Carrell Killebrew gone, but around 10% of AMD's workforce join him in yesterday's announced layoffs. Many of the PR people we work with at AMD are now gone, as well as higher ups like Carrell Killebrew and Patrick Moorhead.

I'd like to wish all of the AMDers the best of luck going forward. The beauty of the tech industry is there are always options. Hopefully we'll see some of these folks appear at Apple, Intel, NVIDIA and Qualcomm.



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