GPU Performance

GPU performance is another important aspect of a device, and with display resolutions increasing there is always a need for more GPU power to drive more pixels. In the eyes of many consumers, Intel is not typically associated with speedy GPU performance, particularly in the mobile space. Many readers commented on the poor performance of Intel's HD Graphics in the Stream 7 review. However, one of the ways Intel's Moorefield chips are differentiated from some other chips in the Atom line is that they use PowerVR graphics. In the case of the Venue 8, it uses the PowerVR G6430 which was used previously in Apple's A7 chip.

3DMark 1.2 Unlimited - Overall3DMark 1.2 Unlimited - Graphics3DMark 1.2 Unlimited - PhysicsBaseMark X 1.1 - Overall (High Quality)BaseMark X 1.1 - Dunes (High Quality, Offscreen)BaseMark X 1.1 - Hangar (High Quality, Offscreen)BaseMark X 1.1 - Dunes (High Quality, Onscreen)BaseMark X 1.1 - Hangar (High Quality, Onscreen)GFXBench 3.0 Manhattan (Offscreen)GFXBench 3.0 T-Rex HD (Offscreen)GFXBench 3.0 Manhattan (Onscreen)GFXBench 3.0 T-Rex HD (Onscreen)

There has historically been a noticable gap in performance between a given PowerVR chip implemented in an iOS device, and the same GPU in an Android device. Due to drivers and other software factors, the performance of the Android device is typically slower. Because of this, I've marked the iPhone 5s on all the charts except for the onscreen ones so comparisons can be drawn between the performance of the G6430 GPU on different operating systems. In the 3DMark graphics test, the Venue 8 actually scores higher than the iPhone 5s, and in the GFXBench tests there is not a large difference between the two devices. In Basemark X there is a sizable performance difference between the two devices in favor of the iPhone, but overall I don't think anyone should be concerned about massive differences in GPU performance between the G6430 running on iOS and it running on Android.

When evaluating the Venue 8's GPU performance on its own, it can hardly be said that it's slow. However, it's now competing with Apple's 8 core Rogue GPU in A8X, and NVIDIA's Kepler graphics in Tegra K1. The devices with those GPUs end up performing between two and three times faster than the Venue 8 in many cases, and with Tegra K1 that GPU power is available in NVIDIA's Shield Tablet which undercuts the Venue 8 at only $299. GPU performance has simply moved onward from when G6430 was leading the pack, and although the Venue 8 isn't exactly slow, it's outgunned by other devices that meet and even beat its price.

NAND Performance

The performance of a device's internal storage has never been a large point of focus in the past. Mobile device manufacturers don't advertise anything about their storage beyond the capacity. However, the speed of a device's NAND can have a significant impact on performance. Slow memory can be what bottlenecks a system's performance when any sort of heavy reading or writing is occurring in the background, which occurs more often than one would think due to background applications and tasks like automatically downloading and installing app updates.

Internal NAND - Random ReadInternal NAND - Random WriteInternal NAND - Sequential ReadInternal NAND - Sequential Write

In all of our tests, the Venue 8 is decidedly average. There's no situation where it shines at the top, but also no cases where it's significantly worse than the competition. I wouldn't expect the Venue 8's storage speeds to cause any performance issues for users, though it would be nice to see at 32GB NAND option at this price.

CPU and Device Performance Display
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  • darkich - Friday, March 13, 2015 - link

    "Intel will be somewhere below 5 by then."
    Oh I see, you're nothing but a TROLL
  • Michael Bay - Saturday, March 14, 2015 - link

    So all you have is an eteranl looser`s excuse.
    Typical of ARM fanatics.
  • Michael Bay - Friday, March 13, 2015 - link

    Oh please. Intel has to improve a much more complex architecture and simultaneously drive power consumption down, while ARM is touching the heat ceiling on current complexity. Those issues will only exacerbate in next iterations.
  • GNUminex_l_cowsay - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link

    Considering that there isn't much you can do with a tablet besides viewing content. How could something with such a bad screen possibly be useful?
  • extide - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link

    Wow, those CPU scores are terrible. Even nVidia can roll a custom ARM core and be faster, and I'm not even talking about the GPU part, only CPU. This is sad Intel, c'mon you're letting me down! ATOM NEEDS TO GO. Use Core-M and then for the cheaper segments Intel needs to roll a custom ARM-v8 core. It's time!
  • djc208 - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link

    Remember that in some cases the Atom CPU has to do a real-time conversion from ARM to X86 on any app that doesn't provide an X86 build. I notice that on my MeMo Pad some things just don't run, or don't run right even though they're fine on my phone. Admittedly the MeMo has far less RAM, but it's still glitchy on some apps. But it also means that some stuff just isn't as responsive because the CPU is trying to translate and run at the same time. Which admittedly is kind of what the Tegra K1 is doing too, just without the optimization library.
  • extide - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link

    That only happens on apps that are native code, which is basically only things like full-screen 3d games. All of the main google apps, browsers, and common stuff you use is java, so it has no additional translation overhead compared to running on ARM.

    However, the truth is that it's the end result that matters.
  • tipoo - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link

    Browsers aren't java, they're native.
  • staiaoman - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link

    and THIS is why we patiently wait for anand's review before buying a tablet, instead of going off of the "FIRST!" articles from other sites. Well done, guys. Thorough as always.
  • Refuge - Friday, March 13, 2015 - link

    Haha agreed, they are my guiding light.

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