What is wrong with these people... It takes a special kind of brain damage to try and sell anything with less than Intel's HD4000 as a GPU these days. Here I am, waiting and wondering when some new tablet or convertible with even some dedicated GPU might come to market, and manufacturers are not even going for the minimal of the sensible integrated options. And then they wonder why tablets were not succeeding?
The Atom Z2580 SoC in use here utilizes the Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX 544MP2 for the GPU, giving it about the same graphics power as the "new" iPad, in less die area, driving a lower-resolution display. Sounds like a perfectly reasonable solution for a tablet to me.
No, it is not reasonable at all. It might be enough for an ARM device that will never be expected to run any real program anyway, but for a x86 device running windows it is a disaster.
Actually it will outperform ARM devices, which themselves are capable of running a lot of real programs. People have not spent billions on (ARM-based) tablets to draw on them with crayons.
OK, name ONE game whose ARM port runs with even a hint of the visual details and effects of its Windows counterpart. How about an image or video processing program? 3d modeling and rendering program? CAD/CAM?
I have been using Windows tablets 2 years before the iPad and been able to do things that today's ARM tablets still can not do.
I don't know why people have spent billions on ARM-based tablets, but I know how I will be spending my own money - not on ARM, and not on ATOM as well.
Good thing your not running these companies you'd be out as CEO in less than a year. It's not about what YOU want it's what the bazillions of consumers want. They want a mobile device to check email, surface the web, look at pictures, make/edit docs, and play an accasional game. Unlike like yourself who probably plays games 24/7 tablets were never meant to be a console replacement. Stop complaint you fucking geek!
My HP tm2 has a discrete GPU that is a bit slower than HD4000. I have played WoW, Eve Online, Civ V, Starcraft 2, Diablo 3, LoL, Dragon Age 1 and 2 on it. So it is ok for a good amount of real games.
But yes, it is showing its age in more modern games and I would be happy if there were tablets or convertibles with something even better.
As to if "slower solutions are totally fine for desktop & video", Intel has been getting away with this excuse far too long now. It has finally made a somewhat good GPU though, so it is time this excuse dies and we as customers start demanding at least that level of performance in all its future CPUs.
Even the desktop demands a good GPU these days... well, Microsoft kinda ruined this point with removing Aero from Windows 8. But I expect they will come around in a service pack.
And even if you're not into games yourself, think about your kids, man! ;)
...means you'll be blooded if you are foolish enough to purchase this half-baked crap. As we see once again, HP has lost the plot. It's no wonder they are going out of business.
Last time I checked HP was #1 in PC unit, #1 in Printer units, #1 in Server units and Top 5 in Enterprise service and software and still profiting 7-8 billion a year. Stop listening to arm chair finance and tech bloggers.
I'm liking the lightweight and thin 15" notebooks now. That one above with touch seems like a perfect windows 8 device for those who frequently work on the go.
I also like the convertible tablets. With a dock at home and one at work it provides a lot of flexibility.
I'm also interested in seeing what companies do with windows to go.
This is all crap compared to the new Hybrid Series from Samsung with an integrated Wacom digitizer and their s-pen software. For PC already exists a ton of software thanks to the preexistance of Wacom tablets.
How much spamware do I have to remove to make it usable? Unless is comes with a clean install disk that lets me get it to a basic windows state, I need to add the cost of a full version of windows to it.
I was thinking that as well but the one laptop is 15.6" so it's much bigger and the other is still a 14" and has the option for dedicated graphics and it sounds like it comes with 2.5" hard disk, so it's probably reasonable. Not sure whether it counts as an ultrabook.
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Visual - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
What is wrong with these people...It takes a special kind of brain damage to try and sell anything with less than Intel's HD4000 as a GPU these days. Here I am, waiting and wondering when some new tablet or convertible with even some dedicated GPU might come to market, and manufacturers are not even going for the minimal of the sensible integrated options. And then they wonder why tablets were not succeeding?
lowlymarine - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
The Atom Z2580 SoC in use here utilizes the Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX 544MP2 for the GPU, giving it about the same graphics power as the "new" iPad, in less die area, driving a lower-resolution display. Sounds like a perfectly reasonable solution for a tablet to me.Visual - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
No, it is not reasonable at all.It might be enough for an ARM device that will never be expected to run any real program anyway, but for a x86 device running windows it is a disaster.
CSMR - Friday, August 31, 2012 - link
Actually it will outperform ARM devices, which themselves are capable of running a lot of real programs. People have not spent billions on (ARM-based) tablets to draw on them with crayons.Visual - Monday, September 3, 2012 - link
OK, name ONE game whose ARM port runs with even a hint of the visual details and effects of its Windows counterpart. How about an image or video processing program? 3d modeling and rendering program? CAD/CAM?I have been using Windows tablets 2 years before the iPad and been able to do things that today's ARM tablets still can not do.
I don't know why people have spent billions on ARM-based tablets, but I know how I will be spending my own money - not on ARM, and not on ATOM as well.
bull2760 - Monday, September 3, 2012 - link
Good thing your not running these companies you'd be out as CEO in less than a year. It's not about what YOU want it's what the bazillions of consumers want. They want a mobile device to check email, surface the web, look at pictures, make/edit docs, and play an accasional game. Unlike like yourself who probably plays games 24/7 tablets were never meant to be a console replacement. Stop complaint you fucking geek!MrSpadge - Friday, August 31, 2012 - link
HD4000 is still far too slow for any real games, yet slower solutions are totally fine for desktop & video.Visual - Monday, September 3, 2012 - link
My HP tm2 has a discrete GPU that is a bit slower than HD4000. I have played WoW, Eve Online, Civ V, Starcraft 2, Diablo 3, LoL, Dragon Age 1 and 2 on it. So it is ok for a good amount of real games.But yes, it is showing its age in more modern games and I would be happy if there were tablets or convertibles with something even better.
As to if "slower solutions are totally fine for desktop & video", Intel has been getting away with this excuse far too long now. It has finally made a somewhat good GPU though, so it is time this excuse dies and we as customers start demanding at least that level of performance in all its future CPUs.
Even the desktop demands a good GPU these days... well, Microsoft kinda ruined this point with removing Aero from Windows 8. But I expect they will come around in a service pack.
And even if you're not into games yourself, think about your kids, man! ;)
Beenthere - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
...means you'll be blooded if you are foolish enough to purchase this half-baked crap. As we see once again, HP has lost the plot. It's no wonder they are going out of business.boobot - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
Last time I checked HP was #1 in PC unit, #1 in Printer units, #1 in Server units and Top 5 in Enterprise service and software and still profiting 7-8 billion a year. Stop listening to arm chair finance and tech bloggers.SmCaudata - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
I'm liking the lightweight and thin 15" notebooks now. That one above with touch seems like a perfect windows 8 device for those who frequently work on the go.I also like the convertible tablets. With a dock at home and one at work it provides a lot of flexibility.
I'm also interested in seeing what companies do with windows to go.
Filiprino - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
This is all crap compared to the new Hybrid Series from Samsung with an integrated Wacom digitizer and their s-pen software. For PC already exists a ton of software thanks to the preexistance of Wacom tablets.danjw - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
How much spamware do I have to remove to make it usable? Unless is comes with a clean install disk that lets me get it to a basic windows state, I need to add the cost of a full version of windows to it.Dekker - Friday, August 31, 2012 - link
4.77 pounds? Isn't that supposed to be illegal for an ultrabook (especially if the competing MBA weighs less than 3 pounds).andrewaggb - Friday, August 31, 2012 - link
I was thinking that as well but the one laptop is 15.6" so it's much bigger and the other is still a 14" and has the option for dedicated graphics and it sounds like it comes with 2.5" hard disk, so it's probably reasonable. Not sure whether it counts as an ultrabook.