Why do (Android) phones need so many cores?

[pappy53]

All I know is for all its simpleness, my 5s is indeed liquidy-sliq smooth. No pauses, no delays, no questions. Some may not think it can do much but what it does do it does well...IMO (not trolling, just my opinion).


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Absolutely.


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[Haalcyon]

So you would agree with me that we should switch back to Pentium 4's on our desktops for consumers, because the majority of users don't even "need" or utilize multi-cores? Because that's essentially what you're saying. That we should only use hardware that's configured for the present software.

Multiple cores don't need multi-threads to be useful. They need paralleled multi-tasks. So no, I want no inefficient P4 again. Ever. However, do any of us multi-task enough that anything more than a dual-core is needed for that multi-tasking? I think not, but there are millions of smartphone users and I won't arrogantly suggest that I know how they use their phones. However, you do have that bloated UI on some phones and all it does too to add to the load. See my post above regarding the S4 and Note 3.


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[Haalcyon]

LOL! Smh.


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I have no problem with the thought that android is superior or that iOS is a weak copy. To me its academic as long as I can still have iOS 7 as long as I want it.


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[Geodude074]

Can you provide an example of what you might be doing on your android phone which actually comes close to taxing all 4 cores?

While iOS freezes background processes, it does allow a limited form of multitasking to simulate true multitasking while conserving resources and battery life. For example, I can update apps and play music in the background, while apps still periodically refresh themselves etc.

What exactly am I missing out?

You're missing out the ability to have multiple applications open on one screen at a time.

You're missing out the ability to have true Wacom Digitizer input.

You're missing out the ability to download, zip, extract files while doing other tasks.

Can iOS even talk on the phone and go on the internet at the same time? I haven't touched iOS in a while so I could be wrong about that.

You're also missing out on a file management system, which is infinitely useful. I'm still in shock that WP8 and iOS don't even allow you access to your own files.

You're missing out on a LOT of things that you aren't even aware of. But I guess ignorance is bliss, because you don't even know what you're missing out on.

 

[Haalcyon]

You're missing out the ability to have multiple applications open on one screen at a time.

You're missing out the ability to have true Wacom Digitizer input.

You're missing out the ability to download, zip, extract files while doing other tasks.

Can iOS even talk on the phone and go on the internet at the same time? I haven't touched iOS in a while so I could be wrong about that.

You're also missing out on a file management system, which is infinitely useful. I'm still in shock that WP8 and iOS don't even allow you access to your own files.

You're missing out on a LOT of things that you aren't even aware of. But I guess ignorance is bliss, because you don't even know what you're missing out on.

I tend to disagree. These are not things I'm missing out on, these are things I don't need and don't have any interest it. 'Missing out' suggests that I want these things, nothing could be farther from the truth. The person that wants those things can easily have a phone that provides them. There is a cost to having those things, a cost in performance, in simplicity. Its a cost that some wish not pay since the utility those things provides is simply not needed or desired. Many former and present and Note 3 users can attest that the UI is not the smoothest that exists on a phone despite the hardware that is tossed at it. Again, not trolling (I have to say this), just stating my viewpoint.


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[abazigal]

You're missing out the ability to have multiple applications open on one screen at a time.

You're missing out the ability to have true Wacom Digitizer input.

You're missing out the ability to download, zip, extract files while doing other tasks.

Can iOS even talk on the phone and go on the internet at the same time? I haven't touched iOS in a while so I could be wrong about that.

You're also missing out on a file management system, which is infinitely useful. I'm still in shock that WP8 and iOS don't even allow you access to your own files.

You're missing out on a LOT of things that you aren't even aware of. But I guess ignorance is bliss, because you don't even know what you're missing out on.

None of which seem particularly dependent on having 4 cores to work, much less benefit from them. My question still stands - how are any of these tasks reliant on 4 cores?

I am not here to debate about which platform is better, much less debate about the usefulness of all those aforementioned features. I am genuinely interested in what sort of everyday scenarios people are doing that is best served with a quad-core snapdragon processor or heck, even one of those octa-core exynos chips that appear to be all the rage in the latest Samsung phones???

 

[Geodude074]

Multiple cores don't need multi-threads to be useful. They need paralleled multi-tasks. So no, I want no inefficient P4 again. Ever. However, do any of us multi-task enough that anything more than a dual-core is needed for that multi-tasking? I think not, but there are millions of smartphone users and I won't arrogantly suggest that I know how they use their phones. However, you do have that bloated UI on some phones and all it does too to add to the load. See my post above regarding the S4 and Note 3.


via the tablet

Different strokes for different folks I guess. You say that millions of smart phone users don't need more than two cores. I say that millions of people could probably downgrade to a feature phone and be fine with it. In the future though, multi-threaded is where we're going. If the current trend continues and phones become more PC like, just take a look on your Task Manager on your PC (which you should have access to) and look at all the applications that use more than one thread.

 

[Haalcyon]

None of which seem particularly dependent on having 4 cores to work, much less benefit from them. My question still stands - how are any of these tasks reliant on 4 cores?

I am not here to debate about which platform is better, much less debate about the usefulness of all those aforementioned features. I am genuinely interested in what sort of everyday scenarios people are doing that is best served with a quad-core snapdragon processor or heck, even one of those octa-core exynos chips that appear to be all the rage in the latest Samsung phones???

My only inference can be is that if you were trying to do all those things simultaneously perhaps 4 cores would make for a smoother presentation, while allowing the UI to still be responsive. Let's not forget the toll that the Samsung UI presents to its hardware, let alone what the customer may wish to do at the same time. This is why many don't care for TouchWiz. I liked TW okay but after using a G2 and G Pro I could comprehend what so many had been talking about when they called TW unpleasantries. Now, why the new G Pro 2 needs the hardware thrown at it is a mystery, outside of 'competing' against the Note 3.


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[Geodude074]

None of which seem particularly dependent on having 4 cores to work, much less benefit from them. My question still stands - how are any of these tasks reliant on 4 cores?

I am not here to debate about which platform is better, much less debate about the usefulness of all those aforementioned features. I am genuinely interested in what sort of everyday scenarios people are doing that is best served with a quad-core snapdragon processor or heck, even one of those octa-core exynos chips that appear to be all the rage in the latest Samsung phones???

None of them RELY on 4 cores, but having 4 cores makes it better.

You could probably browse Facebook with a single core 100 mhz processor, but would you want to?

 

[Geodude074]

I tend to disagree. These are not things I'm missing out on, these are things I don't need and don't have any interest it. 'Missing out' suggests that I want these things, nothing could be farther from the truth. The person that wants those things can easily have a phone that provides them. There is a cost to having those things, a cost in performance, in simplicity. Its a cost that some wish not pay since the utility those things provides is simply not needed or desired. Many former and present and Note 3 users can attest that the UI is not the smoothest that exists on a phone despite the hardware that is tossed at it. Again, not trolling (I have to say this), just stating my viewpoint.


via the tablet

I tried WP8 once. It's just as limited as iOS with its extremely limited and rudimentary file management system. I could NOT live with it. Even the OS in my dumb phone was more advanced because I could access my files on my microSD card and place it wherever I wanted.

It's fine that you're okay with missing out on all those features, but you can't speak for the millions of people who do use them.

 

[Haalcyon]

None of them RELY on 4 cores, but having 4 cores makes it better.

You could probably browse Facebook with a single core 100 mhz processor, but would you want to?

Don't forget that added benefit of being able to SAY your phone has 4 cores. That's as much a capability as any other and some are happy with 4 cores for just that reason too, me thinks.


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[JeffDenver]

Jobs was right

Either way he was a hypocrite, since Apple has stolen things in the past and continues to do so.

Apple

- - - Updated - - -

Jobs was right

Either way he was a hypocrite, since Apple has stolen things in the past and continues to do so.

http://www.evilmilk.com/pictures/Apple929.htm

 

[Haalcyon]

I tried WP8 once. It's just as limited as iOS with its extremely limited and rudimentary file management system. I could NOT live with it. Even the OS in my dumb phone was more advanced because I could access my files on my microSD card and place it wherever I wanted.

It's fine that you're okay with missing out on all those features, but you can't speak for the millions of people who do use them.

I think it sizzles down to what you want to do with your phone. If you're looking for as close an experience as you can get to a laptop or desktop there's certainly a platform that's better than others for that. I think it struck me one day that I wasn't looking for that experience so I moved away from it.


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[abazigal]

None of them RELY on 4 cores, but having 4 cores makes it better.

You could probably browse Facebook with a single core 100 mhz processor, but would you want to?

Okay then, humour me by explaining in plain, simple English how having 4 cores makes any of those processes faster or better?

On paper, it sounds quite common-sense : bigger numbers is always more desirable and means better performance, right? However, if it's anything I have learnt from using Apple products, it's that numbers in a vacuum don't always tell the whole story.

With your Facebook example, I would probably be better off with a faster (but still single-core) processor, better internet connection and arguably a better designed native app optimized for touch and direct input. But more cores?

 

[JeffDenver]

None of which seem particularly dependent on having 4 cores to work, much less benefit from them. My question still stands - how are any of these tasks reliant on 4 cores?

I am not here to debate about which platform is better, much less debate about the usefulness of all those aforementioned features. I am genuinely interested in what sort of everyday scenarios people are doing that is best served with a quad-core snapdragon processor or heck, even one of those octa-core exynos chips that appear to be all the rage in the latest Samsung phones???

If you are multi-tasking a lot, you will notice. And that is something people might do every day.

I have a Galaxy nexus with KitKat and a Nexus 5 with kitkat...multi-tasking is noticeably more fluid on the quad core phone. Even with stuff that is not CPU intensive.

 

[Haalcyon]

Okay then, humour me by explaining in plain, simple English how having 4 cores makes any of those processes faster or better?

On paper, it sounds quite common-sense : bigger numbers is always more desirable and means better performance, right? However, if it's anything I have learnt from using Apple products, it's that numbers in a vacuum don't always tell the whole story.

With your Facebook example, I would probably be better off with a faster (but still single-core) processor, better internet connection and arguably a better designed native app optimized for touch and direct input. But more cores?

Won't 4 cores run 8 ongoing apps better/smoother than 2 cores will or do I have my facts mixed up again (I often do)? Can you imagine how the Note 3 would perform with just 2 cores. I don't think it'd be the same and its not an experience that I relish thinking about.


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[JeffDenver]

All I know is for all its simpleness, my 5s is indeed liquidy-sliq smooth. No pauses, no delays, no questions. Some may not think it can do much but what it does do it does well...IMO (not trolling, just my opinion).

What it does my nexus 5 also does, and just as fast. And for half the price.

You are paying more for a phone that actually does less.

 

[abazigal]

If you are multi-tasking a lot, you will notice. And that is something people might do every day.

I have a Galaxy nexus with KitKat and a Nexus 5 with kitkat...multi-tasking is noticeably more fluid on the quad core phone. Even with stuff that is not CPU intensive.

You are going to have to be more explicit than just "multitask a lot", since I profess to have little experience with android in general.

Could you provide an example of a typical use scenario where the user multi-tasks frequently / heavily on his android phone, and how this is better served with 4 cores compared to 2?

Thanks in advance.

 

[pappy53]

Either way he was a hypocrite, since Apple has stolen things in the past and continues to do so.

Apple

- - - Updated - - -


Either way he was a hypocrite, since Apple has stolen things in the past and continues to do so.

http://www.evilmilk.com/pictures/Apple929.htm

He still was right. Android was a pretty blatant copy.


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[Haalcyon]

What it does my nexus 5 also does, and just as fast. And for half the price.

You are paying more for a phone that actually does less.

...and your Nexus 5 has a UI that I have to mess, replace launchers and such, to tolerate. It also has a camera that I don't care for as much. Your Nexus 5 is great bang for the buck but I like the out-of-the-box experience of the iPhone and the iPhone's camera quite a bit better.


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