Handtops, UMPC - If you use your UMPC for a lot of gaming

If you use your UMPC for a lot of gaming
handtops.com forums : FlipStart PC : talk about the FlipStart PC

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05/15/08 + Nobody99

I have just heard about a new gaming and emulation dedicated UMPC in the works and soon to be released.

link

Some interesting information points ''It is by far the most powerful handheld in the world both in terms of raw CPU power and 3D graphics capability, it will be able to handle things such as Firefox3 or Quake3 with ease.''

* ARM® Cortex™-A8 600Mhz+ CPU running Linux
* 430-MHz TMS320C64x+™ DSP Core
* PowerVR SGX OpenGL 2.0 ES compliant 3D hardware
* 800x480 4.3" 16.7 million colours touchscreen LCD
* Wifi 802.11b/g & High Speed USB Host
* Dual SDHC card slots & SVideo TV output
* Dual Analogue and Digital gaming controls
* 43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad
* Around 10+ Hours battery life

Since I use my Flipstart for a lot of gaming and emulation, I find this new UMPC very interesting. I have been waiting for a gaming UMPC so will keep a close watch on this one. Anyone else interested in this? Apparently the final design and looks have not been finalised at this time.

Replies

05/15/08 + snowviper

Nice, it look likes open source portable PS.

Very nice, lets just hope the cost is not to high

05/16/08 + Nobody99

At the moment, the cost is expected to be Ł199. Not bad for a portable that is said to be more powerful than the Gamecube. I have also seen full speed PS1 emulation on it that hasn't even used the 3D GPU with one game running at 200FPS (bit too fast).

05/16/08 + snowviper

wow. will it be able to run nomal PC games ?

WOW ?
CS?

05/16/08 + Nobody99

No it won't be able to run normal PC games which is a shame. It will be running Linux and won't have a real big hard disk like the Flipstart either. It will be able to run Dos games via emulation / Dosbox though. I kind of wish it would be built with a Windows XP OS but the Devs in the community behind this device have been using Linux for many years so that won't happen. I don't know if their is a version of CS or source code that will compile under Linux, if there is, that might be an option.

edited: May 19 2008 + elsewhere

Hm....
Keep in mind, this is a 600mhz ARM;
its major optimization is for *power* and not speed.
The dedicated GPU and DSP will help
but the performance of DosBox and other emulators on ARM
has been..... feeble.

With luck, and optimization, this device may be "just fast enough"
to emulate PS1 and GBA acceptably. For DOS games,
a high-end 486 or low-end Pentium is really the most you should expect.

Emulation/optimization currently available (i.e. overclocked Zaurus)
its closer to mid-range 486 or less- may be acceptable for some people
but definitely not everyone. PS1 emu is "close" to full speed...

Dunno. At $199 it still sounds ok to me. At Ł199, I'd want to hear a few more reports.

05/19/08 + Nobody99

Youtube has videos of the Pandora (Dev Board) running PS1 emulation not only at full speed but in some cases,too fast (100 fps+) (No optimisation and no use of the GPU).

The Pandora is said to be as powerful as or more powerful than a GameCube and a few times more powerful than a Psp. One Youtube video of FF7 running on a Pandora Dev board from one of the trusted and well known Devs

Perhaps the new OMAP3430 System-on-chip will make the difference. Information about the chip can be found here

link

It is early days yet but many claim the Pandora will be able to handle N64 emulation and even DS emulation.

05/24/08 + Nobody99

Two well known and genuine devs are working on N64 emulation for the Pandora. This will be very interesting to see what the outcome will be since both are very experienced.

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