It's no secret that I dislike benchmark applications on Android. I've got technical reasons that involve native code and virtual machines, but the fact remains that plenty of folks do like them, and I'm here to deliver what you guys want to see. I've put away my dislike for a moment today, because the Sprint Optimus G just blows the doors off of everything else and it deserves a look.
The quad-core APQ8064 Snapdragon S4 Pro, high-speed RAM and Nand, and Adreno 320 GPU mean the Optimus G is a well-oiled killing machine when it comes to performance. In every benchmark we ran, it handily beats everything out there -- even while running less than optimal stock software.
We didn't stop at benchmarks. This was also a perfect opportunity to check the hardware performance as well, so you'll see some numbers and graphs for Wifi, GPS, and multitouch, too. Spoiler -- you'll be pleased.
Hit the break and check it out.
Benchmark suites
We ran four popular benchmark suites that you guys have told me you want to see -- Quadrant Advanced, CF-Bench, Vellamo, and AnTuTu Benchmark. These applications run various threads that measure the response of the hardware, then translate it into a number for comparison against other models. They attempt to be conclusive over a broad area, and they are what is normally used when talking about benchmark numbers.
Nothing was shut down, and the phone was not restarted between tests. I just stopped playing Granny Smith and got to work. Here are the results, I leave it to you to interpret as you will.
A link to each app in Google Play follows, so you can run your own comparison against the phone you have now.
Specialized tests
In addition, we ran both Linpack and Nenamark2 to dive a bit deeper into a few things. Linpack is a measure of a system’s floating point computing power. It does so by solving a series of linear equations, and the result is measures in MFLOPS (Millions of FLoating-point Operations Per Second). Higher is better, and this Optimus G scored as the fifth highest score ever, all without cheating. Grab Linpack from Google Play here.
Nenamark2 measures OpenGL|ES2 graphics performance by using 3D scenes like the ones you would find in high quality games. It measures a ton of effects like Bump Mapping and Dynamic Lighting, and you can see the full list here. Nenamark2 scores are in FPS (Frames Per Second), with 60 being perfect. As you can see, the Optimus G was perfect. It's perfect every time, and you get the feeling that the Adreno 320 is capable of a much higher framerate than the system allows. Grab Nenamark2 from Google Play here.
Hardware testing
We didn't just stop at benchmark apps, we ran a few tests of some other hardware on the Optimus G. Wifi strength, GPS signal strength, and multitouch points are of major concern to a lot of buyers. Luckily, there are applications we can use to measure each.
GPS lock was as fast as any phone I've ever seen. In fact, I was so impressed that I decided to do some more "official" testing and include the results here. The above screen is indoors, with no windows, and cloudy skies. Satellites locked on fast, and stayed steady. We'll do more testing while moving around, but the initial testing shows promise. Download GPS Status & Toolbox from Google Play to compare with your current phone.
MultiTouch Tester is an app that tests how many concurrent points of touch the screen can handle at once. The Optimus G can sense at least 10, and nobody wants me to try for 11. Think about it. Grab it from Google Play if you want to compare.
Wifi Analyzer was written to find the best channel to use for your local Wifi network setup, but one of the graphs makes for easy testing of device hardware. This test is from the part of my house that's furthest from the Wifi AP (about 35 feet) through five walls. The signal is strong and steady. Check your current phone by installing Wifi Analyzer from Google Play here.
System Info
I use the Android System Info app to find out about a new phone. It tells you all the hardware features and specs, as well as all the software parameters a nerd could every want. There's a handy export function, where you can export all this info into an HTML file. I though this was a good place to put that (with personal identifying info redacted, of course), so have a look at the link below for all the info you'd ever want about mount points, sensors, camera features, and everything else about the Optimus G's hardware. You can get the Android System Info app from Google Play.
Detailed System report from the Sprint Optimus G
The bottom line
The Optimus G's internals are a new breed in the smartphone arena. They clearly outclass the competition -- both in benchmarks and in real-world usage. The numbers here are what they are, and I fully expect some lively conversation about them. That's why it was done. You decide what they mean for you, but let me add that in real-world use, the Optimus G is noticeably faster than the competition.
But remember, raw power and speed is only one area that's important when spending our hard-earned money on a new phone, so keep an eye out for more, as I'm enjoying the time I have to play with this one!
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