LG Nexus 4 and Samsung Nexus 10 get benchmark tests done, can now be compared to the competition

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The LG Nexus 4 and the Google Nexus 10 are just 10 days away from launch. That’s exciting news for Nexus fans. Over the last month or so, we’ve gotten a lot of information about the Nexus devices. We know their specs, their ship date, some exciting features coming on Android 4.2, and apps being updated to work with the Nexus devices. Of course, it’s not all good news, as there is some bad news about the Nexus devices as well.
One thing people won’t have to guess at is the real world performance of the Google devices. They are sure to be awesome. But how do they stack up against the biggest and brightest devices out right now? AnandTech got their hands on both the Nexus 4 and the Nexus 10 and ran it through a number of benchmarks to answer that very question.
If you’d rather view it than read it, the pictures are below. You may notice that there is no Quadrant Benchmark scores or any other kind of graphical scores. This is likely because graphic tests are generally taken with a grain of salt as they don’t measure real world performance very well.

So how did the Nexus devices do on the benchmarks?

They did very well, but not as well as some would expect. While the Nexus 10 topped at least a couple of the tests, the Nexus 4 had a lukewarm performance. Granted, all these test scores are impressive, but there was a little higher of an expectation there.
In addition to being tested against other Android devices, they were also texted against iOS devices like the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 4S. Needless to say, they blew the iPhone 4S out of the water. It’s to be expected when you put this year’s tech against last year’s tech.
AnandTech also notes that there are a few tests where the Nexus 4 should at least be doing as well as the dual core Snapdragon S4 devices. Spoiler alert, it didn’t. There are a few times where the Nexus 4 was beaten out by devices like the US variants of the Samsung Galaxy S III and the AT&T HTC One X.
You can view the results of each test below. Are you a little disappointed in the scores, or is just being among the best in the world good enough? Let us know your thoughts.

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Entry-level Google Nexus 7 hinted again, “has not yet been announced”

When the first rumors broke out that Google would introduce a 32GB Nexus 7 model, many people assumed that Google would be keeping the 8GB an 16GB models in place, with the former to be sold at just $99.
A $99 Google Nexus 7 tablet would definitely be a great competitor for the competitors’ iPad mini and entry-level Kindle Fire model, but Google did not keep the 8GB version around – in case you don’t know, Google made official the new Nexus devices just recently, 32GB 7-inch tablets included.
But does that really mean that Google isn’t ready to sell the Nexus 7 for just $99? According to Digitimes Research James Wang, an entry-tablet model is still in the cards for the company:

Since Google has prepared a full-range of tablet products, Wang believes the company’s entry-level Nexus tablet, that has not yet been announced, will have the strongest influence on its competitors.

That’s all the information Digitimes provides on this yet-to-be-unveiled device, and considering the publication’s questionable track record on such rumors you shouldn’t get all too excited yet.
However, the same analyst predicts that Google will sell 19 million of Nexus units next year, or around “50% of non-Apple tablet shipments.”
No matter how many tablets Google sells next year, it will be interesting to see what Nexus model users will like better now that various versions are going to be available in stores, and yes, we’re counting the Samsung Nexus 10 too.
Would you buy a $99 Nexus 7 even if that meant compromising on storage?

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Meet Arndale the new Exynos 5-based community board from Samsung

There are two types of ARM based development boards in the world today, the cheap ones like the Raspberry Pi and the expensive ones like the new Arndale board which has just been announced by Samsung. The Raspberry Pi starts at $35 for the basic board while the Arndale starts at $250. Quite a difference. But, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. The Arndale comes packed with power!
The Arndale uses Samsung’s Exynos 5 dual core Cortex-A15 processor running at 1.7 GHz and includes 2GB of RAM. There is also 4GB of internal storage and a whole load of connectivity options. The board supports the use of a touch screen display as well as HDMI, plus there are connections for NFC, USB 3.0, Ethernet, GPS, Wi-Fi, SATA and a camera.
The Exynos 5 processor is a monster of a chip and is the same one that is used in the Google Nexus 10. It has the world’s first dual core Cortex-A15 CPU plus it incorporates the world’s first quad-core ARM Mali™-T604 GPU based on 32nm High-K Metal Gate technology. The result is a 12.8 GB/s memory bandwidth, 1080p 60 FPS video performance and VP8 codec decoder and USB 3.0 support.
The release of the board is part of Samsung’s promise to open up its Exynos chipset. The lack of information has held back some developers from working to optimize their apps for Exynos-based devices since Samsung was not sharing the full documentation nor the source code for the chipset.
Samsung’s spin on this board is that not only does the Arndale give developers access to a complete dual-core Cortex-A15 processor and Mali-T604 GPU platform, but it has features not usually found on other community board such as NFC, GPS and a camera sensor.
But with great power comes great expenses. The bare board costs $250, while the seven inch touch screen costs another $250. If you want to add Sound + WiFi + Bluetooth + GPS + FM, that costs another $120. In total if you buy everything including the camera module and the accessories package then the total development kit comes to $740!
Samsung have set up a dedicated site for the board: arndaleboard.org which has loads of documentation and instructions on how to build Android (from a Ubuntu host) and flash it onto the device. The only unpublished bit so far is the actual Android source code for the device which Samsung says will be available in December.

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Google’s Nexus 4, Nexus 10, Nexus 7 3G and Android 4.2 announcement event cancelled, Sandy to blame

Thanks to recent leaks and reports, we have a general idea of what Google should unveil during its upcoming media event – initially scheduled to take place in New York on October 29 – but, with two days left to go, we have some bad news from Android fans: the playground is temporarily closed.
Google had to cancel the announcement due to Hurricane Sandy. The location of the event – a waterfront pier – is now in an evacuation zone, as New York is now in a state of emergency.
Android Authority, invited to attend the event, can confirm Google’s cancellation. Here’s the short email we have received:

We are canceling our Monday morning event in New York due to Hurricane Sandy. We will let you know our plans as soon as we know more.
Stay safe and dry,
The Android Team

Google was expected to unveil new products on Monday, including the LG Nexus 4 smartphone, the Samsung Nexus 10 tablet and the 32GB versions of the Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi and Cellular + Wi-Fi). All these devices should run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box, with Google also expected to introduce the main features of its new mobile OS version.
The company will surely reschedule the press event and we’ll be back with more news on the matter as we have them.

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Google Nexus 10 benchmark reveals Android 4.2, 2560 x 1600 display, Exynos 5 Dual CPU

Earlier today we saw that Google’s own Vic Gundotra shared photos from a Nexus 10 device, and now we have benchmarking results for the upcoming tablet.
AndroidOS spotted the Google Nexus 10 tablet on GL Benchmarks listed as the “manta,” a codename we’ve seen in the recent weeks. While it was initially believed the Manta could be a Motorola Nexus tablet, the codename most likely describes Samsung’s upcoming 10-inch Nexus tablet.
According to the benchmarking site, the Nexus 10 will feature a 1.7GHz dual-core Exynos 5 Dual processor, which was revealed by the presence of the Mali T604 GPU. The same combo is used in Samsung’s 2012 Chromebooks, and has been spotted in a recent leak that detailed a yet-to-be-released Samsung GT-B9150 device.
Other specs and features include 2560 x 1600 display resolution, again confirming previous reports, and Android 4.2 OS, which also fits nicely with recent leaks on Google’s plans for the October 29 media event.
We’ll be back with more Nexus 10 related news once the device becomes official – it won’t be long now, as we’re just a few days away from the Google’s official announcement.
Anyone excited about the Google Nexus 10?

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Supposed Nexus 10 manual leaks online

Google is rumored to reveal more than one Nexus devices on October 29, one of them being the thoroughly leaked LG Nexus 4, and the other a Samsung made Nexus 10 tablet.
While the Nexus 4 is no mystery anymore, Google managed to maintain some secrecy around the 10-inch tablet. But, as we approach the date of the supposed announcement, the shroud is unraveling. Today, a Korean site revealed what appears to be a user manual of the Nexus 10.
Mind you, with the recent hoaxes that sent waves through the Android blogosphere, we can’t swear by the veracity of this supposed leak. With that said, Seeko.co.kr only provided two photos of the manual, one showing the cover and one showing the “getting started” section. While the first image reveals little more than the official name of the device, the second photo shows us that Samsung and Google may have borrowed heavily from the design of the Galaxy Note 10.1, the pen-enabled tablet that the Koreans launched this summer.
Like the Note 10.1, the Nexus 10 will feature rounded sides (with the curvature being slightly more pronounced on the Nexus). The product diagram shows a micro USB port, a micro HDMI port, and dual front facing speakers. The usual front and rear facing camera can also be spotted in the diagram, along with a LED flash.

Hopefully, the Nexus 10 will feature a much better build quality than the Note 10.1, but also more powerful specs. Rumors suggest a mind blowing 2560 x 1600 display, and on the software side, the newest version of Android.
What do you make of this latest leak? Do you consider it trustworthy? Would you like a Nexus tablet that takes design cues from the Note 10.1

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