GCW Zero - Open Source Gaming Handheld

[jutleys]

I mean for the money GCW is better value for your money $120 v $699 for more or less closely matched tech .Ok pandora Proberly has the edge but it's the price I was making a point at just look at the difference in gaming terms throw a game at the pandora it will run it very smoothe now throw that same game at the GCW it will hold its own against it and run it more or less the same.I know they are two completely different devices and shouldnt be compared with each other but I am buying for gaming mainly and they are both gaming machines and both closely matched for gaming performance pandora having the edge with the new 1ghz chip.No I am not a pandora hater if I had the money I would buy it also the new 1ghz model. I have always followed the pandora from day one I know it's been through it lows and highs but it materialised in the end.Maybe someone can do a video of a high end game running on both machines and compare them both and see how they run and to prove what I have stated if this is possible that the GCW can and will stand tall and proud with the gaming giants.

 

[Nintendo]

https://www.youtube.com/embed/0_IXRT3rxQk?feature=oembed

Awesome!!!

 

[SNESFAN]

technically GCW was is powerfuller than the pandora

Higher clock speed doesn't equal better. It's a less powerful CPU that I recall Exophase once mentioning could only do half the instructions per clock cycle. If I remember that correctly (which I probably didn't, to be fair, I make many mistakes, but I'm sure it was something like that) the GCW running at 800Mhz has about the same power as the Pandora running at 400Mhz. More or less, for certain values of "more" and "less".

I would like to hear from exophase on that one... that doesn't sound right based off what I have been reading


Ingenic JZ4770 is supposed to deliver 2.5 DMIPS per mhz @ 1ghz, basically putting it at the same level as a cortex a9... vs a cortex a8 that delivers 2.0 DMIPS per mhz


so at least on paper it's actually faster, and not using the "oh they both have 1ghz so they must be the same" meme either.. If it comes stock underclocked at 800mhz it should be the same DMIPS as a cortex a8 @ 1ghz


http://en.ingenic.cn/product.aspx


(65nm process)


http://en.ingenic.cn...duct.aspx?ID=78


I have no idea about the Vivante GC860 GPU @500mhz though, I dont' know how that stacks up agianst a SGX 530, and I don't know how you even benchmark a mobile's gpu, but I'm sure exo would.


EDIT: only thing I've been able to pull up so far....


http://www.vivanteco..._mvr.html#GC800


question, is "gflops" about the same as DMIPS for a gpu? if so... the SGX530's 1.6 gflops @200mhz vs vivante GC800 series 6.0 gflops @ 500mhz


http://www.vivanteco...oduct_Brief.pdf


http://en.wikipedia....owerVR#Series_5


/edit


Now I've seen this before with the JXD S601 that uses the AML8726M3 cortex a9 @ 800mhz, on paper it's faster, but they use half the L2 cache iirc, and a older 65nm process which isn't accounted for on the arm data sheets so... it looks comparably faster and more power efficent, but it's not... it preforms pretty good... just not *as* good.


Still... really good for 1/4 - 1/6th the price @ $120


EDIT: 1000'th post =D

 

[quartercast]

*waits for Exo to mosey on down to Other Consoles section*

 

[Saber]

Wow, 16GB is wonderful. Also, GCW, will you be offering a protective case for the ZERO?

 

[WizardStan]

I would like to hear from exophase on that one... that doesn't sound right based off what I have been reading

I said I was probably wrong.

 

[WizardStan]

I mean for the money GCW is better value for your money $120 v $699 for more or less closely matched tech

When discussing value you need to take the entire thing into context, not just the processor built into it, and everyone's opinion on what different parts are worth is going to be different.


The GCW could cost $1 and I'd still gladly pay up the $500 for a Pandora. Until something with a "larger" screen and physical keyboard comes along at the same pocketable size, the Pandora is more valuable to me than anything else.

 

[SNESFAN]

^ +1


comes down to use cases though, if retro computer gaming (keyboard/mouse driven emulators scummvm, msx etc) is your thing, or you want web browsing or laptop like functions, then the pandora is the unrivaled champion in that catagory.


But if late 90's console emulation emulation is your main and only thing, the gcw may have the tip of the hat due to bang for buck.


The screen size is also a factor as well in that use case. But you could argue pocketability at that point. (pandora fits in your pocket, but is not as small as a cell phone)


http://www.sizeasy.com/page/size_comparison/34720-GCW-Zero-vs-Pandora-vs-Pack-Of-Playing-Cards

 

[SNESFAN]

don't mean to doublepost, but as for the topic of android on the GCW (topic was brought up on dingoonity) I wanted to repost it over here as well just in case anyone was looking forward to, or currently attempting an android port on this device


tl;dr version: do not want (I know... shocker!)

I'm sorry to say this but the future is Android.

Normally I would agree with this, but for stuff like n64oid and fpse they will not work as desired. This is not a ARM based system it works similar and similar performance, but it's not an ARM based system, it's a MIPS based system. Most emulators on android use the ndk and are written with certain types of arm assembly (arm v7 architecture as the vast majority of android devices are cortex a7's or higher) and things like n64oid use large amounts of neon assembly (also not present in MIPS Xburst) so if you were to run android the emulators would need rewritten to support this mips processor or at a very minimum run completely in java and feel very unoptimized.


If they went with a cortex a8, a9, or a15 then absolutely android would be preferred. You can work around the hardware limitations such as lack of touchscreen etc by making a hardware button optimized interface and side load emulators and non touch games but with what amounts to a very large amount of work for what would turn out to be very little benefit I would very much recommend Linux/dingux on this device.


Other benefits of android like Netflix, media players, flash etc would not be useable due to them also being written with arm based ndk coding and also not having an external network connection.


I'm a huge supporter of android but this target audience and hardware, they are doing the right thing as it is right now.

 

[Nintendo]

Hmmmm...Interesting.

 

[jutleys]

Gcw two memory card slots would be a cool idea duel slot like pandora just a thought.

 

[dewc]

I dunno why, but I am pretty excited about this product. I really like what my pandora can do, and really like how small the dingoo a320 is, and for some reason, this unit also appeals to me. Probably because it's community spirit. Pre-ordered.

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

yeah and it wont break the bank either

 

[gcw]

After some serious thought I made one more incentive to the pot once all 100 units sell which are 39 of 100 sold right now one lucky person will win from a random drawing a prototype console whatever stage it is in development besides the final model special edition. So you will be one of the lucky few besides developers that will hold a piece of history.

 

[cruelcynic]

After some serious thought I made one more incentive to the pot once all 100 units sell which are 39 of 100 sold right now one lucky person will win from a random drawing a prototype console whatever stage it is in development besides the final model special edition. So you will be one of the lucky few besides developers that will hold a piece of history.

:wub: I look forward to the new site and getting my hands on the final product. Love the prototype give away idea!

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

Any more tidbits of information GCW?

 

[Nintendo]

Gcw two memory card slots would be a cool idea duel slot like pandora just a thought.

Agreed!!

 

[quartercast]

That would be nice, sounds like a major motherboard/case change though!

 

[vampire8bit]

I want a beefy handheld with size of GP2X, reasonably priced, with good controls, and a quality 3.5" screen for perfect emulation of 8bit computers (C64,MSX,Spectrum,Amstrad,Atari etc) so this looks very nice, I know the Pandora is better with a keyboard but just can't afford it. Please choose a high quality lcd no ghosting, bleeding etc. (but would prefer OLED) The controllers are always an issue with these type of handhelds. I'm glad it's a normal D-pad but should be atleast upto Pandora quality if not better.


Why no slot for regular SD/SDHC memory cards?


What will be shipping options and price to Uk? I am also a bit worried about being stung by customs

 

[gcw]

Shipping options will be USPS as standard and FEDEX/UPS for anyone who wants them but those cost considerably more but through USPS about $12.00 to $16.00 Internationally and no more then $10.00 in the USA.


As for new tidbits have a couple different speaker configurations we are looking at to replace the current speakers.


As to why micro over SDHC easier to source and at least it is a standard versus MiniSD was not