3 ms·

I've been using ARM machines as a desktop replacement for a few years now. Native applications run just fine on fairly modest hardware. However, for web browsin

by lgeek 12y ago

I've been using ARM machines as a desktop replacement for a few years now. Native applications run just fine on fairly modest hardware. However, for web browsing, a quad core Cortex-A9 around that frequency and with a 32 bit DRAM interface just crosses in the usable (but somewhat laggy) category. Cortex-A15 with a 64 bit memory interface feels much closer to modern x86 machines. Novena's 64 bit memory interface might actually make a big difference. From my tests, a 1080p 32 bit framebuffer uses up around 1/4 of the system memory bandwidth with a 32 bit DDR3 interface. I also get the feeling that desktop browsers (chromium, firefox) aren't very well optimised for ARM.

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
smorrow 12y ago
Once Servo gets better.
- smorrow 12y ago
  by which I mean it's supposed to be optimised for these kind of multicore ARMs, if it's not already.
aguki 12y ago
> I also get the feeling that desktop browsers (chromium, firefox) aren't very well optimised for ARM. Freescale provides hardware video decoding support for Chromium's GPU media stack[1]. chrome://gpu snippet on my Sabre Lite running Chromium 37.0.2062.120: Graphics Feature Status * Canvas: Software only. Hardware acceleration disabled * Flash: Hardware accelerated * Flash Stage3D: Hardware accelerated * Flash Stage3D Baseline profile: Hardware accelerated * Compositing: Hardware accelerated and threaded * Rasterization: Hardware accelerated * Threaded Rasterization: Enabled * Video Decode: Hardware accelerated * Video Encode: Hardware accelerated * WebGL: Hardware accelerated [1]https://github.com/Freescale/chromium-imx https://github.com/Freescale/chromium-imx
mwcampbell 12y ago
Just curious, which ARM machines have you been using as desktop replacements? And why bother, since, I presume, none of these are mass-market products? What advantages do they have over x86 machines?
- lgeek 12y ago
  > why bother I'm mostly working on software for ARM and since all the tools I need for work run well enough, why not? I still use x86 at home. > which ARM machines have you been using as desktop replacements? The ones I've used most were IMX53QSB, then ODROID-X2, ODROID-XU and I'm now switching to ODROID-XU3. > What advantages do they have over x86 machines? I was able to get rid of the x86 desktop while only using ARM hardware I would have used anyway. Also, the boards have a tiny footprint (you can tape several to the back of a monitor for example), they're very low power and can be passively cooled. They're very cheap too. I've also used some RK3188-based mini PCs dongles for their portability. You can carry a reasonably fast GNU/Linux machine in your pocket and don't cost much more than Raspberry Pi, which I find way too slow.

by lgeek 12y ago

deleted 12y ago

[deleted]

smorrow 12y ago

Once Servo gets better.

smorrow 12y ago
by which I mean it's supposed to be optimised for these kind of multicore ARMs, if it's not already.

aguki 12y ago

> I also get the feeling that desktop browsers (chromium, firefox) aren't very well optimised for ARM. Freescale provides hardware video decoding support for Chromium's GPU media stack[1]. chrome://gpu snippet on my Sabre Lite running Chromium 37.0.2062.120: Graphics Feature Status * Canvas: Software only. Hardware acceleration disabled * Flash: Hardware accelerated * Flash Stage3D: Hardware accelerated * Flash Stage3D Baseline profile: Hardware accelerated * Compositing: Hardware accelerated and threaded * Rasterization: Hardware accelerated * Threaded Rasterization: Enabled * Video Decode: Hardware accelerated * Video Encode: Hardware accelerated * WebGL: Hardware accelerated [1]https://github.com/Freescale/chromium-imx https://github.com/Freescale/chromium-imx

mwcampbell 12y ago

Just curious, which ARM machines have you been using as desktop replacements? And why bother, since, I presume, none of these are mass-market products? What advantages do they have over x86 machines?

lgeek 12y ago
> why bother I'm mostly working on software for ARM and since all the tools I need for work run well enough, why not? I still use x86 at home. > which ARM machines have you been using as desktop replacements? The ones I've used most were IMX53QSB, then ODROID-X2, ODROID-XU and I'm now switching to ODROID-XU3. > What advantages do they have over x86 machines? I was able to get rid of the x86 desktop while only using ARM hardware I would have used anyway. Also, the boards have a tiny footprint (you can tape several to the back of a monitor for example), they're very low power and can be passively cooled. They're very cheap too. I've also used some RK3188-based mini PCs dongles for their portability. You can carry a reasonably fast GNU/Linux machine in your pocket and don't cost much more than Raspberry Pi, which I find way too slow.