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All iPads Console Quality Graphics

M

macguy360

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 23, 2011
836
512
The iPad Air is finally able to produce console quality graphics (PS3/Xbox 360) in terms of gflops performance.

The iPad 4 had 75 gflops and the xbox 360 is around 110 and the ps3 is around 250 gflops. With the iPad Air, the gflops increases to ~150 putting in the performance range of the current current gen consoles.

The new consoles (ps4/xbox one) are estimated to be around 1.0 to 1.5 tflops or around 4-6 times more powerful than the ps3.

If Apple is able to keep doubling performance gains with each new iPad, then in 3 years the iPad will be able to produce ps4/xbox one level graphics.

In 3 years, the processors should be built on either a 11nm or 8nm process which certainly should be able to produce huge gains in performance due to significantly decreased heat production and energy requirements. Processors on 11nm process could be over clocked to 3+ghz without much energy requirements or heat output.

What are your thoughts?

p.s. It is up to Gameloft, Crescent Moon, EA to capitalize on the newest tech and actually produce good quality games. Will they, or are they more likely to keep pumping out freemium garbage is anyones guess. Do your part and don't support freemium titles.
 
macguy360 said:
Will they, or are they more likely to keep pumping out freemium garbage is anyones guess. Do your part and don't support freemium titles.
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Mobile gaming has so much damn potential but I worry it won't reach it because it doesn't seem to be where the money is (if the top grossing charts are a good indicator of this).
 
Seriously who wants to play real games on a tablet? Plus comparing a brand new iPad air to a 7 year old Xbox 360. These threads always amuse me but at least you mentioned the new systems. Can't wait for my ps4 and Xbox One.
 
I Think we still have some time to go. Ps3's GPU for instance, has like 1.8teraflops... I dont think the air is close
 
OK, so they match the graphical ability of a 7th gen console, but we're about to get into the eight generation and start it all over again.


Why isn't Nintendo entering the 8th generation?
 
Honestly, its not even close.

Infinity Blade does a good job of pretending, but there is a lot of smoke and mirrors at play to get it to look that good. Pretty much all the processing power is being paid to the the 2 characters models you will ever seen on screen at once, from fixed angles. The backgrounds are lifeless/static/ps2 quality textures, and its often blurred out during cutscenes.

Even looking beyond graphics, I don't think we will see real console quality games on iOS short of a massive shift in design philosophies from Apple. Storage space alone makes them almost impossible.

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thehustleman said:
OK, so they match the graphical ability of a 7th gen console, but we're about to get into the eight generation and start it all over again.


Why isn't Nintendo entering the 8th generation?
Click to expand...

The WiiU is their 8th gen console. Nintendo doesn't think it can compete as a graphical powerhouse so they've focused on being gimmicky and cheap. That worked incredibly well witht he Wii, but its been a total failure with the WiiU.
 
There will always be a mobile touch-screen gaming market, but I strongly believe that gaming on iOS is held back by the interface - controlling the game by obscuring a part of the screen with your fingers and zero haptic feedback is extremely limiting for many genres of games IMO. I've tried FPS, flight simulators, etc on my iPad and it just plain doesn't work for me. That's why I think those genres will have to be on the apple TV with a dedicated, conventional controller. Many genres will do fine on the tablet, but the big-money games that tend to drive the market are usually FPS, so apple needs to step up the Apple TV if they want that market (Signs point to yes - MFI controllers are already rolling out).
 
erawsd said:
Honestly, its not even close.

Infinity Blade does a good job of pretending, but there is a lot of smoke and mirrors at play to get it to look that good. Pretty much all the processing power is being paid to the the 2 characters models you will ever seen on screen at once, from fixed angles. The backgrounds are lifeless/static/ps2 quality textures, and its often blurred out during cutscenes.

Even looking beyond graphics, I don't think we will see real console quality games on iOS short of a massive shift in design philosophies from Apple. Storage space alone makes them almost impossible.

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The WiiU is their 8th gen console. Nintendo doesn't think it can compete as a graphical powerhouse so they've focused on being gimmicky and cheap. That worked incredibly well witht he Wii, but its been a total failure with the WiiU.
Click to expand...

The thing is, pretty much all iOS games are designed with older devices in mind (A5 soc) although newer devices with A6 or A7 chips are capable of more. So, even if A7 is capable of much better graphics, you won't see it immediately.
 
erawsd said:
Honestly, its not even close.

Infinity Blade does a good job of pretending, but there is a lot of smoke and mirrors at play to get it to look that good. Pretty much all the processing power is being paid to the the 2 characters models you will ever seen on screen at once, from fixed angles. The backgrounds are lifeless/static/ps2 quality textures, and its often blurred out during cutscenes.

Even looking beyond graphics, I don't think we will see real console quality games on iOS short of a massive shift in design philosophies from Apple. Storage space alone makes them almost impossible.

----------



The WiiU is their 8th gen console. Nintendo doesn't think it can compete as a graphical powerhouse so they've focused on being gimmicky and cheap. That worked incredibly well witht he Wii, but its been a total failure with the WiiU.
Click to expand...

The wii u is supposed to be their 8th gen console?

LMAO!


That's a joke.


Nintendo needs to invest in some POWER under the hood, a DECENT NAME, and do it QUICKLY before they lose the last relevance they have left!


Stop giving us 6th gen graphics in the 7th gen.


The wii u is really a late 7th gen console
 
Ieo said:
There will always be a mobile touch-screen gaming market, but I strongly believe that gaming on iOS is held back by the interface - controlling the game by obscuring a part of the screen with your fingers and zero haptic feedback is extremely limiting for many genres of games IMO. I've tried FPS, flight simulators, etc on my iPad and it just plain doesn't work for me. That's why I think those genres will have to be on the apple TV with a dedicated, conventional controller. Many genres will do fine on the tablet, but the big-money games that tend to drive the market are usually FPS, so apple needs to step up the Apple TV if they want that market (Signs point to yes - MFI controllers are already rolling out).
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree. There are many different ways that Apple can easily take over gaming but they involve branching away from touchscreen controls.

Personally, I'd love for the iPad to recognize a dual shock (3 or 4) or any Bluetooth controller like my Mac does. Then the iPad simply becomes a screen+console that can optionally be plugged into or airplayed to a TV. The MFI controllers that I've seen still seem too "classic" because they lack analog sticks and won't be up the quality that console gamers expect.
 
Something has to be done with the interface to allow anything close to console gaming. Tough screen is not rich enough to allow the controls that are expected. Creating some standards for interface devices would go a long way. But now you are also putting further distance between you and the content on the screen, as there is now an intervening medium you must interact with.

More work is needed.
 
The MFI controllers are on their way and the extended controller with analog controls will be a match for PS & XBox controllers. This will see a huge change in the gaming market imho.
 
Problem is mobile gaming is predominantly casual users and kids who are not going to spend $$$ upfront on games like serious console gamers. So the major game makers have transitioned to the damned "freemium" games where they can get their double digit game price quarter by quarter.

It's frustrating to me b/c I'm an 80s kid who grew up on the GameBoy variations & is willing to pay $20 for a good iOS version of Madden where I don't have to pay for every nickel and dime formation. But clearly I'm more of the exception to the rule these days.
 
Chupa Chupa said:
Problem is mobile gaming is predominantly casual users and kids who are not going to spend $$$ upfront on games like serious console gamers. So the major game makers have transitioned to the damned "freemium" games where they can get their double digit game price quarter by quarter.

It's frustrating to me b/c I'm an 80s kid who grew up on the GameBoy variations & is willing to pay $20 for a good iOS version of Madden where I don't have to pay for every nickel and dime formation. But clearly I'm more of the exception to the rule these days.
Click to expand...

I'm with you on that. I typically avoid any apps that have in app purchases. I would much prefer to pay upfront for all content and know what I am buying. Games like XCom may be a sign that some large publisher games will come out in the single purchase model.
 
Donka said:
I'm with you on that. I typically avoid any apps that have in app purchases. I would much prefer to pay upfront for all content and know what I am buying. Games like XCom may be a sign that some large publisher games will come out in the single purchase model.
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Thank you. Every person like you and I who refuse to download freemium games is 1 less person supporting that broken gaming mechanic. If enough people refuse to download freemium titles, then maybe game developers will consider making quality games.
 
macguy360 said:
Thank you. Every person like you and I who refuse to download freemium games is 1 less person supporting that broken gaming mechanic. If enough people refuse to download freemium titles, then maybe game developers will consider making quality games.
Click to expand...

Yep
 
Based on the GPU performance numbers the OP put up, theoretically the iPad Air could run a game like GTA V on it. The Air has more RAM than a 360, and enough flash memory storage as well.

But first the upcoming game controllers would have to arrive and reach a reasonable saturation level. The market for this game would be limited to latest gen hardware, so the number of iPad airs and retina Minis would have to reach critical mass. And people would need to be willing to spend $30 or so on a game before someon like a rockstar would jump in, which is a big change for the iOS market (but a necessary one). There may be other iOS performance bottlenecks we don't know about, but I'm not sure.

Also I'm not sure Apple would accept a violent game like this, but that's another issue.

Hopefully games like this are coming but it could easily take a couple years.
 
I don't think that's an issue. GTA3, Vice City, and Chinatown Wars are already on iOS.

Another big issue is storage. It's pretty unlikely that an Apple TV is going to add a Bluray drive and nobody will be able to fit console quality games on their iOS device.
 
maclook said:
I don't think that's an issue. GTA3, Vice City, and Chinatown Wars are already on iOS.

Another big issue is storage. It's pretty unlikely that an Apple TV is going to add a Bluray drive and nobody will be able to fit console quality games on their iOS device.
Click to expand...

Xbox 360 games fit on a DVD. In the case of GTA V, it takes two DVDs. That is still only 1.4 GB, which even the cheapest iPad can accommodate.

No one is claiming that the A7 devices will match upcoming next-gen consoles, but it seems to me they could theoretically run the best that the prior gen can offer. That's still pretty awesome.
 
When I play ReaL Racing 3 in mirror on my 65" plasma it's as good as my ps3 or 360.
 
patseguin said:
When I play ReaL Racing 3 in mirror on my 65" plasma it's as good as my ps3 or 360.
Click to expand...

You need to consult an eye doctor then sir, the difference between the two is quite dramatic and clear. I suppose you can't see the difference between 720p and 1080p? VHS and DVD? DVD and Blu-Ray? SD and HD?

iPad/iPhone games are nothing like the current gen of consoles. Mobile gaming is aimed at a entirely different market than the console market. There are some intersects but they are both for the most part in their own harmonious little bubbles.

As someone else said I refuse to buy a game that then expects me to buy more, I don't mind add ons or expansions, but I refuse to pay for more credits lives inane BS etc. Freemium games are the bane of the mobile market and they're starting to inch their way in to console territory as well unfortunately.
 
Chupa Chupa said:
Problem is mobile gaming is predominantly casual users and kids who are not going to spend $$$ upfront on games like serious console gamers. So the major game makers have transitioned to the damned "freemium" games where they can get their double digit game price quarter by quarter.

It's frustrating to me b/c I'm an 80s kid who grew up on the GameBoy variations & is willing to pay $20 for a good iOS version of Madden where I don't have to pay for every nickel and dime formation. But clearly I'm more of the exception to the rule these days.
Click to expand...

I feel ya. iOS gaming has such potential, but its completely stunted by all the freemium scamware. Just look at the latest Batman game. The consoles/PCs got Origins and the handhelds got Blackgate. Meanwhile, iOS gets some shallow ass minigame with a stamina meter that constantly nags you about buying upgrades.

Origins isn't the greatest game on the planet, but its just an example of the type of treatment iOS gets.
 
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