Gaming and battery life
| Laptop - Q4 - low quality - 800x600 | ||
|---|---|---|
| MSI U100 Plus (Intel Atom) | MSI U230 (AMD Congo) | Acer Timeline 3810T (Intel CULV) |
| 13.21 | 56.7 | 28.09 |
| Laptop - Far Cry 2 - low quality - 800x600 | ||
|---|---|---|
| MSI U100 Plus (Intel Atom) | MSI U230 (AMD Congo) | Acer Timeline 3810T (Intel CULV) |
| 0.1 | 35.98 | 8.42 |
As expected, Congo clearly has the edge in respects to 3D graphics. The Wind 12 U230 is able to push out playable framerates in both Quake 4 and Far Cry 2. Impressive for a system of this size, but the notebook's gaming potential remains limited as both our test titles were only playable at a low resolution of 800x600 with low-quality settings. At 1,366x768 with higher quality, Congo slows to a crawl.
The pair of Intel IGPs, meanwhile, simply aren't fit for gaming. The Atom-paired Intel GMA950 IGP couldn't run Far Cry 2, hence the lack of numbers.
| Laptop - battery life with 480p clip looping | ||
|---|---|---|
| MSI U100 Plus (Intel Atom) | MSI U230 (AMD Congo) | Acer Timeline 3810T (Intel CULV) |
| 281 | 193 | 346 |
We previously suggested that Congo's failing may be power consumption, and our doubts have been justified by our battery test. MSI's Wind 12 U230 drops into hibernation after 3hrs 13mins. In comparison, Acer's Intel CULV-powered Timeline 3810T, also sporting a six-cell battery, achieves a massive 5hrs 46mins. The Intel Atom-powered machine, an admittedly low-performance system, also keeps going nearly an hour and a half longer than the AMD Congo system.
AMD's second-generation ultra-thin platform is a step in the right direction in terms of performance. But, like Yukon before it, power consumption and battery life leave a lot to be desired.