Toshiba e750 Review... Already!

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/toshiba_e750.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/toshiba_e750.htm</a><br /><br /></div>PDA Buyer's Guide already has a thorough review of the e750 written up, including benchmarks. They seem to like the unit, especially its new graphics controller that delivers eye-popping graphics performance, although it seems the processor speed benchmarks aren't as improved (does anyone know if the e750 is using a 100MHz or 200MHz bus with the new processor?) In any case, it seems that the e750 is a worthy upgrade to the e740.

[Abba Zabba]

From what I hear, the new E750s are using the new Intel PXA255: so from that they should be 200Mhz bus :roll:

[dilta]

Using PXA255 doesn't mean that the memory bus has to be 200MHz.
E-3000 may not use 200MHz memory bus, but e750 has 200MHz memory bus for sure.

[entropy1980]

With the memory move numbers so low it must have 100mhz bus....with a 200mhz they should be double the 100mhz....

[Skoobouy]

If you look at this Brighthand thread (http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthread.php?s=beb64a71681a9f91dbea103661ecbd70&threadid=74892&perpage=10&pagenumber=1), you'll see that, in fact, the new processors are capable of much higher speeds when adjustments are made. There is discussion there about whether these 'adjustments' are merely overclocking, but I am inclined to say that they are not.

Current clock-speed enhancers don't seem to work with the e750 yet, but I believe (based on the above thread) that it's only a matter of time until new e750 owners can enjoy something like a 20% overall performance increase.

For now, though, my Jornada remains good company.

[Fzara]

Some notes to consider:

"The PXA255 has a 200 MHz internal system bus, while the PXA250 has a 100 MHz system bus." Yup. I guess it does appear to have a 200mhz bus, according to the author.

Although the processor has changed, with an improved bus, the benchmarks and the Pocket MVP tests definitely do not show a jump, or improvement in the new PXA255.

-The author reviews the screen and indicates the screen is much brighter than the Axim or the Ipaq's. I'd be curious to see what effect this has on the battery life.

-If the author realy believes that the E750 is faster than current XScale processors, I'd be curious to know if PHM (Pocket Hack Master) can make that 400mhz, any faster.

-"Pocket PC 2002 OS was written for the ARM processor, so the XScale runs in compatibility mode without faster XScale native code)." I guess an improved system bus really does nothing to improve performance of the OS, which brings us back to our original argument; PPC 2002 is still not optimized for XScale.

Just a couple thoughts. I'd be curious to see other people's comments about the device. To me it just seems like an Axim with a WiFi CF Card, and a couple more megs. extra available to the user. Of course, the Axim is still lower than the $599 MSRP.

[dilta]

Memory benchmark result is not necessarily in proportion to the bandwidth of the memory bus, because other factors like CPU processing power and memory operating speed have to be concerned. So I guess the bechmark result is reasonable if 200MHz memory bus is used.

[heov]

With the memory move numbers so low it must have 100mhz bus....with a 200mhz they should be double the 100mhz....

no.
it's 200MHz bus, and a 0.47 on the memory move is damn fast! And look at the memory allocation!

The reason it's not double is because the SDRAM chips are only 133MHz. So although it's not at it's full potential, it is noticably faster.

Another thing that boosts performance is the write back cache... which now works on the PXA255 (this is what the Asus has to make it so much faster!).

So to get an idea how fast this unit is, OC your e740 to 472MHz, and pretend it has a write back cache enabled (which is rumored to be released soon by a developer... lets you enable it on ALL xscale 250's... keep your eyes out).
To get an idea, enabling the write back cache on my zayo improves video about 50%... so if you usually get 15FPS on a video, you'd start getting 23FPS... if not more! Not sure how this works on the toshiba...

UPDATE: oh, and despite what the review states, reports from users are coming in that it's about HALF as bright as the 3900 when on max, but it's still very rich in colors... very comparable to the 1910 screen in terms of brightness...

[deaj]

how can user say it's 50% as bright as an IPAQ as they dont even have the machine as it has not shipped yet ? strange, is it possible, people are still trying to argue that ipaq has the best screen ? just a thoughts ...
for one i will believe the reviewer as i'm sure he's fone a good fair review of the unit. :D

[kendrick]

This is the most minor of gripes... But could Toshiba have picked a different name for the thing? I've got a Casio E-750, and for me the amount of noise-to-signal has gone up when I do searches on Usenet, web forums and commercial resources. In the past, manufacturers went out of their way to make sure that there was never confusion between two competitors' products like this. It's like if Burger King tried to market a sandwich called the Bick Mack.

Like I said, a minor complaint. Nothing to lose sleep over.

-KKC, who wonders how much longer the *Paq naming convention will live on thanks to the Pocket PC...

[ricksfiona]

I don't think the comparison with the new Toshiba with a HP/Compaq is a very very comparison. The 3870, while in good circulation, is not a current PDA.

A comparison of the 750 & H.P. 5450 would have been much more interesting. They are much more comparable especially in price.

[pdagal]

Not sure if you're referring to our review, but we don't make any comparisons to the 3870. We do use the 3970 which is still available and priced about the same as the e750 these days.

I don't think the comparison with the new Toshiba with a HP/Compaq is a very very comparison. The 3870, while in good circulation, is not a current PDA.

A comparison of the 750 & H.P. 5450 would have been much more interesting. They are much more comparable especially in price.

[dean_shan]

I think I might upgrade at the end of the summer when the price goes down. I'm done buying PDAs at 600 bucks.

[Zathras]

They should test PocketMVP with a 320x240 at 30fps DivX movie. I believe the e750 should be much better at playing DivX movies than the iPAQ 3970 because of the ATI graphics chip. At least that is what I remember reading on the Projectmayo forums.

Even overclocked to 472mhz my 3955 iPAQ can just do 320x176@24fps with 300kbps video and 128kbps/44khz stereo mp3 sound with no drops. Full screen 320x240@24fps is out of the question. But, I've read that the e740 could do 320x240@30fps no problem.

[heov]

how can user say it's 50% as bright as an IPAQ as they dont even have the machine as it has not shipped yet ? strange, is it possible, people are still trying to argue that ipaq has the best screen ? just a thoughts ...
for one i will believe the reviewer as i'm sure he's fone a good fair review of the unit. :D

what are you talking about? despite how the title of the post sounds ("already"), consumers have been getting their hands on this unit for almost 2 weeks now (read: it's been shipping for quite some time). read some of the posts @ BH or somewhere and you'll be better informed.
Here's one post by a respectable brighthand member:
http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=74967

He (installer) was a former 5450 users, and now the e750 user. He, and other e750 owners, too claims the backlight is not as bright as the 5450 (which is very comparable to the 3900 in terms of brightness), and someone else in that thread or one of the many other threads about the e750 that the brightness is comparable to the iPaq 1910, which rich vibrant colors.

[reydiodj]

how can user say it's 50% as bright as an IPAQ as they dont even have the machine as it has not shipped yet ? strange, is it possible, people are still trying to argue that ipaq has the best screen ? just a thoughts ...
for one i will believe the reviewer as i'm sure he's fone a good fair review of the unit. :D

Fry's Electronics has been selling it for 2 weeks now.

[reydiodj]

They should test PocketMVP with a 320x240 at 30fps DivX movie. I believe the e750 should be much better at playing DivX movies than the iPAQ 3970 because of the ATI graphics chip. At least that is what I remember reading on the Projectmayo forums.

Even overclocked to 472mhz my 3955 iPAQ can just do 320x176@24fps with 300kbps video and 128kbps/44khz stereo mp3 sound with no drops. Full screen 320x240@24fps is out of the question. But, I've read that the e740 could do 320x240@30fps no problem.

The engineer at my user group meeting streamed a MPEG-1 movie on the e755 via one of their wi-fi servers and got 36fps using Pocket TV Pro...

On my e740 I can get 320x240@30fps using PocketMVP either at 472Mhz and something slightly less at 400Mhz, but no biggie.

[Sheynk]

hmmmm It says that it matches performance of the 3900 Ipaq ... I guess I set for now!

Unless the new PPC OS comes out soon....but thats what extended warranty is for

[dilta]

[quote=entropy1980]
pretend it has a write back cache enabled (which is rumored to be released soon by a developer... lets you enable it on ALL xscale 250's... keep your eyes out)

ya, I've heard about that. But there is no guarantee that the patch will work on all devices produced by the developer. Due to some internal problems, some CPU may not function properly when the write back cache is enabled. It's a pity. :cry:

[nosmohtac]

The e750 does have a 200MHz bus, but the thing to remember here, when looking at the benchmarks is, it is still running pocket pc 2002 which was written for the arm processor. The benchmarks on the video performance are excellent and the memory access does improve too. The 200MHz bus speed will not necessarily do anything for your access times for a storage card.

As far as battery life and brightness are concerned, the review I read stated that it was brighter than the 3970, but I am suprised that they stuck with only four brightness settings 25% 50% 75% and 100%. Even if the reviewer was right about it being brighter I wouldn't buy it because I seldom have my 3970 past 50% brightness and often times less than 25%. The 3970 gives you more than 50 brightness settings. The battey life will be improved from the e740 because the pxa255 is more efficient, requiring about 30% less power, and transflective screens also use less power.

I haven't had my hands on one, but heres how I see it

pros: USB host capability, Transflective screen, Faster Bus, More RAM 96MB, user replaceable battery, and obviously built in Wi-Fi(which is said to have less range than a wi-fi CF card), will work with existing 740 accessories, 3.8in screen up from 3.5inches.

cons: Brightness settings too few, battery is only 1000mah, still lacks an appealing design IMO, Price.

I can see this being a very successful pda for toshiba and I hope that they continue to support it. I know that they have lost customers in the past because of their lack of support for euu's. But it has also been rumored that the newest Dell's that are shipping may soon have, if not already, the pxa255 chip in them and at that price point, there is no contest.

[gorkon280]

He tells you to turn that switch off. NO! You don't need to turn that stupid little switch on the bottom off to increase battery life. Use the WiFi applet running on the menubar and turn it off there. I imagine this little switch is not designed to be flipped off, on. off on all of the time.