How does the computing power of my phone compare to my old desktop?

In summary, the first commercial touch screen monitor was released in 1983, and you would need to travel back to 1995 to purchase a MMX Pentium 1 (32k L1 cache) socket 7. Windows 95 would allow you to do all your word processing, but you would have to wait 3 months for Windows 95. In 1996 you can finally purchase 4x128MB 72-pin EDO ram (512MB total) and a motherboard to support 512MB of FPM/EDO ram (FIC PT-2200). However, you would only need to go back to August 2003 due to needing skype to make calls/txt from your PC or the year 2000 to to just create a machine that has the same performance as your phone
  • #1
Jocko Homo
133
0
This question came up in conversation the other day and I was wondering if anyone could quantify this.

How far back in time must I go before I find a desktop computer that is only as powerful as my Nexus S smartphone? Would that be a Pentium III, for example?

I understand that the answer might be different depending on which aspect of the computer we're talking about, since things like persistent storage progress differently than the CPU. Even then, I'm sure the answer is somewhat complicated by things like the lack of an FPU on my phone (if that's even true!).

However, I'm sure approximate answers can be given to these questions. The storage question should be easy enough and integer operations per second for the CPU is good enough for me!

Does anyone know?

Thank you...
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
  • #2
I'd say it's pretty much comparable to a Pentium III with a GPU in it.
 
  • #3
You would have to travel back to 1983 to purchase the first commercial touch screen monitor from the HP-150, you then would have to wait until June 1995 to purchase a MMX Pentium 1 (32k L1 cache) socket 7, windows 3.1x would allow you to do all your word processing although you would have to wait 3 months for Windows 95, In 1996 you can finally purchase 4x128MB 72-pin EDO ram (512MB total) and a motherboard to support 512MB of FPM/EDO ram (FIC PT-2200) to get the same graphics as your phone you would have to wait until the Year 2000 to purchase a Gforce mx440 so watch out for the Y2K bug!

So technically you would only have to go back to August 2003 due to needing skype to make calls/txt from your PC or the year 2000 to to just create a machine that has the same performance as your phone.

I priced all of the above previously and it came to a grand total of $532! $2.01 more then your phone, (this was using a different touch screen) it was around $280 if you just used a $20 CRT monitor, Old touch screens are expensive!

I had some fun!


Luke.
 
  • #4
r4z0r84 said:
You would have to travel back to 1983 to purchase the first commercial touch screen monitor from the HP-150, you then would have to wait until June 1995 to purchase a MMX Pentium 1 (32k L1 cache) socket 7, windows 3.1x would allow you to do all your word processing although you would have to wait 3 months for Windows 95, In 1996 you can finally purchase 4x128MB 72-pin EDO ram (512MB total) and a motherboard to support 512MB of FPM/EDO ram (FIC PT-2200) to get the same graphics as your phone you would have to wait until the Year 2000 to purchase a Gforce mx440 so watch out for the Y2K bug!
Wow, you have a really good memory! ...except you forgot about the hard drive! I can't even remember what was common in 2000. Was it 80 GB? How long ago were 16 GB drives common?

I priced all of the above previously and it came to a grand total of $532! $2.01 more then your phone, (this was using a different touch screen) it was around $280 if you just used a $20 CRT monitor, Old touch screens are expensive!
Are these prices adjusted for inflation? Where are you getting your information?

I had some fun!
I hope you did! I certainly found it interesting...
 
  • #5
I had a much more in depth look at this yesterday, although when i clicked Submit Reply the data center for PF went down, so i lost my original message,

all prices are current from ebay and other online sales, ram $40, mobo $111, graphics card $8, the rest i don't remember exactly although i do recall the touch screen i found that was produced in 1996 you can purchase now for roughly $350 these are all in AU dollars as of yesterday.

as for the hard drive you would be looking at the 1997 – IBM Deskstar 16GP "Titan" which held 16,800 Megabytes (16.4gb)

Surprisingly all around the same era!
 

1. What factors determine the computing power of my phone?

The computing power of a phone is determined by its processor, RAM, and storage capacity. These components work together to handle tasks and process information.

2. How does the computing power of my phone compare to my old desktop?

The computing power of a phone is typically lower than that of a desktop computer. This is because phones have smaller processors, less RAM, and less storage capacity compared to desktops.

3. Can I use my phone for the same tasks as my old desktop?

It depends on the specific tasks you need to perform. While phones are becoming more advanced and can handle many tasks that were once only possible on desktops, they may not have the same level of processing power and may take longer to complete certain tasks.

4. How can I check the computing power of my phone?

You can check the specifications of your phone, such as the processor type and speed, RAM size, and storage capacity, to get an idea of its computing power. You can also run benchmark tests to compare its performance to other devices.

5. Is it worth upgrading to a phone with higher computing power?

It depends on your needs and preferences. If you primarily use your phone for basic tasks such as browsing the internet and using social media, you may not notice a significant difference in performance. However, if you use your phone for more demanding tasks such as gaming or video editing, upgrading to a phone with higher computing power may improve your overall experience.

Similar threads

  • Computing and Technology
2
Replies
38
Views
5K
  • Computing and Technology
Replies
12
Views
1K
  • Computing and Technology
Replies
5
Views
892
  • Computing and Technology
Replies
15
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
3K
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • Computing and Technology
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
29
Views
4K
  • Sticky
  • Programming and Computer Science
Replies
13
Views
4K
  • Computing and Technology
Replies
2
Views
3K
Back
Top