Fight Club: ViewSonic V35 vs. Rover PC P3 +

The emergence of a growing number of handheld computers aimed at the budget sector of the market, can not but rejoice. The more choices the better for the user. Today we will focus on two cost ViewSonic v35 Pocket PC and Rover PC P3 +. We try to find out which of these computers better.

Round 1. Design and Ergonomics

At the same dimensions and weight of computers significantly different design. Viewsonic is made of plastic, two-color: black bottom and silver top. Application buttons are fairly traditional - arranged in a straight line, navigation button is large and comfortable. At the top of the front panel are two LED: charge indicator and warning indicator. With the first all clear, and the last lights in the event of a reboot or system failures. Microphone is not very successful: in the bottom left of the front panel can consider the tiny hole. It would be logical to place the microphone on the top panel. Grille is made in the form of snowflakes, the Rover P3 + is a lattice in the form of three lobes, although the sound quality does not affect the shape of the lattice. Design Rover P3 + differs for the better. The entire body is made of silver plastic, and only on the front panel there is a gray-blue plastic insert, which revives the look of your computer. For more freshness and makes enough spare button layout application buttons. Navigation button, slightly larger and more convenient than the V35. Rear panel unremarkable - except the power button the battery more on it is nothing. The location of the other major government and expansion ports for computers are absolutely identical: the scroll wheel, with a limited range of rotation (about 30 degrees), push button voice recorder button, soft reset ... ... Jack ... ... IR port, a slot for SD / MMC cards, a button on / off ... ... Jack for AC adapter (battery can be recharged without using the cradle), a connector for the cradle or sync cable from the PC and the stylus holder ... Styluses also virtually identical - telescopic design. True, the stylus from P3 + a little more comfortable - at the expense of more acute and more delicate tip.

The conclusion is simple enough - both computers are comfortable and ergonomic, but is more attractive design P3 +: original performance of the front panel and a more successful design of the stylus.


Account: 1:2

Round 2. Display

Screen for both computers - trancflektivny, which means that, like most such displays, with full backlight OFF reading of the text is possible only under strong sunlight. Although the maximum brightness v35 slightly higher than the Rover P3 + (approximately 10%), it is difficult to imagine a working environment with a handheld computer, whenever it was necessary to use the maximum level of brightness.

Already on the first level of illumination text information (and even more pictures or video) are perceived to display both the CPC equally well with any ambient light.


SCORE: 1:1

Round 3. Iron

Features	ViewSonic v35	Rover P3 +
processor	Intel Xscale PXA250, 300MHz	Intel Xscale PXA255, 400MHz
Memory RAM / ROM (MB)	36.45 / 32 + 5,2 (flash disk)	36.45 / 32 + 36 (flash disk)
Display	3,5 "TFT, 320x240, 64K, trancflektivny
I / O ports	IrDA, USB 1.1	IrDA, USB 1.1
multimedia	output headphone / speaker / microphone	output headphone / speaker / microphone
removable media	MMC / SD	MMC / SD
battery	built-in Li-Ion battery, 900mAch	built-in Li-Ion battery, 900mAch
Dimensions / weight	121.7h76.8h12, 5mm/120g	121.7h76.8h12, 5mm/120g

The main difference is the use of P3 + newer PXA255 processor with a faster clock rate (about what the performance boost it gave a bit lower).
The second advantage is the increased size of the custom ROM (flash disk), which is commonly used for data storage. In P3 + flash disk-volume and increased from 5.2 to 36Mb. Good solution for those users who use a PDA first and foremost as an organizer or a device for reading electronic books. In this case, 36Mb is enough and can not buy an extra memory card. For storing music and video card is certainly needed.


0:2

Round 4. Memory Card

In both computers as an external memory can be used by flash memory cards SD and MMC. SDIO support is not implemented, so that the connection of any peripheral devices on the flash drive is impossible. True, the developers promise in the future to provide software support for SDIO for their computers, so all is not lost.


1:1

Round 5. Performance

Both the PDA allows you to select the processor (Smart Battery). Thus, for the Rover P3 + can operate in low mode performance (200MHz), high performance (400MHz) and in the automatic mode when the system determines which of the two modes work better (depending on the types and number of running applications).For ViewSonic v35 is also possible to choose between an automatic mode, low mode (200MHz) and high performance (300MHz). As a synthetic test we take the latest version of the popular utility Virtual Office Benchmark 3.0 (red color better results). You can immediately see that the use of the new PXA255 processor at 200 MHz does not give any tangible benefits over the older RHA250. In automatic mode, the same read is meaningless, because the test results will not differ from those obtained with "low speed".

At 400 MHz-ah maximum results for all indicators test in Rover P3 +. So if you need a computer for serious applications, the choice of the Rover P3 +.


1:2

Round 6. Sound

Say anything about the sound in relation to your computer's data is difficult: the dynamics are not very loud. Sufficiently loud microphone, but for recording within 1-2 meters of its sensitivity is quite sufficient. Playback through the headphones (if you use normal headphones) causes no complaints. So the battle a draw.


1:1

Round 7. Video

To check whether the data is suitable computers for viewing video (the question of whether a video with 320x240 resolution called "normal" is not considered here), used four test clips with different video streams.

The result did not surprise me. Unfortunately, neither the v35, or P3 + are not suitable for viewing video streams with 500-600Kb / s.. However, P3 + showed better than v35 result, to cope with 400 Kb / s pulley.


1:2

Round 8. Runtime

Battery life measured in the three most typical handheld computer tasks:


- Reading electronic books (low performance)

Options	ViewSonic v35	Rover PC P3 +
backlight off	4:15	4:20
minimum level of brightness	3:40	3:40
50% brightness	3:15	3:15
100% brightness	2:45	2:40

As a test of musical format was chosen with a stream MP3 128Kb / s. The use of music files with a large value of the flow (192Kb / s and above) will reduce battery life.


- Listen to the music (low performance)

Options	ViewSonic v35	Rover PC P3 +
display is off	6:20	7:00

- View the video (high performance)

Options	ViewSonic v35	Rover PC P3 +
minimum level of brightness	3:30	3:20

The results were almost identical, the only exception is the music playback with the screen off. Here, the palm of Rover P3 +: 7:00 to 6 hours and 20 minutes v35. Apparently with the power of the new processor yet, the situation is better.


1:2

Round 9. Software

Both computers are equipped with the same operating system Pocket PC 2002 (Microsoft Windows CE 3.0.11171, build 11178) with a standard set of applications: ActiveSync 3,5, Calendar, Contacts, Mail, Notes, Tasks, Pocket Excel, Pocket Word, Media Player, Microsoft Reader, Microsoft Internet Explorer. But apart from the standard software bundled with computers are available and additional programs.In addition to ViewSonic v35 you get, apart from the dictionary and crack, program for data backup and the utility ClearVue Viewers for viewing presentations (power point), and photographs. About user Rover P3 + developers have taken care anymore. Computer localized by Quarta Technologies, moreover, the language interface, you can choose when you first turn on your computer, hard reset, or by using programs from the site of the manufacturer (in this case, no reboot needed).

Coft-dowry at P3 + is somewhat richer:


- Software for data backup


- A program that supports the use of external keyboard


- Program LaserMap with maps of Moscow, Moscow region and a map of administrative-territorial division of Russia


- Program GPS Navigator (VITO Technology) for use with GPS navigation


- Program DigSee PocketLANce, allowing the user to view and manage your internal network resources directly from your Pocket PC.


- Palbum Picture Viewer program for viewing images


- Digsee PocketPoint program for creating and viewing fotoprezentatsy


- Lib2Lit compiler for creating Microsoft Reader format books


- Software Spb Full Screen Keyboard, emulating large keypad


- Game Pipeline 2002, BOLTS & NUTS, POCKET LINES, Honix.


0:2

Round 10. Completion

The set comes with a v35 cradle to sync, AC adapter with three types of plugs (for Europe, the USA and UK), the instruction in Russian, CD with drivers and software, carrying case, CD with language and vocabulary and a cradle.

Set Rover P3 + nothing, except the lack of CD with language, is no different. Cradle models have exactly the same: the P3 + - silver, at v35 - black. The only thing that is very different - it's cover. In ViewSonic'a it a little better: one of the surfaces of the cover provided with a solid insert that protects the screen well enough computer from external influence.


2:1

Round 11. Service and warranty

The company Rover Computers give 1 year warranty for your Pocket PC. The warranty period of service ViewSonic v35, too, 1 year.


1:1

Round 12. Price

Computers are in the same price category. In chain stores computer in the palm »ViewSonic and Rover PC P3 + cost $ 329. In the online store PalmStore price below: ViewSonic - $ 320, and Rover PC P3 + - $ 310.


1:1

The judges' decision

Total score 11:18 in favor of the Rover PC P3 +.


The victory on points.
As he had not been at one time good ViewSonic V35, still appeared stronger and the young challenger. Rover P3 + has an original design, is equipped with more powerful processor, has a greater volume of custom ROMs. The computer is better suited for video playback, boasts a large battery life when playing music and has a richer set of additional software. The only serious drawback of novelty is not a hard case that practically does not protect the display device. The authors, translation:

Dr. POCKET