[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] CyberPunk7t9:
Actually. It was us who first mentioned that the iPAD 2 GPU has more raw power than the Tegra 3 Geforce. We know it and we told members here about it. Not the biggest of deals. It's not like it's an evil hidden fact that needs alerting people about it.

Hi there again, Sorry your thread got deleted. You know who was reasonable for it. :p

I actually was not going to post a reply in this thread, but since you're here, maybe we can continue where we left in that deleted thread.

So, in theory, if CPU's were SUPA SUPA SUPA fast!.. GPU's would not be needed at all. Games work load is a task carried by both the CPU and GPU.

To make it very simple to understand, I'll use an example that is theoretical to some extent but that's how it's actually done.

Think of a game being designed without any visual effects, just a plain with no lighting, textures or any visual effect. The game then just needs the CPU to run.

GPU's are used to accelerate an API (A library of visual effects) called OpenGL. If the developers for example wanted to add effect such smoke, water ripples or shiny surface.. they're not going to program the whole thing, all developers rely on the same effects library (API), and those effects are then "accelerated" by hardware (the GPU). The CPU is running the game, while the GPU is handling the visual effects for the most part.

It's a fact that some games does not have a lot of added effects from the OpenGL, making them run better with a faster CPU. Not just 2D games, it can happen even in 3D games! (CPU/GPU bottlenecks).

The CPU is actually more important than the GPU (in this case) in what have been major thing in video games the past few years. Guessed it? Well, It's physics simulation! Take this little ultra-popular game "Angry Birds" for an example. Why a lot of people find it fun despite it's simplicity? It's the gameplay fun driven by physics simulation of air-launching those birds against objects as things react to impacts and fall down, each time in a different way. :)

Nvidia, for many years, have always had reputation for their OpenGL performance and support, even before they entered the ARM/Android market. Despite nvidia's fairly new appearance in portable devices, how do you think they managed to edge PowerVR this quick?! PowerVR has been in the ARM GPU's business for many many years.

Nvidia have long experience in OpenGL which goes way back. They are also known to have the best support/drivers for OpenGL in Linux OS. Android is based on Linux. :)

GPU's do not work exactly the same in their acceleration, so don't be surprised if Nvidia has their own tricks in accelerating the OpenGL API regardless of raw power measurements.

Back to the original (now boring) debate of iPad2 Vs. Prime in mobile gaming. As I said and agreed, the PowerVR in the iPad 2, hands down, is not to be underestimated. It can actually be a selling point. If someone likes the iPad 2 and wants to buy one, what else can we say? Nice choice and good luck!

The Asus Prime w/ Tegra3 is a whole different animal too. It can push great visuals in games just as good on a tablet too. The idea that tickles the gamer in me the most, is plugging the Prime to the big TV in the living and use the playstation 3/xbox 360 controllers to play some Sega/Nintendo classic games using emulators, the games I grew up playing. :)

As some people already pointed out, gaming on a tablet would still be a casual thing. Some of us chose an Android device over an Apple one because we find fun in the parts where we tweak and customize the thing to our needs, practical needs. And since we were just on the topic of games, allow me to end this with something that will never change...

iPad/iOS = checkers.

Android OS = chess!!

:)