Top 9 Old Games for Intel Atom Z3735 - Gaming on a Windows Tablet

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Technical Specifications
3. Performance testing
   • NFS Underground 2
   • Flatout
   • The Bard's Tale
   • Fable - The Lost Chapters
   • Resident Evil 4
   • Mount and Blade Warband
   • How To Survive
   • Dont Starve
4. Overheating Issues and Cooling Solutions
5. Conclusion

Introduction

Hello everyone! In today's review, we will take a look at the performance of a tablet with 1GB of RAM and a quad-core Intel Atom processor with integrated graphics. If you've been asking about the capabilities of Atom processors in the comments, this review is for you. Before we dive into the performance tests, let's discuss the technical details. If you're eager to jump to the tests, feel free to skip ahead or jump to the next chapter.

Naturally, a tablet with these specifications cannot handle modern games. Therefore, we will be testing older games. At the end of the video, I will reveal the secret to avoiding throttling with this processor. I have also disabled DPTF in the BIOS and increased the allocated video memory from RAM. Due to the limited RAM, I often had to resort to using the paging file, which I set to two gigabytes. I also purchased a Netac P500 microSD card with an A1 performance class for gaming. Since the tablet's internal storage is an eMMC drive, which is essentially a simple flash drive and not as performant as regular SSDs, running games from the memory card doesn't result in any significant loss. You can see the difference between using the memory card and the internal storage in the test results.

Technical Specifications

The Intel Atom Z3735G processor is available in four versions, with the main difference being the supported RAM capacity. The F and D versions support 2GB, while the G and E versions support only 1GB of RAM. The graphics cores are the same across all versions. According to Techpowerup, the performance of this processor is not suitable even for resolutions as low as 640x480, and we will test this claim today. Without further ado, let's begin the tests.

Performance Testing

NFS Underground 2

Let's start with the cult classic NFS Underground 2, released in 2004. The resolution is set to the maximum, 1024x768, and the default level of detail is set to the maximum with all options enabled. Wait... Only 10 frames per Second? I didn't expect that. After all, the Game was released almost 10 years before this processor. I was hoping for better performance from the graphics chip. However, don't rush to close the review just yet. These slowdowns were observed with the DPTF option enabled in the BIOS, which had an impact on the CPU frequency, as can be seen on the screen with the locked CPU frequency at 500MHz. After disabling DPTF, the results significantly improved. The average framerate increased to 24, with occasional drops to 18.

To improve the smoothness of the gameplay, you can lower the resolution to 800x600. This increases the average framerate to 32, with occasional drops to 27 frames per second. In conclusion, you can play NFS Underground 2 even at the highest settings if occasional drops to 18 frames per second don't bother you. If you prefer a smoother experience, you can lower the resolution.

Flatout

Next on the list is Flatout, released in 2004. The game's graphics settings are set to high, purely out of Curiosity, let's try setting the maximum resolution and four times texture antialiasing. As we can see, the task of antialiasing is not easy, and on average, we get around 17 frames per second. The video chip struggles to handle this task. Let's lower the resolution and disable antialiasing completely. We get a good result with an average of around 45 frames per second.

I think it's worth trying to enable two times antialiasing with the same resolution of 1280x720. In this case, the average FPS is 25, but there are drops to 17 frames per second in particularly busy scenes. Moving on, let's take a look at another game from 2004.

The Bard's Tale

The Bard's Tale is another game from 2004. If you haven't heard of it before, it's a humorous game with a lot of references to cult fantasy. The game was not very demanding for its time, so let's comfortably set the HD resolution and give it a try. On average, we get around 45 frames per second, with occasional drops to 30 frames per second in particularly busy scenes.

Let's move on to another game from 2004.

Fable - The Lost Chapters

Fable - The Lost Chapters is the next game on the list. The graphics settings are set below average, with a resolution of 1280x600. Unfortunately, I couldn't output the statistics through MSI Afterburner for some unknown reason, even though I tried various overlay settings in Riva Statistic Server. However, even without the statistics, it's evident that there are stutters and lag. During the game installation, there was a notification that the graphics adapter and RAM do not meet the game's system requirements. Let's try lowering the settings and set them to 1024x768.

Fable gained notoriety for its poor optimization, and it would lag even on optimal hardware for that time. Overall, the gameplay became smoother, the GPU is still heavily utilized, and the average framerate is around 22 with drops to 18 frames per second.

To avoid solely playing games from 2004, let's take a look at Resident Evil 4, released in 2005.

Resident Evil 4

At the resolution of 1024x768, the video chip struggles to handle the load, resulting in an average of 15 frames per second with occasional drops to 10 FPS. We'll have to lower the resolution to 800x600. With this resolution, the game becomes even darker. On relatively empty locations, we get stable 25-30 frames per second. However, in intense scenes with many zombies, fire, and other elements, the framerate drops to 13 FPS. Next up, let's discuss Mount and Blade Warband, released in 2010.

Mount and Blade Warband

The graphic settings in Mount and Blade Warband are automatically set to low with a resolution of 1280x720. The antialiasing is disabled, and the shader quality is set to high. In summary, the graphics settings can be considered low. Let's choose a random map with troops and head into battle!

On open terrain, we reach around 40 FPS, but on average, we get 27 frames per second. However, if we choose a map with a high density of characters in a small area, the framerate drops to 15 frames per second as the video chip struggles to handle the large number of objects. Additionally, the lack of RAM becomes evident as the swap file becomes filled. Moving on, let's take a look at "How To Survive," released in 2013.

How To Survive

If you haven't heard of this game before, it's understandable as I discovered it on a forum discussing tablet games. The launcher automatically sets the maximum screen resolution, which results in unplayable FPS. Let's lower the resolution to 800x600, and the situation becomes slightly better. Despite disabling DPTF, the frequencies rarely go above 500MHz, indicating potential optimization issues with the game.

And finally, we will conclude this review with "Don't Starve," released in 2013. It's one of those games that can be played without any major issues because the graphics consist of simple 2D elements from a top-down view. It's worth mentioning "Machinarium" here as well. By the way, games like "How to Get a Neighbor" series also work perfectly fine on this hardware. If you remember that nostalgic game, leave a like!

Overheating Issues and Cooling Solutions

Now let's talk about overheating. Since I have disabled the DPTF option, we do not observe any throttling. However, the processor heats up until it reaches a critical temperature of 100 degrees Celsius and shuts down. During the disassembly of the tablet, I discovered a thin metal cover with holes on the CPU and memory, and the processor is connected to it with a regular thermal pad. During testing, I realized that the only solution was to create active air cooling using improvised means. Only by doing this I managed to avoid high temperatures.

In conclusion, I can say that this tablet is not suitable for gaming, as it struggles to perform well even with older games. The main limitation lies in the weak graphics core, while the CPU is usually utilized only up to 50-60%. However, the GPU is often pushed to its limits and cannot cope. The lack of RAM is also a limiting factor in some games. If a more powerful graphics core were to be used, the tablet would be more interesting for running older games. However, there is a challenge with passive cooling. Samsung, for example, used active cooling systems with small fans in some of their more powerful tablets, even though they were equipped with third-generation Core i5 processors. Considering the tiny TDP of the Atom processor, a high-quality copper radiator would have been sufficient for this tablet.

By the way, I bought a slightly different model of the tablet for restoration purposes on an online marketplace. It has a similar z3735F processor but comes with 2GB of RAM. If you want me to review it, please let me know the game titles you want to be tested in the comments, and I will select and create a small top of those games.

Highlights

• The tablet with 1GB RAM and an Intel Atom z3735G processor with integrated graphics struggles to handle modern games due to its low specifications.
• Performance testing revealed that older games from 2004-2013 can be played on the tablet, but with various limitations and occasional frame rate drops.
• Disabling the DPTF option in the BIOS significantly improved performance by eliminating throttling.
• Insufficient RAM was also a limiting factor in some games.
• Active air cooling was required to prevent overheating.
• The tablet's weak graphics core was the main bottleneck, while the CPU utilization remained below its maximum capacity.

FAQ

Q: Can this tablet handle modern games? A: No, due to its low specifications, the tablet is not capable of running modern games smoothly.

Q: What are the limitations of the tablet when it comes to gaming? A: The weak graphics core, limited RAM, and potential overheating issues are the main limitations for gaming on this tablet.

Q: How can I improve the performance of the tablet for gaming? A: Disabling the DPTF option in the BIOS and utilizing active air cooling can help improve the performance and prevent overheating.

Q: Are there any alternative tablets with better gaming capabilities? A: Yes, there are tablets available with more powerful processors and dedicated graphics cards that offer better gaming performance.

Q: Is it worth buying this tablet for gaming purposes? A: It depends on your gaming requirements. If you primarily play older and less demanding games, this tablet may suffice. However, for smoother gameplay and better graphics, it is recommended to explore other options with higher specifications.

Resources

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