Windows Phone Thoughts: The Dell Axim X51v: If it Were Software, It Would Be a Dot Release

3D Performance
Because the X50v and X51v have the same Intel 2700G graphics processor, both devices are capable of impressive 3D performance. Futuremark makes a 3D benchmarking suite for Smartphones (SPMARK04) that they adapted for Pocket PCs with the 2700G GPU. Testing the X51v resulted in 26.01 FPS in Low Detail mode, and 8.92 FPS in High Detail mode. The closest any other handheld device (that they've tested) can come is the Nokia 6630 at 14.5 FPS, almost half as fast. The SPMARK04 benchmark is interesting to watch - there's an impressively detailed helicopter flying over a forest, and in the demo mode you can use the d-pad to control the helicopter. You can see it chugging in the high detail mode, but the low detail mode is quite smooth. You can see the 3D rendering quality come through strongly in the bundled "Toy Golf" application as well - the graphics are very impressive!

Battery Life
Because I haven't had the X51v all that long, it's difficult to get a real handle on the battery life. The battery is the same size as the X50v, 1100 mah. Like all X50v users, I was really hoping Dell would put a bigger battery in the X51v - something in the 1500 mah range. In unofficial tests, Dell techs found a 10-15% improvement in battery life. In my own tests, results were mixed.

Because Windows Mobile 5 devices don't need to power the RAM when the device is in suspend mode, my first thought was that the standby power drain would be much less. I fully charged the X50v and X51v, hard reset them, and let them sit. I powered up each to check the battery level several times, and after 52 hours of standby the battery level on the X50v was at 90% while the battery level of the X51v was at 89% - essentially the same battery level. So much for that theory!

Next I set the CPU speed at 624 mhz on both the X50v and X51v and used Spb Benchmark the run the MP3 audio test. The system volume for each device was set at 100%, while the WMP 10 Mobile volume was set at 75%. Headphones were plugged into each device, and the screens were turned off. The X50v died after a mere 4 hours and 32 minutes, while the X51v kept chugging along for 13 hours and 28 minutes. I'm suspicious of these test results because I have a hunch the reason the X50v died so quickly was because the CPU was set to 624 mhz. I've reset the CPU on the X50v to Auto and am in the process of running the test again - it's been more than four hours and the X50v is still playing, so my hunch is I'll see results within the next 8 hours. The 13.5 hours of the X51v is very impressive - I'll run the test again with the CPU in Auto mode to see if it makes any difference. Given the huge difference in results, I'm wondering if the CPU setting didn't actually take effect on the X51v and it really was running in Auto mode.

Bundled Software: What a Mess!
The X51v comes with a CD that contains ActiveSync and a slew of third party programs. The setup was interesting because it first scanned my computer to ensure I had ActiveSync 4.0 installed, then it moved on to a list of third party applications. This is where it got ugly. First, there was no indication of which programs in the list were full versions - I knew from my discussions with Dell that the X51v came with full versions of Battery Pack Lite, Resco Picture Viewer, Geo Rally 3D, and Toy Golf 3D. The full versions were mixed in with the trial versions, so most users will assume that they're all trial versions and miss out on the great software they get for free! I checked off all the full versions and a few of the trial versions and clicked next - then was bombarded with an assortment of windows as the installers for the various programs started to vie for dominance.

At one point my taskbar had so many installers in it I couldn't see which was which. Most of the programs used different installers, which only made things more of a mess. To add insult to injury you have programs that insist on littering the desktop computer with icons and some that instruct the user to perform a soft reset (Calligrapher). This would utterly confuse a new Pocket PC user. At one point, with four installers open, I had to disconnect the X51v because the install of CityTime was hung. As soon as I disconnected, the install of Bejewelled 2 started - so it looks like the problem was too many programs fighting for permission to install.

The entire software install scenario with the X51v is a complete disaster - Dell should know better. The entire process seemed like an afterthought. What they need is a unified installer that pushes the CAB files down to the device and does an orderly install of the applications - and they need to clearly indicate which applications are full versions. I think customers would be better off if Dell pre-installed the full versions into the user-accessible Flash ROM. Customers would get to use the apps, and if they didn't like them they could uninstall them.