Since Shenzhen Shiningworth MXQ Plus M12N is my first TV box powered by Amlogic S912 octa-core processor, I’ve decided to write a separate post to show system information with CPU-Z, and benchmark results with Antutu 6.x, Vellamo 3.x, and 3Dmark Ice Storm Extreme. Please note that it may not be representative of all Amlogic S912 boards, as mentioned in the teardown post, there are some concerns about the thermal design of M12N TV box.
M12N / Amlogic S912 System Info
I’ve merged CPU-Z’ SOC, DEVICE and SYSTEM data into a single table.
The app correctly detects an 8 core Cortex A53 processor @ 100 MHz to 2.02 GHz with an ARM Mali-T820 GPU. The brand for this particurlar device is MXQ, and Model m12n. Frame buffer resolution is 1920×1080, and memory and storage data are both OK for a box with 2GB and 16GB flash. The device runs Android 6.0.1 on top of Linux 3.14.29.
M12N / Amlogic S912 Benchmarks
With 8 cores and a faster GPU, I was expecting a much higher Antutu 6.x score with Amlogic S912.
The box however only achieved 41,303 points in Antutu 6.2, which compared to 38,032 points on Amlogic S905 based MINIX NEO U1 running Android 5.1 with the same Android 6.x benchmark. The 3D score is naturally higher because of the fast GPU, and also begin the MaliT-820MP3 GPU also supports OpenGL ES 3.1, which was skipped on Amlogic S905. UX, CPU and RAM scores are about the same, or slightly lower in Amlogic S912. So there’s a problem here either because of thermal design, or Android 6.0 Amlogic SDK still needs some work. I launched the benchmark again another day, and got 38,798 points.. 3D was a little higher (9,353), UX and CPU slightly lower (14,088 + 12,414), but RAM test collapse d to 2,943 points.
Vellamo 3.2 offers some more perspective, and one of the Multicore tests failed (see yellow “warning” triangle) because of a “Sysbench issue with Finepar: Invalid CPU mode”.
For reference, MINIX NEO U1, one of the fastest and most stable Amlogic S905 TV boxes, got respectively 1,587, 1,235, and 2,157 points for Multicore, Metal, and Browser scores. Again, that’s not a pretty picture for Amlogic S912 or M12N TV box.
3Dmark Ice Storm Extreme provides a slightly more positive picture.
M12N achieved 5,752 points, against only 4,327 points for MINIX NEO U1. You’ll also note the CPU frequency appears to maxes out at 1.5 or 1.6 GHz instead of the claimed 2.02 GHz. M12N score is quite lower than the 7,512 points achieved in Rockchip RK3288 (ARM Mali-764 GPU) based Tronsmart Orion R28 running Android 4.4, and released in 2014.
Results are quite lower than what I would have expected, so there could be a problem with cooling (despite the rather short Android benchmarks), and/or Android 6.0 Amlogic SDK or M12N firmware might need some more work.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Disappointing.. After so many months waiting for a proper successor of the s812. Let’s see MINIX’s implementation although. Can you attach a proper cooler and retest?
Well the Problem is “MX…..”. AVOID anything that starts with MX or MXQ. Cheapest crap hardware, design and Software. I still got nightmares from the MXQ Pro Plus with S905…after Adding a proper Cooler and a Fan and updating the firmware to a modded one from Tronsmart the thing is finaly somewhat usable. So no matter how Cheap the price remember to stay AWAY from anything MX/MXQ.
Waiting for proper results from serious manufaturers.
Totally agree!
The old fact of, lower CPU count, mixed with faster better GPU and faster larger memory, will serve the average home user better, still holds true.
Given the discussion about the rather poor cooling solution in an earlier article it seems like there’s a good chance the chip is being thermally throttled. Can you take off the marshmallow… I mean thermal pad… and put a proper heatsink on there and rerun the test with the case off? Not sure if the unit is gratis or a loaner. It would be interesting to see the results because I’ve been waiting for this chip :/
“M12N score is quite lower than the 7,512 points achieved in Rockchip RK3288 (ARM Mali-764 GPU) based Tronsmart Orion R28 running Android 4.4, and released in 2014.”
Test a RK3288 with a actual Lolipop or Marshmellow Firmware (Like Wasser’s 4.0.9 Marshmellow for Beelink R89) and you will see even a bigger difference. Antutu 6.2 Score is arround 55.000 to 57.000 with my RK3288 !
Amlogic really dissapointing here and with their other SOCs.
After 2 Years RK3288 is still the king…only Shield beats it.
> With 8 cores
I don’t think there’s anything amiss here – that’s how big-little is supposed to work, right?
@GanjaBear
If they are using GTS (Global Task Scheduling) then all cores should be working at the same time, unless the SoC overheats -> http://www.cnx-software.com/2013/07/11/big-little-processing-update-in-kernel-switcher-vs-global-task-scheduling/
Have a look at the CPU score in the linked Minix review. It’s clear it’s identical to S912’s which points to big.little using just the “big” cores.
@GanjaBear
So there’s clearly a problem here… or it’s just a marketing plot with the “8 cores”.
If the firmware was properly optimized the 4 big cores should be running along side the 4 little cores at the same time. Again, unless they have a problem with the thermal profile.
I have a vague recollection Odroid XU3/4 can’t use all cores simultaneously either, so it’s probably just marketing hype.
@GanjaBear If you go the ODROID-XU4 product page @ http://www.hardkernel.com/main/products/prdt_info.php?g_code=G143452239825 You’ll see “Heterogeneous Multi-Processing (HMP)” that’s the same as GTS, and as they explain: The ODROID-XU4, equipped with four big cores (ARM® Cortex® -A15™ up to 2.0GHz) and four small cores (ARM® Cortex® -A7™ up to 1.4 GHz), provides improved processing capabilities while maintaining the most efficient power consumption available. With the big.LITTLE™ HMP solution, the Exynos-5422 can utilize a maximum of all eight cores to manage computationally intensive tasks. Now, there was a design issue with Exynos 5410 processor , which limited use to a single cluster, so that… Read more »
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) Interesting! Maybe it’s worth pressing the **Shillingworth** guys about? Does the HMP/GTS support work in 3.14 kernel or you actually need 4.x?
Shinnworth is ok,I think. I bought MXQ from 2014. still works well. Hulk Hogan : Well the Problem is “MX…..”. AVOID anything that starts with MX or MXQ. Cheapest crap hardware, design and Software. I still got nightmares from the MXQ Pro Plus with S905…after Adding a proper Cooler and a Fan and updating the firmware to a modded one from Tronsmart the thing is finaly somewhat usable. So no matter how Cheap the price remember to stay AWAY from anything MX/MXQ. Waiting for proper results from serious manufaturers. really funny, my mxq boxes work well. I sold a lot.… Read more »
As a interesting side comment my old Nvidia tegra 4 tablet 7″ blasts through Ice Storm Extreme, murdering the Amlogic score. Yet only has a 1280 x 800 display and 1.8ghz Quad A15 +1 cores, 72-core NVIDIA GeForce® GPU. Now it cost hell lot more at launch price, not far off Nvidia shield prices today. So I suggest it is the price Barrier that limits the Amlogic Soc, perhaps the cheapest components are not like for like against the most expensive? Needs considering. My 8 core 450 Mali GPU S802 gets higher scores in Ice Storm Extreme than my S905… Read more »
I’m trying another Amlogic S912 TV box now (Qintaix Q912), and while I was expecting possibly higher benchmarks result than M12N, the Antutu 6.x score ended up being 35,966 points with the RAM score particularly taking a hit @ 2,117.
Hi is it possible if you can kindly provide the link for stock firmware for this box.installed the custom rom but need stock firmware to return the box.thanks
What octacore box to go for then? Or wait for minix?
@Anthony
Waiting for MINIX is not a bad idea. However, if you already have an Amlogic S905 TV box, there’s very little reason to upgrade to Amlogic S912 for most people. Video playback won’t be better, except if you really need VP9 or/and HDR, and the performance of most apps will only be marginally better, except maybe for some games provided cooling is done properly.
On the contrary boxes based on Rockchip RK3399 hexa-core processor should provide a noticeable performance improvement for Android apps. We’ll have to see how firmware support pans out.