ARM predicts mobile devices will surpass PS4 and Xbox One performance in 2017

Mobile chip designer ARM predicts the graphics performance of mobile devices will surpass what you get from a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One console by the end of 2017. VentureBeat notes current high-end tablets and smartphones are already better than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The PlayStation 4 has a raw computing power of 1.84 teraflops and smartphone chips are on track to hit 2 teraflops by the end of 2017.

ARM ecosystem director Nizar Romdan predicts virtual reality could be a game changer for mobile gaming:

Romdan points out that virtual reality eliminates that form factor difference. Wearing a headset on your face is the same if you’re tethered to a PC or using a Galaxy S6.

“Our view is that mobile VR is the use case that could unlock the potential of mobile for hardcore gamers,” he said. “For once, mobile devices are on par with PC and consoles in terms of experience [when it comes to the form factor of VR]. We won’t have the same processing. And battery life is a problem. But it is the same user experience. That could be a game changer for mobile gaming.”