Multi-Threaded Integer Performance

How do the new Xeon E7 v2 chips compare to the existing Xeon servers when it comes to some multi-threaded workloads?

LZMA performance: compression

When it comes to raw integer processing, the new Xeon delivers up 70% better performance than the previous generation and up to 2.3x better performance than the Xeon X7560. With only 12 cores active to simulate performance of the 12-core models, e.g. E7-8857 v2 and E7-4860 v2, we can get a rough idea how the interesting 3GHz 12-core E7-8857 v2 performs, which has the same TDP (130W) as the previous generation. In those circumstances the new Xeon E7 v2 is 50% faster than the previous generation and twice as fast as the Xeon 7560 (and the actual E7-8857 v2 will be clocked slightly higher).

LZMA performance: decompression

Decompression gives a similar performance landscape, though the E5-2680 now drops below the X7560.

Integer Performance Application Development: Linux Kernel Compile
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  • Kevin G - Saturday, February 22, 2014 - link

    Not 100% sure since I'm not an IEEE member to view it, but this paper maybe the source for the POWER7+ figures:
    http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?...
  • Phil_Oracle - Monday, February 24, 2014 - link

    TDP is great for comparing chip to chip, but what really matters is system performance/watt. And although Intel's latest Xeon E7 v2 may have better TDP specs than either Power7+ or SPARC T5, when you look at the total system performance/watt, SPARC T5 actually leads today due to its higher throughput, core count, 4 x more threads, built-in encryption engines and higher optimization with the Oracle SW stack.
  • Flunk - Friday, February 21, 2014 - link

    8 core consumer chips now please. If you have to take the GPU off go for it.
  • DanNeely - Friday, February 21, 2014 - link

    Assuming you mean 8 identical cores, until mainstream consumer apps appear that can use more CPU resources than the 4HT cores in Intel's high end consumer chips but which can't benefit from GPU acceleration become common it's not going to happen.

    I suppose Intel could do a big.little type implementation with either core and atom or atom and the super low power 486ish architecture they announced a few months ago in the future. But in addition to thinking it was worthwhile for the power savings, they'd also need to license/work around arm's patents. I suppose a mobile version might happen someday; but don't really see a plausible benefit for laptop/desktop systems that don't need continuous connected standby like phones do.
  • Kevin G - Friday, February 21, 2014 - link

    Intel hasn't announced any distinct plans to go this route, they're at least exploring the idea at some level. The SkyLake and Knights Landing are to support the same ISA extensions and in principle a program could migrate between the two types of cores.
  • StevoLincolnite - Saturday, February 22, 2014 - link

    Er. You don't need apps to use more than 4 threads to make use of an 8 core processor.
    Whatever happened to running several demanding applications at once? Surely I am not the only one who does this...
    My Sandy-Bridge-E processor being a few years old is starting to show it's age in such instances, I would cry tears of blood for an 8-Core Haswell based processor to replace my current 6-core chip.
  • psyq321 - Monday, March 10, 2014 - link

    Well, you can buy bigger Ivy Bridge EP Xeon CPU and fit it in your LGA2011 system.

    This way you can go up to 12 cores and not have to wait for 8-core Haswell E.
  • SirKnobsworth - Friday, February 21, 2014 - link

    8 core Haswell-E chips are due out later this year. You can already buy 6 core Ivy Bridge-E chips with no integrated graphics.
  • TiGr1982 - Friday, February 21, 2014 - link

    Did you know:
    Haswell-E is supposed to be released in Q3 this year, to have up to 8 Haswell cores with HT, fit in the new revision of Socket LGA2011 (incompatible with the current desktop LGA2011), and work with DDR4 and X99 chipset. No GPU there, since it's a byproduct of server Haswell-EP.
  • Harry Lloyd - Friday, February 21, 2014 - link

    That will not help much, unless they release a 6-core chip for around 300 $, replacing the lowest LGA2011 4-core chips. It is about time.

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