CPU Tests: Legacy and Web

In order to gather data to compare with older benchmarks, we are still keeping a number of tests under our ‘legacy’ section. This includes all the former major versions of CineBench (R15, R11.5, R10) as well as x264 HD 3.0 and the first very naïve version of 3DPM v2.1. We won’t be transferring the data over from the old testing into Bench, otherwise it would be populated with 200 CPUs with only one data point, so it will fill up as we test more CPUs like the others.

The other section here is our web tests.

Web Tests: Kraken, Octane, and Speedometer

Benchmarking using web tools is always a bit difficult. Browsers change almost daily, and the way the web is used changes even quicker. While there is some scope for advanced computational based benchmarks, most users care about responsiveness, which requires a strong back-end to work quickly to provide on the front-end. The benchmarks we chose for our web tests are essentially industry standards – at least once upon a time.

It should be noted that for each test, the browser is closed and re-opened a new with a fresh cache. We use a fixed Chromium version for our tests with the update capabilities removed to ensure consistency.

Mozilla Kraken 1.1

Kraken is a 2010 benchmark from Mozilla and does a series of JavaScript tests. These tests are a little more involved than previous tests, looking at artificial intelligence, audio manipulation, image manipulation, json parsing, and cryptographic functions. The benchmark starts with an initial download of data for the audio and imaging, and then runs through 10 times giving a timed result.

We loop through the 10-run test four times (so that’s a total of 40 runs), and average the four end-results. The result is given as time to complete the test, and we’re reaching a slow asymptotic limit with regards the highest IPC processors.

(7-1) Kraken 1.1 Web Test

Sizeable single thread improvements.

Google Octane 2.0

Our second test is also JavaScript based, but uses a lot more variation of newer JS techniques, such as object-oriented programming, kernel simulation, object creation/destruction, garbage collection, array manipulations, compiler latency and code execution.

Octane was developed after the discontinuation of other tests, with the goal of being more web-like than previous tests. It has been a popular benchmark, making it an obvious target for optimizations in the JavaScript engines. Ultimately it was retired in early 2017 due to this, although it is still widely used as a tool to determine general CPU performance in a number of web tasks.

(7-2) Google Octane 2.0 Web Test

Speedometer 2: JavaScript Frameworks

Our newest web test is Speedometer 2, which is a test over a series of JavaScript frameworks to do three simple things: built a list, enable each item in the list, and remove the list. All the frameworks implement the same visual cues, but obviously apply them from different coding angles.

Our test goes through the list of frameworks, and produces a final score indicative of ‘rpm’, one of the benchmarks internal metrics.

We repeat over the benchmark for a dozen loops, taking the average of the last five.

(7-3) Speedometer 2.0 Web Test

Legacy Tests

(6-3a) CineBench R15 ST(6-3b) CineBench R15 MT(6-5a) x264 HD 3.0 Pass 1(6-5b) x264 HD 3.0 Pass 2(6-4a) 3DPM v1 ST(6-4b) 3DPM v1 MT

CPU Tests: Encoding CPU Tests: Synthetic and SPEC
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  • mode_13h - Sunday, August 8, 2021 - link

    I mean the gap between 3000G and 5000G APUs. Alder lake will probably also add some downward pricing pressure.
  • mode_13h - Sunday, August 8, 2021 - link

    In the meantime, I noticed Ryzen 5 3300X is back in stock, and available for $150!
  • GeoffreyA - Sunday, August 8, 2021 - link

    My humble 2200G is running well, but eventually, when I've got money to spare, I'd like to get something like a 5600G. Encoding performance is close to tripled, which is attractive. Heck, even the 5300G looks quite nice.
  • Samus - Monday, August 9, 2021 - link

    That's true. The Ryzen APU's have been so ridiculously fast for generations that even a 2018-era CPU is entirely competitive today. It isn't like games are going to play that much different - we'll have to see how demanding Battlefield 2042 is.
  • GeoffreyA - Tuesday, August 10, 2021 - link

    I think post Sandy Bridge, most CPUs have been holding up a lot longer than they used to.
  • ballsystemlord - Saturday, August 7, 2021 - link

    The "Ryzen 5 APUs (65W)" table is still mixed up. The 5600G isn't an 8 core APU. Neither is the 4650G. You should probably double check the other quoted specs.

    Spelling and grammar errors:

    "The Ryzen 7 5700G has the quickest thread-to-thread latency, however does offer a single slowest core-to-core latency."
    Incorrect grammar:
    "The Ryzen 7 5700G has the smallest thread-to-thread latency. However, it also offers the single slowest core-to-core latency."

    "Interestingly this processor uses more power when six cores are loaded."
    Missing comma:
    "Interestingly, this processor uses more power when six cores are loaded."

    "Photoscan shows good gen-on-gen performance uplifts, with the 5700G on par with the 11700K despite being lower powered."
    Incorrect grammar:
    "Photoscan shows good gen-on-gen performance uplifts, with the 5700G on par with the 11700K despite using less power."

    "GIMP is a funny test where it gets harder the more cores you have - that's why the quad cores win here. However slow quad cores (like the 2400G still let you down."
    Missing paranthesis:
    "GIMP is a funny test where it gets harder the more cores you have - that's why the quad cores win here. However slow quad cores (like the 2400G,) still let you down."

    "We're still running the tests for the Ryzen 5 5600G and Ryzen 3 5300G, but the Ryzen 7 5700G scores strong."
    "Strongly" is how you score:
    "We're still running the tests for the Ryzen 5 5600G and Ryzen 3 5300G, but the Ryzen 7 5700G scores strongly."

    "Historically a processor with integrated graphics fit the bill."
    Missing comma:
    "Historically, a processor with integrated graphics fit the bill."

    "... then someone like my father can browse the web and do office stuff on his 32-inch display and join the weekly family zoom call without having to sit there for the system to respond."
    Sitting is what we normally do unless we have a standing desk:
    "... then someone like my father can browse the web and do office stuff on his 32-inch display and join the weekly family zoom call without having to wait around for the system to respond."

    "The problem with these though is that the 5300G isn't coming to market, at something like $159."
    Missing comma:
    "The problem with these though, is that the 5300G isn't coming to market, at something like $159."

    "However it is not always the silicon that matters."
    Missing comma:
    "However, it is not always the silicon that matters."

    "In the same way that every year we get more performance, every year the required specifications for modern games go up."
    "goes" not "go".
    "In the same way that every year we get more performance, every year the required specifications for modern games goes up."

    "Not only that but new technologies such as AMD?s Fidelity SuperFX Resolution are aimed at getting a better experience with less compute power."
    Missing comma:
    "Not only that, but new technologies such as AMD?s Fidelity SuperFX Resolution are aimed at getting a better experience with less compute power."

    "Moving up to Zen 3 with a larger L3 cache has really unlocked more of the performance in these cores and in the graphics."
    You should qualify the type of graphics considiring the closeness of the "in":
    "Moving up to Zen 3 with a larger L3 cache has really unlocked more of the performance in these cores and in the integrated graphics."

    "The question on that then becomes how much extra will it cost,..."
    Missing comma:
    "The question on that then becomes, how much extra will it cost,..."
  • umwmedia - Sunday, August 8, 2021 - link

    AMD Ryzen 5000 CPU vs APU Comparisons?
  • WaltC - Sunday, August 8, 2021 - link

    Lots of pent-up demand for these APUs. I was impressed that AMD actually got them out in quantity on the release date! In fact, judging by seeing the US AMD store fully stocked with CPUs, including these, for several days running, now, I think it might be safe to say that the CPU shortage--at least for AMD CPUs--is finally coming to an end. AMD store is selling them all for MSRP--so there's no room for scalpers! Perhaps this means the GPU shortages are not long for this world--we can hope.
  • mode_13h - Monday, August 9, 2021 - link

    I noticed even the R9 5950X is in stock (Newegg even has it on sale for $805), but we don't know for how long. I'm guessing AMD gets wafers in batches, which leaves open the possibility of another dry spell before long.
  • HankInTexas - Monday, August 9, 2021 - link

    According to the AMD published specs, this APU only supports PCIe gen3. So, that hot, expensive Gen 4 M.2 NVMe SSD you want to use on your new motherboard will not achieve the speed you paid dearly for.

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