The Intel 12th Gen Core i9-12900K Review: Hybrid Performance Brings Hybrid Complexity
by Dr. Ian Cutress & Andrei Frumusanu on November 4, 2021 9:00 AM ESTCPU Benchmark Performance: E-Core
In this batch of testing, we're focusing primarily on the E-cores. Intel claimed that the performance was around the level of its Skylake generation of processors (6th Gen to 10th Gen, depending which slide you read), and we had to put that to the test. In this instance, we're comparing to the flagship Skylake processor, the Core i7-6700K, which offered 4C/8T at 91 W. We also did a number of multi-threaded tests to see where the E-cores would line up.
In order to enable E-core only operation, we used affinity masks.
Single Threaded
In these few tests, we can see that the E-core is almost there at 4.2 GHz Skylake. Moving down to 3.9 GHz, perhaps something like the i7-6700, would put it on par.
Multi-Thread Tests
Having a full eight E-cores compared to Skylake's 4C/8T arrangement helps in a lot of scenarios that are compute limited. When we move to more memory limited environments, or with cross-talk, then the E-cores are a bit more limited due to the cache structure and the long core-to-core latencies. Even with DDR5 in tow, the E-cores can be marginal to the Skylake, for example in WinRAR which tends to benefit from cache and memory bandwidth.
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5j3rul3 - Thursday, November 4, 2021 - link
Great step for intelBobbyjones - Thursday, November 4, 2021 - link
Indeed. Biggest improvements since sandybridge. If you look at the timeline, this wouldve been the first CPU designed since they saw Zen 1. This is their Zen 1 moment and they already took the performance crown back basically across the board and at a lower price. AMD is now on the back foot, and it will be another whole year before Zen 4, and the thing is, Zen 4 isnt even competing with Alder Lake, Raptor Lake is rumored to be out before Zen 4. AMD has really screwed up with their launch cycle and given Intel so much room that they not only caught back up but beat them. Intel is truly back.Netmsm - Thursday, November 4, 2021 - link
For now Threadripper has the performance crown.With this performance per watt, Intel can just win the market for PCs.
Enterprise will never accept this performance per watt! So, AMD wins the high profitable enterprise market.
12900k guzzles power up to 241! whereas 5950x consumes half!
Considering power consumption, it's like a Pyrrhic victory for Intel.
fazalmajid - Thursday, November 4, 2021 - link
The HEDT market in Enterprise is workstations, which run certified apps like AutoCAD and has a lot of inertia. The first real Zen workstation is the Lenovo P620 and it only recently came out, so AMD hasn't conquered that market yet. Most actual Enterprise desktops are compact models that typically run on laptop CPUs.DominionSeraph - Friday, November 5, 2021 - link
And Intel has AMD beat for miles in system validation.My 3950X on a x570 Phantom Gaming X has major issues with disk access across one NVMe, one SATA SSD, and two HDDs. Some things will start up fine, but some things will just HANG. Deus Ex loading screens take like 10 seconds. I just tried to play a video off my NVMe and it took ~15 seconds for it to launch MPC-HC. (further launches are fine.) MeGUI takes 15 seconds to launch.
This thing is just frustratingly slow in general desktop tasks compared to my old i7 4790.
Does it beat the pants off the 4790 in heavily multithreaded crunching? Yes. But iAMD does not put out a quality product.
Gothmoth - Friday, November 5, 2021 - link
anecdotal evidence? ....YOU have issues with your system.well we have 16 core ryzen and threadripper 32 & 64 core systems at work and we can´t complain.
it´s not as if intel is issue free (and i am not taking about security flaws).
when you have such grave issues.. YOUR system has issues.
probably a bad setup. i did not hear that starting MPC needs 15 seconds when i read abourt AMD systems.
dotjaz - Sunday, November 7, 2021 - link
What about USB issues that are publicly acknowledged AND multiple BIOSes claim to have fixed it, yet here we are.Netmsm - Friday, November 5, 2021 - link
It is your problem not AMD nor Intel!This is why we always refer to QVL of MB before buying RAM, SSD, etc. to avoid such problems. It is not AMD prerogative rather it is for all platforms.
For now you may better update MB bios as soon as it is released. To solve the problem completely you need to reassemble it according to the MB's QVL.
DominionSeraph - Friday, November 5, 2021 - link
It is an AMD issue. I've put together hundreds of Intel systems and none of them have any issues.Netmsm - Friday, November 5, 2021 - link
When you face abnormality just put your cards on the table and ask a pro.