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Even though most modern applications have the capability to utilize more than one CPU thread, single threaded performance is still a cornerstone of modern CPU IPC improvements. In this section, we take a number of synthetic applications and run them in single thread mode.
RESULTS: While Trinity’s single thread performance lags far behind Intel and even AMD’s own Phenom-based X4 series of CPUs, there are still some improvements over the previous generation. Unfortunately, Llano used CPU architecture that is now nearly four years out of date….
In this section, we will avoid generalized synthetic benchmarks and instead concentrate upon CPU performance within real-world applications and standard usage patterns. Every one of the programs included here has functions that many professionals and everyday users utilize in their day to day computing lives.
7-Zip
At face value, 7-Zip is a simple compression/decompresion tool like popular applications like WinZip and WinRAR but it also has numerous additional functions that can allow encryption, decryption and other options. For this test, we are avoiding its built-in benchmark and once again only focus upon real world testing by compressing a 2.6GB folder of various files and adding an AES-256 encryption layer for good measure. The test is timed until it is complete.
RESULTS: As we can see, Piledriver’s native support for AES-N routines allows Trinity to shine in this benchmark as it beat the i3 processors and older APUs with room to spare.
MediaCoder x64
Due to the varying compatibility of certain mobile devices, video transcoding performance has become something of a big deal. Transcoding allows one type of video / audio file to be converted into a different format and it typically takes up a huge amount of system resources. The MediaCoder application brings multi format transcoding to an accessible level with numerous options and acceleration for Intel’s QuickSync and NVIDIA’s CUDA technologies. In addition, its CPU support allows for full multi core utilization. In this test, we use the MediaCoder i-devices edition to convert a 600MB AVCHD file to an iPhone 4S friendly MPEG-4 format.
RESULTS: This one is ugly folks. Not only does AMD’s A10-5800K not support the extensions being used in MediaCoder but there seems to be some serious issues going on behind the scenes. While all four of the APU’s cores were fully loaded, performance was glacial slow. According to the MediaCoder programmers, subsequent versions will be compiled in Visual Studio 2012 and thus support newer instruction sets. Hopefully that will somewhat improve AMD’s abysmal showing here. We'll be sure to update the testing suite once that happens.
Productivity Benchmarks: Photoshop CS6 / POV Ray 3.7
Productivity Benchmarks (pg.2)
Adobe Photoshop CS6
For the image editing portion of this section, we use Photoshop CS6 in coordination with a custom benchmark script. This script automates the application of 20 different image manipulation functions to a 120MB PNG image, acting as an excellent test of CPU power and memory bandwidth. For this test, we have disabled GPU acceleration so it won’t play a factor in the areas where it would typically be used. We use Photoshop’s built-in timing feature to provide a result at each test stage.
RESULTS: Once again, AMD can’t seem to catch a break against the i3 processors from Intel but at least this time around the A10 handily beats last year’s APUs.
POV Ray 3.7 RC6
POV Ray is a complex yet simple to use freeware ray tracing program which has the ability to efficiently use multiple CPU cores in order to speed up rendering output. For this test, we use its built-in benchmark feature which renders multiple passes of a high definition scene. In order to get the most accurate results, the second pass of the first test is logged, resulting in a benchmark score showing the average amount of pixels rendered per second.
RESULTS: Due to its high clock speeds, Turbo Core and a number of other factors, the A10-5800K is able to surge ahead in this test. Even the Intel processors are left flat footed.
Truecrypt is another freeware gem which allows for on-the-fly disk encryption. More importantly, it fully supports AES-256 encryption methods and multi core processors. For this test, we used the built-in benchmark tool are logged the data throughput for TrueCrypt’s AES-256 encryption method.
RESULTS: AMD’s Piledriver CPU cores provide complete acceleration of AES encryption / decryption applications, a feature which isn’t supported in previous APUs or Intel’s i3 processors. Naturally, this allows it to surge ahead in this test.
x264HD Benchmark
x264 is quickly becoming the new codec of choice for encoding a growing number of H.264/MPEG-4 AVC videos. Think of it as the new Divx of HD and you can understand why we felt it critical to include. Tech Arp's recent development of the x264 HD Benchmark takes a 30 second HD video clip and encodes it into the x264 codec with the intention of little to no quality loss. The test is measured using the average frames per second achieved during encoding, which scales with processor speed and efficiency. The benchmark also allows the use of multi-core processors so it gives a very accurate depiction of what to expect when using encoding application on a typical full length video. We use the second pass of the first test for this benchmark as it fully loads all multi core processors.
RESULTS: Another test that uses newer instruction sets and another win for AMD against the i3 processors. It looks like the A10 does have a fair lead over Intel’s offerings, it just needs application support.
3DMark 11 is the latest in a long line of synthetic benchmarking programs from the Futuremark Corporation. This is their first foray into the DX11 rendering field and the result is a program that incorporates all of the latest techniques into a stunning display of imagery. Tessellation, depth of field, HDR, OpenCL physics and many others are on display here. While the GPU plays a primary role here, 3DMark 11 takes full advantage of multiple CPU threads so any bottlenecks caused by the CPU will also be evident. In the benchmarks below we have included the results (at default settings) for both the Entry and Performance presets.
3DMark06
While its DX9 tests may not seem to be completely relevant in a DX11 era, 3DMark06 still provides an excellent measuring device for both multi core CPU and GPU performance. For this benchmark we are using the standard preset.
RESULTS: AMD’s A10-5800K is able to hand tenaciously on to the coattails of Intel’s processors in 3DMark11 and the gap narrows quite a bit when the graphics card starts becoming the bottleneck. Unfortunately, 3dMark06’s use of an older compiler causes performance to drop off even though Trinity does stay ahead of Llano.
Processors play a huge roll in gameplay performance since they have to process copious amounts of information for the GPU. In the following tests, we use a simple 720P resolution and the lowest possible detail settings in an effort to remove the graphics processor from the equation and place additional pressure on the CPU. 720P was used since it is a resolution that is extensively used by gamers sporting lower end HDTVs and it doesn’t put as much stress upon the GPU as 1080P.
For every one of the following titles, a simple 1 minute gameplay walkthrough was used and the average frames per second was logged via FRAPS.
RESULTS: Unfortunately, gaming hasn’t been one of AMD’s strong suits over their last few CPU generations and that holds true for Trinity as well. Here, the A10-5800K gets slapped down again and again but there is one small consolation: it does beat the outgoing A8-3870K.
Processors play a huge roll in gameplay performance since they have to process copious amounts of information for the GPU. In the following tests, we use a simple 720P resolution and the lowest possible detail settings in an effort to remove the graphics processor from the equation and place additional pressure on the CPU. 720P was used since it is a resolution that is extensively used by gamers sporting lower end HDTVs and it doesn’t put as much stress upon the GPU as 1080P.
For every one of the following titles, a simple 1 minute gameplay walkthrough was used and the average frames per second was logged via FRAPS.
RESULTS: Our observations from the last round of games can be used here as well but there are some minor differences. First and foremost, even the GTX 670 becomes a bottleneck in Street Fighter. In addition, Torchlight somehow allows the A10-5800K to post excellent results against the previous APUs and it can even overcome the X4 980….but it still doesn’t come close to matching Intel’s numbers.
While lower resolution gaming highlights processor bottlenecks, most people use slightly higher resolution monitors and want to play with increased detail settings. In these situations, the CPU tends to take a back seat to the graphics processor but even at 1080P (ie: 1920x1080) a slower CPU can still have a drastic impact upon in-game performance. In order to illustrate this, we have carried over the games from our previous tests, pumped detail levels to their max and used the increasingly popular 1080P resolution standard.
RESULTS: As resolutions and detail settings begin to increase, the A10 is able to close a bit of the gap between the Intel processors but once again, it just can’t keep up with Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge in gaming applications.
1080P Gaming: Super Street Fighter IV / Torchlight
1080P Gaming Benchmarks (pg.2)
While lower resolution gaming highlights processor bottlenecks, most people use slightly higher resolution monitors and want to play with increased detail settings. In these situations, the CPU tends to take a back seat to the graphics processor but even at 1080P (ie: 1920x1080) a slower CPU can still have a drastic impact upon in-game performance. In order to illustrate this, we have carried over the games from our previous tests, pumped detail levels to their max and used the increasingly popular 1080P resolution standard.
RESULTS: Once again, we see more of the same with AMD trailing behind Intel by significant amounts. We have a feeling that much of this performance discrepancy is due to AMD’s poor single thread performance as most modern games still take advantage of only one or two CPU cores.
GPU Compute Performance: Civ V / MediaEspresso / MuseMage
GPGPU Compute Performance
With many CPUs using integrated graphics processors, parallel co-processing has become a hot topic of conversation. More and more applications now include support for OpenCL, DirectCompute and other features which help speed up performance in order to quickly finish certain tasks.
In this section, we will be benchmarking a number of applications which support (or claim to support) GPU compute in an effort to highlight the performance benefits which come with this technology. All of these tests are conducted on a system WITHOUT a discrete GPU installed.
Civilization V: Gods & Kings Leader Benchmark
Once again we are using Civ V in an odd way but its included Leader Benchmark includes a feature which uses the compute shader features on the GPU to rapidly compress large texture files. This puts a large amount of stress upon the graphics subsystem and should illustrate how well various manufacturers have implemented GPGPU features onto their cores.
MediaEspresso
Much like MediaCoder, MediaEspresso is a program used for video transcoding from one source to another. In this case, we take a high resolution 600MB 1080P video and convert it to a different MPEG-4 format suitable for mobile devices.
MuseMage
MuseMage is a fully featured image editing program that uses GPU acceleration for its enhanced suite of color effects, filters, adjustment tools and other features. In order to achieve our results, we used MuseMage’s handy Batch script to apply 15 separate and consecutive image modifications to a 50MB JPG file. The results below represent the amount of time it took to complete this task.
RESULTS: While gaming benchmarks were certainly not in the A10’s favor, GPU Compute performance is something of a revelation. Granted, MedisEspresso boasts an uncommonly large advantage for Intel’s QuickSync decoder, every other application shows the HD 7660D walking all over the Intel offerings. It really is in another league here.
