Desktop CPU Comparison - September 99
by Anand Lal Shimpi on September 6, 1999 1:23 AM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
Benchmark Descriptions
AMD Benchmark Suite
The AMD Benchmark Suite consisted of timed operations under Geometrix 3Scan, LizardTech MrSID (Image Compression), and Adobe Photo Deluxe 3.0
BAPCo SYSmark 98
BAPCo's SYSmark 98 consists of a total of 14 applications divided into two categories: Office Productivity Applications and Content Creation Applications. The specific applications are as follows:
Office Productivity
CorelDRAW* 8 is a vector illustration and page layout application that provides a range of drawing and editing tools. The SYSmark 98 CorelDRAW workload simulates the actions of a business graphics designer, opening 5 CorelDRAW files ranging from 14 kB to 376 kB in size, changing the position and scale of objects, and adding contour, noise, blur, and sharpness effects. The workload also combines four drawings into one large drawing.
The SYSmark 98 Excel* workload has six sections that simulate common business data analysis and reporting tasks: expense calculation, breakeven analysis, amortization calculation, portfolio predicted value calculation, order lookup, and report generation with embedded graphics. Data file sizes range from 36 kB to 424 kB.
Dragon Systems NaturallySpeaking* 2.02 is a continuous speech recognition application that converts speech into text. The NaturallySpeaking workload simulates dictation of a question and answer document. The sound file containing the speech is 7.85 MB in size.
The Netscape* Communicator* workload simulates a user browsing web pages and email stored locally, finding and spell checking text in web pages, and executing a Java MPEG player applet. Data file sizes range from 1 kB to 5 MB.
Caere* OmniPage Pro* 8.0 is an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) application that converts scanned paper documents and image files into editable text that can be imported into other applications (word processors, etc.) The OmniPage Pro workload processes 17 scanned .tif image files ranging in size from 16 kB to 350 kB, including pure text, text mixed with graphics, and tables. After each scanned page is loaded from the disk, OmniPage divides it into zones, then retains the graphics zones, and recognizes the characters in the text zones. The OCR phase takes the largest fraction of the workload run time.
Corel* Paradox* 8.0 is a database management application. The Paradox workload utilizes a custom front end application to simulate a database order-entry processing session in which text files are converted to database tables, the tables are sorted by various fields, 3 large and 40 small orders are entered, the database is queried, and reports are generated for the user. Data file sizes range from 1 kB to 1.3 MB.
The Microsoft* PowerPoint* 97 workload simulates the actions of a business user building four presentations. Functions invoked by the script include opening PowerPoint files, performing operations on slides (creating, editing, viewing, and sorting), inserting and formatting images, and spell checking presentations. Data file sizes range from 20 kB to 264 kB.
The Microsoft* Word* 97 workload invokes a range of word processing functions including editing, spell checking, search and replace, font change, insert/edit image, copy and paste text, and mail merge. Data file sizes range from 4 kB to 177 kB.
MetaCreations* Bryce* 2 is a 3D fractal landscape generator based on a ray tracing renderer. The SYSmark 98 Bryce 2 workload renders three landscape scenes. Data file sizes range from 150 kB to 1.4 MB.
Avid* Elastic Reality* 3.1 is an image processing application used to create "morphs" between images. The Elastic Reality workload sets up and renders a morph between two MPEG2-sized images (720x480 pixels, roughly 750 kB). The workload has three phases - image loading, morph definition, and morph rendering. The rendering phase takes the majority of the workload run time.
Macromedia* Extreme* 3D 2 is a 3D modeling, animation, and rendering application. The SYSmark 98 Extreme 3D workload simulates two animation/rendering sessions, one involving an underwater shark chase scene, the other involving "flying text". Data file sizes range from 5 kB to 627 kB.
Adobe* Photoshop* 4.0.1 is an application providing tools for digital image enhancement, photo retouching, and image compositing, used by graphic designers, photographers, and electronic publishers. The workload simulates an image editing session in which a variety of filters and modifications are applied two three images with file sizes ranging up to 2.96 MB.
Adobe* Premiere* 4.2 is a desktop video editing tool. The SYSmark 98 Premiere workload applies various transitions and filters to a series of video clips to produce a video. The clips have file sizes ranging up to 229 kB.
XingMPEG Encoder* 2.1 is an application that converts audio and/or video files to MPEG format. The SYSmark 98 XingMPEG Encoder workload simulates a batch conversion session in which nine files are converted (6 AVI audio/video, 1 AVI video, and 2 WAV audio). Data file sizes range from 468 kB to 7.56 MB.
Intel Performance Measurement Utility - Business Application Launcher 1.2
NATURALLYSPEAKING PROFESSIONAL v3.52
DRAGON SYSTEMS, INC.
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Dragon NaturallySpeaking v3.52 is a continuous speech recognition application that converts speech into text. The script in the performance measurement utility CD plays a pre-recorded wave file (a recorded speech) using Dragon's PlayWave utility. The utility feeds this wave file into NaturallySpeaking which then converts the wave file to text. The time taken to load application and wave file and complete the conversion is used as the performance metric.
The speech recognition program created by Dragon Systems is composed of several pieces including the underlying engine, the user interface, and several middle layers with language models, rules, and acoustic models.
NETSHOW ENCODER 3.0
MICROSOFT CORPORATION
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Using mpg4c32 DLL v3.0.0.3433, dated 02/08/99
Netshow Encoder encodes audio and video content into an Advanced Streaming Format (ASF) stream. The content can be from a live source or an existing .avi, .wav, or .mp3 file. The output from Netshow Encoder is a stream of information that can be heard or viewed with Microsoft Windows Media Player, or sent to a Netshow server for multicasting, unicasting, or storage. The performance measurement utility is testing the MPEG-4 Video Codec which is embodied in the mpg4c32 DLL. The input file is a 30 second 320x240 AVI clip from an Intel MMX(TM) technology advertisement. The script encodes this file using the MPEG-4 Video Codec. The time taken to load the application and input file and complete the encoding is used as a performance metric.
PHOTOSHOP 5.0
ADOBE SYSTEMS, INC.
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Using plug-ins MMXcore.8bx (v5.0.3), LightingEffects.8bf (v5.0.4) and
Wind.8bf (v5.0.4).
Adobe Photoshop 5.0 is an application which provides tools for digital image enhancement, photo retouching, and image compositing, and is typically used by graphic designers, photographers, and electronic publishers. The script loads Photoshop, applies the same sequence of operations to two different image files (boat.tif and Temple8.tif, which are located under the scr_data directory on the CD), and then quits the application. The sequence of the operations is:1) Load the image file, resize the image to a width of 2048 pixels (the height is adjusted automatically based on the aspect ratio of the original image), and zoom it two times to 33.3% of its original size.
2) Apply the Unsharp mask with an amount of 50, radius of 1 pixel and a threshold of 0. Then apply the Sharpen Edges filter, change the CMYK color setting to ICC mode, and add Parallel directional lighting effect with no texture.
3) Use Sharpen More filter. Add uniformly distributed noise with an amount of 9. Apply parallel directional lighting effect with no texture. Use the Unsharp mask with an amount of 50, radius of 1 pixel and a threshold of 0.
4) Apply Maximum filter with a radius of 1 pixel. Resize the image to 1536 pixel wide (the height is adjusted to keep the original aspect ratio). Change the color from RGB to CMYK. Add stagger wind effect from the right. The time to load the application and image files and complete the operations is used as the performance metric. Note that not all of the Photoshop files and plug-ins are included on the performance measurement utility CD, as not all were needed to run the script. In a
test where the full application was loaded, the typical speed up seen on a Pentium III processor was 29% compared to a Pentium II processor at the same frequency. Results seen here may be marginally faster due to a slightly shorter application load time.
Intel Performance Measurement Utility - Consumer Application Launcher 1.0
PHOTODELUXE HOME EDITION 3.1
ADOBE SYSTEMS, INC.
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Using MMXcore.8bx (1/29/99) and Lighting.8bf (1/13/99) plug-ins
Adobe PhotoDeluxe Home Edition is an application which provides tools for digital enhancement, along with extensive content to create photo-filled projects. This product is typically used by digital hobbyists and families. The performance measurement utility applies various filter sequences to three images (Roses.jpg, Boyclimb.jpg and Seattle.bmp) that can be found in the scr_data directory on the CD.The script consists of these 3 phases:
1) Load the Rose.jpg file. Zoom in once to view the picture at 50%. Apply Sharpen Edges and Facet filter. Continue with Pinch Distortion of value 65. Spherize the image with 75 as the amount and normal mode. Add Ripple with 100 as the amount and medium size. Add Lighting Effects with Spotlight style, 35 as Brightness and 69 as the spotlight size. Add Stagger Wind effect from the right. Find Edges for the picture. Apply instant fix. Apply right and vertical Orientations. Set the photo width to 419. Close
the file without saving.2) Load the Boyclimb.jpg file. Zoom In once to set picture size at 33.3%. Apply Twirl at 50 degree angle. Add Pinch distortion with value 65. Stylize with Stagger Wind from the right. Apply Rectangular to Polar Funnel distortion. Motion Blur at 0 degrees. Add Lighting Effects with Spotlight style, 35 as Brightness and 69 as the spotlight size. Exercise Right and vertical Orientations. Adjust photo width to 600. Close the file without saving.
3) Load the Seattle.bmp file. Zoom in once to set picture size at 50%. Sharpen the picture. Remove dust and scratches from the picture. Unsharpen the picture. Apply Blur_More. Apply Twirl at 50 degrees and Spherize the image with value 75 in normal mode. Stylize with Stagger Wind from the right. Add Lighting Effects with Spotlight style, 35 as Brightness and 69 as the spotlight size. Apply Despeckle and dust noises. Close the file without saving.
The time to load the application and image files and complete the operations is used as the performance metric. Note that not all of the PhotoDeluxe files and plug-ins are included on the performance measurement utility CD, as not all were needed to run the script. In a test where the full application was loaded, the typical speed-up seen on a Pentium III processor was 68% compared to a Pentium II processor at the same frequency. Results seen here may be marginally faster due to a slightly shorter application
load time.
AVID CINEMA
AVID TECHNOLOGY, INC.
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Using Ligos MPEG-1 plug-in v1.0.03
Avid Cinema is a video editing tool that is used to create new movies or add impact to existing videos by using editing techniques, music, voice-overs, titles and special effects.The performance measurement utility loads Avid Cinema and opens a file called Surfer.cma which is located in the \Scr_data\Avidcnma directory. The file has 5 clips of wind surfers (Beach Scene.mov, Jump.mov, Radical.mov, The Big One.mov and Zoom Out.mov) which total 23 MB. Go to the Finish Movie mode and export the file to an MPEG-1 file using the Ligos MPEG plug-in for Avid Cinema by selecting the Ligos MPEG-1 format. Save the file and exit the application. The saved MPEG file has a size
of 5.6 MB.
The time to load the application and image files and complete the operations is used as the performance metric.
Ziff Davis Winstone 99
Winstone 99 contains two benchmark suites, the Business and High-End application suites. The latter is only capable of running under Windows NT, and therefore only the former was run under Windows 98 SE. The Business Winstone 99 test consists of the following application tests:
Corel WordPerfect Suite 8: Quattro Pro 8, WordPerfect 8, Netscape Navigator
Lotus SmartSuite: Word Pro, 1-2-3, Netscape Navigator
Microsoft Office 97: Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Netscape Navigator
The High-End Winstone 99 test consists of the following application tests:
Adobe® Photoshop® 4.01, Adobe® Premiere® 4.2, AVS/Express® 3.4, Bentley System's MicroStation® SE, PV-Wave® 6.1, Microsoft® FrontPage® 98, Microsoft® Visual C++® 5.0, and Sonic Foundry® Sound Forge® 4.0.
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