AMD Bulldozer Thread

[flyck]

Andreas Stiller (ct mag) wrote in his article, that the Intel 12.1 compilers create ~25% faster code (SPECfp_rate2006) compared to 12.0 while still using SSE3. AVX256 doesn't help much. AVX128 might show a better performance by using the 3 operand format (although FP moves are free). FMA4 is not being used as everyone would expect.

On i7-2600K the 12.1 compilers create ~9% faster code in SPECfp vs. 12.0:

Intel Compiler 12.1 results for i7-2600K

Intel Compiler 12.0 results for i7-2600K

Patching the GenuineIntel string and processorfamily in the SPECint executables resulted in a 45% boost in libquantum and ~20% in Xalancmbk according to him.

The dual quad core opterons 6204 i think (posted on semiaccurate) does blow the Zambezini score out of the water in the SPEC_rate scores though.
about 50% more in integer_rate and close to 100% in fp rate. (there is no non rate score of those).
This gives it a 50% advantage in SPEC FP_rate compared to the 2700K and equalling the SPEC INT_rate of the same 2700K.

So it clearly does have an impact. (or the submitted score of zambezini is crippled... or the opteron score is rigged..)