Comparing CPU Performance Between and Within Processor Families

Our study compares CPU performance on RISC and CISC uni and multiprocessors of varying speeds, and shows that the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) style no longer matters. Our study ran the BRL-CAD benchmark on over a dozen computers with several different ISAs. We discuss the performance similarities and differences both between ISAs and within each ISA family. We found that the two dominant factors in CPU performance for our program were clock speed and the number of functional units; the complexity of the instruction set made little difference.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2000
• Where: CMG
• Authors: Lee A. Butler, Travis Atkison, Ethan L. Miller
• Keywords: CMG 2000, CMG 2007, CPU Performance, Instruction Set, Study Compares Cpu