CPU Performance
Ongoing coverage on CPU Performance.
Latest coverage
Apple M6 vs M5: How much faster is Apple's new 'everyday' Silicon?
Apple's new M6 chip, built on a 2nm process, shows respectable performance gains over the M5. However, users of the M5 are advised not to feel pressured to upgrade, suggesting the performance difference may not be substantial enough for immediate replacement.
Sunday Tech Bits
AMD's upcoming Zen 6 processors are expected to address microstuttering and enhance 1% low frame rates in games. Additionally, the first open-source firmware for the AM5 platform, Dasharo v0.9.0, has been released, featuring Coreboot.
Intel's 18A-P chipmaking process has started risk production and promises 9% improved CPU performance for the same…
Intel's 18A-P chip manufacturing process has entered risk production, promising a 9% improvement in CPU performance at the same power consumption or an 18% reduction in power for equivalent performance compared to the previous 18A process. This advancement, achieved through new materials and optimized design flows, could benefit future Intel mobile chips and desktop processors like Nova Lake.
Microsoft rolls out Windows Low Latency Profile, giving older PCs a bit more snap when opening the Start Menu and apps
Microsoft has released the Low Latency Profile (LLP) feature to all Windows 11 users via update KB5094126. This feature aims to improve the responsiveness of older PCs by briefly boosting CPU clock speeds when launching applications, the Start Menu, or Search. While it enhances general system performance, it is not expected to significantly speed up game loading times.
Intel adds 7 more games to its IBOT-boosted list, though few of them stand out as being in dire need of more CPU…
Intel has updated its Binary Optimization Tool (IBOT) software, adding performance enhancements for seven games including Hollow Knight: Silksong, Homeworld 3, and Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition. This update is compatible with Intel's Core Ultra 200S Plus and Core Ultra Series 3 processors, aiming to boost CPU performance in supported titles.
After a week of playing on nothing but Panther Lake laptops, it's safe to say that Intel has its gaming mojo back
Intel's new Panther Lake mobile processors, specifically the Core Ultra Series 3, show significant promise for gaming on thin and light laptops. Despite past struggles, these chips, featuring integrated Arc B390 GPUs, deliver impressive frame rates in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Path of Exile 2 at 1080p, even performing comparably to discrete GPUs like the Nvidia RTX 4050. Performance remains consistent on battery power, and while ray tracing is not viable, features like XeSS offer a good balance of visual quality and performance.
Morning Safety Dance
The FTC has stated that a 'creepy' listening tool used for targeted advertising did not prove effective after a year of operation. Separately, Firefox has resolved crashing issues on Intel's Raptor Lake CPUs after a year.
Evening Tech Bits
Intel has reportedly begun shipping its upcoming Nova Lake CPUs, which are expected to deliver significant performance improvements. The new processors are anticipated to offer up to a 2x gain in multi-core performance and a 20% increase in single-core performance.
Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite reviews are in, but these second-gen Windows-on-Arm chips still aren't grabbing me as…
Reviews for Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite chips indicate strong CPU performance, often matching or exceeding Intel and AMD competitors, and even rivaling Apple's M5 MacBook Air in some benchmarks. However, gaming performance is inconsistent, with some titles like Cyberpunk 2077 running well, while others such as Dota 2 suffer from significant frame rate drops. While the chips show promise for Windows on Arm devices, they are not yet a complete replacement for traditional gaming rigs.
Intel's new Nova Lake CPU claimed to have superior IPC performance to AMD's next-gen Zen 6 as rumour mill goes into overdrive with talk of higher core counts and an APU with a massive iGPU
Rumors suggest Intel's upcoming Nova Lake CPUs will feature superior IPC performance compared to AMD's Zen 6, with potential core count increases and a powerful APU variant. This APU, possibly codenamed Razer Lake AX, is expected to have a massive iGPU based on Intel's Xe3P architecture, potentially outperforming discrete graphics cards and targeting AI workloads alongside gaming.
Geekbench says enabling Intel BOT paints an 'unrealistic picture' of CPU performance and makes Intel chips seem faster versus the AMD competition 'than they would be in typical, real-world usage'
Primate Labs, the developer of the Geekbench benchmark tool, has stated that Intel's BOT software provides an unrealistic picture of CPU performance. They argue that BOT only supports a limited number of applications, leading to benchmark results that make Intel processors appear faster than they would in typical real-world usage. Additionally, Primate Labs observed a significant startup delay when running Geekbench with BOT enabled.
New benchmarks show the iPhone chip in the cut-price Apple MacBook Neo beating every single x86 PC processor for…
New benchmarks indicate that Apple's A18 Pro chip, found in the budget Apple MacBook Neo, surpasses all current x86 PC processors in single-core performance according to Cinebench 2024 tests. This performance advantage extends to iPhones, though sustained performance may be limited by thermal constraints.
Apple unveils the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which feature new, faster 'super cores'
Apple has unveiled its new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, featuring enhanced 'super cores' and improved AI compute capabilities. These chips will power the latest MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models, offering significant boosts in CPU and GPU performance, including advancements in ray tracing and AI processing.