PowerPC sets telecomms benchmark record

Benchmark scores for the IBM PowerPC 970FX set a new record for embedded processors tested against the EEMBC's TeleBench telecommunications benchmark suite.

The Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium has published certified EEMBC benchmark scores for the IBM PowerPC 970FX which set a new record for embedded processors tested against the consortium's TeleBench telecommunications benchmark suite.

The IBM PowerPC 970FX, clocked at 2GHz and using the GCC auto-vectorisation compiler, with full-fury optimisations for Vector/SIMD Multimedia Extension Technology, achieved a score of 1058.7 Telemarks.

In out-of-the-box tests, the PowerPC 970FX achieved a score of 141.8 Telemarks, a 182% improvement over a previous record-setting score for the same device obtained with a different compiler.

The IBM PowerPC 970FX is a 64bit processor with native 32bit application compatibility support.

It includes a Vector/SIMD facility which supports high-bandwidth data processing and algorithmic-intensive computations.

Offered at frequencies from 1 to 2.2GHz, the PowerPC 970FX was the first PowerPC processor available to OEMs with 64bit capabilities and the first processor offered by IBM with VMX capabilities.

"High-end processors are being used in more embedded products than ever, and OEMs are looking for benchmark scores that offer a more application-specific indication of performance than traditional server benchmarks", said Markus Levy, EEMBC President.

"By publishing these TeleBench scores for its PowerPC 970FX, IBM is showing its commitment to providing customers with valuable, trustworthy information on processor performance".

"Beyond delivering a realistic picture of how its device will perform in communications applications, the scores also represent a convincing indication of the performance advantages provided by vector processing in general".

For this new round of PowerPC 970FX benchmark tests, and in accordance with EEMBC rules for optimisation, IBM Research improved the GCC auto-vectorisation compiler and IBM's Power Architecture Performance Team modified the EEMBC benchmark source code to use the VMX instructions documented in the "PowerPC microprocessor family: vector/SIMD multimedia extension technology programming environments manual".

Tests performed by IBM were then repeated by the EEMBC Technology Centre to certify the results.

"The certified EEMBC test results provide customers with an accurate measure of application performance", said Ron Martino, IBM Director, Power Architecture Offerings.

"These certified results prove our 970FX offering leads the industry in communications application performance".

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