News @ SiSoftware

Sandra 2013 SP3a: GP Optimisations, Windows 8.1/Blue support

florin.dranca.take.out@sisoftware.co.uk (Florin Dranca) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

This minor update adds DirectX ComputeShader path for the newly released Financial Analysis GP(GPU) / CPU benchmarks as well as optimisations for other GP benchmarks. Also included is Windows 8.1/Blue support and other minor fixes. more...

Sandra 2013 SP3: Financial Analysis GP(GPU) / CPU new benchmarks

florin.dranca.take.out@sisoftware.co.uk (Florin Dranca) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

We are adding new benchmarks using popular / "de facto" algorithms used in their respective fields in order to give you a broader view of the tested device's performance. That does not mean we are abandoning the "synthetic" tests but giving you more choices. The new benchmarks launched today are the first (we're not waiting for major new versions like other ISVs) not the last - watch for the next service pack(s)! more...

Sandra 2013 SP1a: Atom S/Z, Java 1.7+ support

florin.dranca.take.out@sisoftware.co.uk (Florin Dranca) — Mon, 4 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

SP1a for Sandra 2013 has been released with various fixes and optimisations (Atom Z/S-series, Java 1.7+, GPGPU ComputeShader, CUDA 5.0 SDK for GK110). more...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Sandra 2013 SP1 is out

florin.dranca.take.out@sisoftware.co.uk (Florin Dranca) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Just before the New Year 2013, here is SP1 for Sandra 2013 that adds more optimisations and fixes as well as support for future devices. more...

SP6 for Sandra 2012: Enhancements and Fixes

florin.dranca.take.out@sisoftware.co.uk (Florin Dranca) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We have not forgotten our Sandra 2012 users: SP6 adds all the hardware and software support and fixes included in Sandra 2013a back-ported to Sandra 2012. more...

Sandra 2013a: New Memory Transaction Throughput benchmark

florin.dranca.take.out@sisoftware.co.uk (Florin Dranca) — Fri, 7 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Measures the transaction throughput of the memory sub-system using different locks and update algorithms. It shows the improvement the new transactional synchronisation extensions (TSX: HLE and RTM of Intel Haswell and future AMD CPUs) bring to locking mechanisms that are used in modern multithreaded operating systems and applications. more...

Just launched: Sandra 2013: Updated Device Performance Certification, New Drivers/Firmware Notification, Windows 8 support

florin.dranca.take.out@sisoftware.co.uk (Florin Dranca) — Mon, 5 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

While Sandra has been updated for the brand-new Windows 8 / Server 2012 operating systems, we have not forgotten Windows 7, Vista or XP users - all new features and enhancements are supported on all operating systems.

As SiSoftware operates a "just-in-time" release cycle, some features were introduced in Sandra 2012 service packs: in Sandra 2013 they have been updated and enhanced based on all the feedback received. more...

Intel Android Phone (Xolo X900 / San Diego): Beating ARM at its own game?

florin.dranca.take.out@sisoftware.co.uk (Florin Dranca) — Mon, 4 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Lava Xolo X900* is the first mass-market smart-phone with an Intel x86 SoC. The "Medfield" SoC is based on the Atom core (Z-Series). It runs the Android OS (2.3.x) and expected to cost GBP 200 outright. more...

Measuring Cache and Memory Latency (access patterns, paging and TLBs)

florin.dranca.take.out@sisoftware.co.uk (Florin Dranca) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Why is it important to measure it? The latency of the main memory directly influences the efficiency of the CPU, thus its performance: reducing wait time can be more important than increasing execution speed. Unfortunately, memory has huge latency (today, by a factor of 100 or more): A CPU waiting for 100 clocks for data would run at 1/100 efficiency, i.e. 1% of theoretical performance! more...

Sandra 2012: Device Performance Certification, General Processing (GP) for GPU/APU, .Net/METRO for Windows 8

florin.dranca.take.out@sisoftware.co.uk (Florin Dranca) — Mon, 7 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In preparation for Windows 8 and its brand-new METRO API running on .Net (as used on Windows Phone 7.x), we have updated our .Net benchmarks that can measure .Net CLR performance. A new METRO style interface is also included for Windows 8 users. The GPGPU benchmarks have been upgraded to General Processing (GP) benchmarks, able to fully test the new APU (CPU+GPU) processors.

Using statistical analysis tools against the 1 million+ benchmark results submitted to the Official SiSoftware Ranker, you can now certify whether your tested device operates at peak performance. Based on the quality and variability of the results you can determine whether there are issues with the device that need to be addressed. more...