I assume that if you test the G4 without the Velocity Engine, then
when you test Intel chips, it is without SSE instructions and when you
test AMD it is without 3DNow!, am I correct?
The second question I have is: How can you compare the wide range of
processors between a 8086 and a Pentium-III in a fair way?
I wish we had the resources to conduct
independent performance testing on all the CPUs listed in The
CPU Scorecard. Unfortunately, we do not. The relative scores are thus
compiled from benchmark results published by the respective manufacturers
and other reputable hardware review sites.
This means that some of the tests will be optimised for the particular
advantages of each processor and some will not. Some will exploit the G4's
VE (or the P3's SSE, AMD's 3DNow!, etc.) and some will not. We consider
all the results and roll them together into as statistically a
representative score as we can craft, based on Intel's iCOMP formula.
Thus, there will be adjustments from time to time as additional and better
information is published.
To answer your first question: No. We consider both VE-enhanced,
SSE-enhanced, and 3DNow!-enhanced scores along with non-enhanced
scores. This is based on the premise that no one will be running only
that software enhanced exclusively for one processor, but a range of
applications from office software to games, internet, and multimedia
tools, etc.
Finding 'fair' comparisons in all cases is nearly impossible. We do
attempt to rule out the effects of 'unfair' or optimised benchmark
tests (see above) through established statistical methods. Our wide
range of scores comes from the breadth of information available on the
internet. Check out our Benchmark Links
page for a sample of our sources.
The CPU
Scorecard assumes no risk or liability for damage or loss due to
the use of the information or advice provided here. All responses are
based on the best available information at the time of writing. However,
users of this information who wish to apply it to their computer
situations do so at their own risk.
