[geeks] New Itanium machines from SGI

[Eric Dittman]

> >>> I wouldn't be surprised if it is true ... MIPS is hardly a speed
> >>> demon anymore.
> >>
> >>    Umm, compared to what, exactly?  These are the numbers that I see.
> >>
> >> proc			clock	SPECint	/cyc	SPECfp	/cyc
> >> -----------------------------------------------------
> >> R12000			 400	353		0.882	407		1.017
> >> R14000			 500	427		0.854	463		0.926
> >> PA-8700			 750	604		0.805	576		0.768
> >
> > Don't those figures show that MIPS whilst the most 'efficient', isn't
> > the fastest ? Or am I missing something ?
> 
>    You're missing something. ;)  This is an old SPECmark table, and MIPS 
> chips have upped their clock rates since then.  So have other 
> processors, but the gap is narrowing.

Even better, the table is a perfect representation that "clock
speed doesn't mean a thing".  Can you imagine a 3GHz R14K vs.
a 3GHz P4?
-- 
Eric Dittman
dittman at dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/