Raw Power Benchmarks

Okay, enough about the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700, but more about the actual performance of the quad core processor. And that is where we start with the raw power benchmark results. So we will use a mix of different applications which will stress the processor and use the four available cores intensively. These programs are designed to see how fast this Core 2 Extreme CPU can finish certain calculations. For these raw power benchmarks we will be using Super Pi and PiFast which will calculate Pi as fast as it can using the CPU raw power processing capabilities. And to complete it all we also use a program used for decrypting 72-bit keys.

Super Pi 1.5

Super PI is a computer program that calculates Pi to a specified number of digits after the decimal point. The application is extremely stressful on the system's processor. Super Pi is used by many overclockers to test the performance and stability of their computers. In the overclocking community, the standard program provides a benchmark for enthusiasts to compare world record Pi calculation times and demonstrate their overclocking abilities. The program can also be used to test the stability of a certain overclock speed.

Super Pi Results - Intel - 2GB RAM - Multi Core
	Core 2 Duo E6300	SPi Score
256K digits	2.66GHz (380x7)	3.890
512K digits	2.66GHz (380x7)	8.687
1M digits	2.66GHz (380x7)	20.734
2M digits	2.66GHz (380x7)	49.750
4M digits	2.66GHz (380x7)	111.531
	Core 2 Extreme QX6700	SPi Score
256K digits	2.66GHz (266x10)	3.860
512K digits	2.66GHz (266x10)	8.579
1M digits	2.66GHz (266x10)	18.953
2M digits	2.66GHz (266x10)	45.563
4M digits	2.66GHz (266x10)	104.594
Results Interpretation: Lower index values are better.

After using Super Pi on both our Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 and overclocked Core 2 Duo E6300 processor, running at 2.66GHz you might expect that the results when using Super Pi should be roughly the same. And somehow that is right however when we are really pushing for a more accurate calculation of Pi we can clearly see the quad core delivering the value much faster. These figures are in seconds, so it might seem just a minor increase you need to take into account that both CPU's did run at the exact same clock speed. However you need to take into account that the QX6700 actually ran four instances of Super Pi, so one instance per core, while the E6300 only two.

PiFast 4.3

Since it is all about the raw power of calculation that matters, we also took PiFast for a spin. This might seem as a wasted effort but we saw it more as a confirmation of our previous results. PiFast is an easy-to-use package compute Pi with a very large number of digits. PiFast is available on several platforms, like Windows and some Linux/Unix distributions. This closed source freeware tool is a popular benchmark in the overclocking community.

PiFast Results - Intel - 2GB RAM - Multi Core
	Core 2 Duo E6300	PiF Score
2M digits	2.66GHz (380x7)	3.91
5M digits	2.66GHz (380x7)	12.47
10M digits	2.66GHz (380x7)	27.94
20M digits	2.66GHz (380x7)	62.08
50M digits	2.66GHz (380x7)	179.95
	Core 2 Extreme QX6700	PiF Score
2M digits	2.66GHz (266x10)	3.78
5M digits	2.66GHz (266x10)	12.05
10M digits	2.66GHz (266x10)	26.84
20M digits	2.66GHz (266x10)	60.55
50M digits	2.66GHz (266x10)	176.34
Results Interpretation: Lower index values are better.

A quite similar result with PiFast as seen with Super Pi, but it seems Super Pi is the better option. Again we ran both processors at full load meaning four instances for the quad core and only two instances for the dual core Intel processor. In the end each of these instances finished their calculation in the reported time. So in essence the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 did outperform the Core 2 Duo E6300 by more then the double. Anyone still interested by a dual core? Well if you just look a these results you wouldn't, don't you?

RC5-72 Decrypting v2.9013

Next to this Pi calculation program which are very popular, we wanted to share something else that would show the power if the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700. Not all of you might know it but there is a nice competition ongoing on who will crack the RC5-72 code, which is also know as the distributed.net project. RC5 is a block cipher notable for its simplicity. Unlike many schemes, RC5 has a variable block size, key size and number of rounds. The original suggested choice of parameters was a block size of 64-bits, a 128-bit key and 12 rounds. The current project that is running is to decrypt a 72-bit key.

RC5-72 Results - Intel - 2GB RAM - Multi Core
	Core 2 Duo E6300	RC5 Score
Thread #1	2.66GHz (380x7)	448
Thread #2	2.66GHz (380x7)	447
	Core 2 Extreme QX6700	RC5 Score
Thread #1	2.66GHz (266x10)	447
Thread #2	2.66GHz (266x10)	446
Thread #3	2.66GHz (266x10)	447
Thread #4	2.66GHz (266x10)	448
Results Interpretation: Lower index values are better.

The RC5-72 decryption client program will load keys from a central key storage and start decryption these and sending back the results. When running a quad core system the client program will actually work immediately with four thread each working on their own decryption key. Looking at the dual core, this will only work with two threads. So once again each thread is handled by one of the cores and it stress testing the processor. And although both processors are on par in terms of how fast one core can handle the decryption, the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 does twice the threads of our Core 2 Duo E6300. So again the quad core is at least twice as fast.