The Mitigation Impact Difference On AMD Ryzen 9 3900X vs. Intel Core i9 9900K Performance

[phoronix]

Phoronix: The Mitigation Impact Difference On AMD Ryzen 9 3900X vs. Intel Core i9 9900K Performance

Last week I shared benchmark results of the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X vs. Intel Core i9 9900K in 400+ benchmarks in the largest comparison ever for these two competing ~$500 USD processors. If that wasn't enough, I repeated the hundreds of CPU/system benchmarks again but without any of the recent CPU security mitigations in place to see how the situation would have played out pre-2018.

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=28352

[Chaython]

How necessary are these mitigation?
If all workloads are contanarized, the mitigations are still necessary? If not, how about comparing contanarized results to these?

[schmidtbag]

The geometric mean along with the "1st place finishes" is pretty interesting for these tests.

How necessary are these mitigation?
If all workloads are contanarized, the mitigations are still necessary? If not, how about comparing contanarized results to these?

I personally think that'd be fine. I also think disabling the mitigations would be fine for systems that don't handle any critical data. If I used Intel for my gaming PC, I'd keep them off. Of course, I'm expecting some neckbeard to loudly disagree with me here, but frankly, I'm sure the chances of a well-secured container or a leisure PC running Linux getting those vulnerabilities exploited is substantially lower than you dying on your daily commute to work.

[stormcrow]

For a bit of context... the Intel CPU is actually cheaper than AMD's for once based on current prices on Amazon, which I can't remember happening in ages.

Intel Core I9 9900K ~ 490 USD
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X ~ 560 USD

Obviously there's more than just the CPU in the price of a computer, but still...

[schmidtbag]

For a bit of context... the Intel CPU is actually cheaper than AMD's for once based on current prices on Amazon, which I can't remember happening in ages.

Intel Core I9 9900K ~ 490 USD
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X ~ 560 USD

Obviously there's more than just the CPU in the price of a computer, but still...

To be fair, the 3900X is known to have inflated prices; it should be $500. But even then, it is pretty weird seeing the i9 being the cheaper option.

[tildearrow]

Typos:

Ryzen 9 3900X with the ROG CROSHAIR VIII HERO WiFi motherboard,

V2 mitigiations with generic retpoline IBPB

Intel delivered better web server performance over the Ryen 9 3900X

[Spring]

Where can I read about how geometric mean of all results is calculated?

[Michael]

Where can I read about how geometric mean of all results is calculated?

https://github.com/phoronix-test-suite/phoronix-test-suite/blob/master/pts-core/objects/pts_result_file_analyzer.php#L124

[stormcrow]

How necessary are these mitigation?
If all workloads are contanarized, the mitigations are still necessary? If not, how about comparing contanarized results to these?

Containerization and virtualization are where Spectre and its family of vulnerabilities are most relevant. It won't stop these exploits. This is what has Google, Amazon, and other cloud vendors so freaked. That's why they're so dangerous if they're ever actually exploited. Right now there's plenty of other much easily plucked security fruit so we've not seen any leaks of highly skilled actors' Spectre/Rowhammer/etc tools. That's really just a matter of time.

If you're a basic desktop user without a nation state's cross hairs on you, I wouldn't worry. Average Joe Gamer has little to worry about. But if you're a journalist, political activist, or work at a sensitive job - national security, Google, Apple, Microsoft, UK or EU parliament/beaurocracy etc - I wouldn't be complacent that there's no currently known tools.

[uxmkt]

To be fair, the 3900X is known to have inflated prices; it should be $500. But even then, it is pretty weird seeing the i9 being the cheaper option.

You have to read the price figures like a market, that is to say, the price tag is proportional to the perceived value. People may value the R9 over the i9 for the better mitigation, for the "7nm-ness", or just for the logo. Think of Apple products which are also generally above the mean: demand makes that possible.