VOGONS


First post, by jasa1063

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I currently have my Tandy 1000 TL/3 and Epson Equity Ie computers right next to each. This got me thinking that these computers are very similar. They are both 10MHz XT class computers with 4 8-bit ISA slots, 640K 0 wait state memory with a 16-bit data path. The Tandy 1000 TL/3 currently has an ET4000 ISA video card in it which allows me to test the 320x200x256 color mode against the MCGA adapter in the Epson Equity Ie. I upgraded the Epson Equity Ie with an NEC V30 CPU. Given all that, I wanted to run some benchmarks to see how well the NEC V30 goes up against a 286 at the same clock speed under similarly configured computers. I am going to do separate posts each with it's own benchmark results.

First up Speed. This is mid 80s benchmark I like to use on XT class computers. It has a pretty good mixture of tests.

Last edited by jasa1063 on 2022-08-03, 00:04. Edited 2 times in total.

Reply 1 of 17, by jasa1063

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Topbench results:

Last edited by jasa1063 on 2022-08-03, 00:01. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 2 of 17, by jasa1063

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Norton SI results:

Last edited by jasa1063 on 2022-08-02, 23:59. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 3 of 17, by jasa1063

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Checkit results:

Reply 4 of 17, by jasa1063

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Landmark results:

Last edited by jasa1063 on 2022-08-03, 00:29. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 5 of 17, by jasa1063

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Vidspeed results:

Reply 6 of 17, by jasa1063

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The results clearly show that even though the NEC V30 is very capable CPU, it is no match for a 286 at the same clock speed. The 286 is just more efficient and has a 2 clock bus cycle time vs 4 for the NEC V30. I have always wanted run these head to head and now my curiosity is satisfied.

Reply 8 of 17, by jakethompson1

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jasa1063 wrote on 2022-08-02, 23:56:

The results clearly show that even though the NEC V30 is very capable CPU, it is no match for a 286 at the same clock speed. The 286 is just more efficient and has a 2 clock bus cycle time vs 4 for the NEC V30. I have always wanted run these head to head and now my curiosity is satisfied.

Are the multiplexed address/data pins the big limitation on 8086/8088 chips as to why it takes so many cycles to access memory?

Reply 9 of 17, by Grzyb

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jasa1063 wrote on 2022-08-02, 23:42:

They are both 10MHz XT class computers with 4 8-bit ISA slots

XT-class with 286 is weird...
I guess single interrupt controller and single DMA controller, right?
Which protocol does the keyboard use? PC/XT or AT?

Anyway, that 286 looks unusually fast, at least in Landmark...
it's normal for Landmark to score 286 12 MHz 0WS as "performs like a 16 MHz AT"
286 10 MHz 0WS should be scored lower, right?

SI looks correct, though...
1.7 times faster than IBM AT 286/8MHz
in Landmark's words, that would be "performs like a 13.6 MHz AT"

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Reply 10 of 17, by mkarcher

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jasa1063 wrote on 2022-08-02, 23:42:

This got me thinking that these computers are very similar. They are both 10MHz XT class computers with 4 8-bit ISA slots, 640K 0 wait state memory with a 16-bit data path.

The comparison of different architectures using the number of wait states is misleading, because:

jasa1063 wrote on 2022-08-02, 23:56:

The 286 is just more efficient and has a 2 clock bus cycle time vs 4 for the NEC V30.

So a 0WS 8086/V30 system has a theroretical maximum bus bandwidth of 5MB/s, whereas a 0WS 80286 system has a theoretical maximum bus bandwidth of 10MB/s. From a 286 point of view, the 8086/V30 operates like a 286 at 2WS.

Reply 11 of 17, by jasa1063

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My whole point here was to do a comparison of the two CPUs under as closely matched conditions as possible. The NEC V30 will almost always be at a disadvantage because the instruction cycle counts are not as optimized as the 286 and it is in a 4o-pin package forcing multiplexing. If anyone would like additional benchmarks, I will be glad to run them. Please let me know.

Thanks!

Reply 12 of 17, by maxtherabbit

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Grzyb wrote on 2022-08-03, 03:57:

Anyway, that 286 looks unusually fast, at least in Landmark...
it's normal for Landmark to score 286 12 MHz 0WS as "performs like a 16 MHz AT"

My system would disagree

The attachment 20220803_101927.jpg is no longer available

Reply 13 of 17, by waterbeesje

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Your 286 is definitely fast for a 10MHz.

For comparison:

My ibm model 30-286 has a 10MHz CPU (no fpu) and in checkit 3 it shows just 1889 dhrystones.

My Unitron 16MHz 286 0ws gets to 3854 dhrystones and 409 whetstones. Landmark 24MHz AT and 11MHz fpu.

Stuck at 10MHz...

Reply 14 of 17, by maxtherabbit

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That's a pretty poor showing by the IBM. My same 12MHz system as above for comparison:

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Reply 15 of 17, by Grzyb

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maxtherabbit wrote on 2022-08-03, 14:21:
Grzyb wrote on 2022-08-03, 03:57:

Anyway, that 286 looks unusually fast, at least in Landmark...
it's normal for Landmark to score 286 12 MHz 0WS as "performs like a 16 MHz AT"

My system would disagree

I'm sure I saw 286 12 MHz 0WS scored as "performs like a 16 MHz AT" by Landmark.
I'm not sure, however, WHICH Landmark it was...
There were two widely used versions: 2.0 and 6.0, and their results could be different.
Can you run 2.0 on that system?

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Reply 16 of 17, by maxtherabbit

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Grzyb wrote on 2022-08-03, 20:31:
I'm sure I saw 286 12 MHz 0WS scored as "performs like a 16 MHz AT" by Landmark. I'm not sure, however, WHICH Landmark it was... […]
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maxtherabbit wrote on 2022-08-03, 14:21:
Grzyb wrote on 2022-08-03, 03:57:

Anyway, that 286 looks unusually fast, at least in Landmark...
it's normal for Landmark to score 286 12 MHz 0WS as "performs like a 16 MHz AT"

My system would disagree

I'm sure I saw 286 12 MHz 0WS scored as "performs like a 16 MHz AT" by Landmark.
I'm not sure, however, WHICH Landmark it was...
There were two widely used versions: 2.0 and 6.0, and their results could be different.
Can you run 2.0 on that system?

That would be it

The attachment 20220804_120357.jpg is no longer available

Reply 17 of 17, by Grzyb

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"When you think of Standards... Think LANDMARK!" 🤣 🤣 🤣

Kiełbasa smakuje najlepiej, gdy przysmażysz ją laserem!