> From: Jon Lindgren <jlindgren@espus.com>
>
> Okay, here we go: I know there are definitely many factors in this
> question, but - what is the fastest CPU that NetBSD will run on?  Leaving
> out mass storage, network, etc... and going for raw processing power
> (i.e. CPU and memory bandwidth, I guess), I'm darn curious to know what
> platform would be the most powerful at raw computation.  I'm assuming a
> good mix of float math and a gratuitous amount of memory access.

I believe the new Compaq ("DEC") alpha 667 MHz XP1000, based on the latest
alpha ("21264", aka by the project name of ev6 and, I think, ev67) is the
fastest on both integer and floating point.

The various 500 MHz 21264 alphas (264dp, XP1000, DS10, and DS20) are also
the fastest on floating point, and might be the fastest integer processors.
(The Intel chips are pretty fast on integer benchmarks, and it's hard even
for the alpha to stay clearly ahead of them.) The alphas certainly have
by far the fastest memory bandwidth.

Here are the approx SpecFP95 rankings...

	 9      typical x86 PeeCee
	16      top-of-the-line x86 PeeCee
	52      500 MHz EV6
	67      667 MHz EV6

Or, Intel vs Alpha on SpecFP95 in blob graphics...

Typ X86    IIIIIIIII
Fast X86   IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Alpha@500  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Alpha@667  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

:-) :-) :-)

	ross.harvey@computer.org