AMD Shows Intel Mercy: Security Mitigations Were Turned Off in Benchmarks

[Tsing]

Paul’s Hardware has a new video up discussing AMD’s new Ryzen 3000 CPUs and Radeon RX 5700 GPUs.

An interesting point he makes is that AMD benchmarked Intel’s chips without any handicaps in place.

Oh, and AMD also said that they ran all of their Intel system tests that they shared today without updated software and firmware mitigations in place for these security flaws, which gives Intel a much better shot at best-case scenario performance because some of the security flaws disable their ability to use hyper threading, for example, which significantly affects performance.

Considering the fact that many Intel users will run their chips with mitigations, the performance gap could be even greater than what’s been alluded to.

It isn’t clear why AMD gave Intel this benefit, but some speculate the company is playing it safe by considering the methodology of independent testers, who will likely benchmark the chips at their full potential.

 

[SeymourGore]

Sounds to me like AMD knows they have a winner on their hands.

 

[IKV1476]

The best thing AMD can do is try to be as honest as possible.
Because even if performance ends up just a couple of percent less vs Intel they will win.
I think people are getting tired of Intel's marketing over the last couple of years.

 

[Dan_D]

The best thing AMD can do is try to be as honest as possible.
Because even if performance ends up just a couple of percent less vs Intel they will win.
I think people are getting tired of Intel's marketing over the last couple of years.

I couldn't agree more. AMD has had a history of over promising and under delivering and thus, looking like a bunch of jackasses. The Ryzen launch is the first one I've seen from AMD where it delivered exactly what the company said it would.

 

[DejaWiz]

I couldn't agree more. AMD has had a history of over promising and under delivering and thus, looking like a bunch of jackasses. The Ryzen launch is the first one I've seen from AMD where it delivered exactly what the company said it would.

I feel the same way about it. Ever since Bulldozer, I've jokingly referred to AMD as "Another Massive Disappointment", which has pushed me towards Intel since...and I was a stout AMD user since my Am386SX-40 replaced an Intel 8088XT 8Mhz.
I did have a stint with a Cyrix 6x86, but that was due to being a poor college student at the time...
Through countless K6-2s, Athlons, Durons, a S939 Opteron (my first dual core that replaced a Venice 3000+), I was really onboard with getting a BD, but dang am I glad I waited until reviews came out...

Ryzen has been quite a breath of fresh air just due to their honesty in advertising, regardless of how the different iterations have stacked up to the competition.

 

[IceDigger]

I had a Cyrix MX200. Wow that brings back memories. It was the first pc I built with my own money from mowing lawns as a kid. It was all I could afford at the time. But I built it with my own 2 hands