The Intel Compute Stick (Core m3-6Y30) Review
by Ganesh T S on June 27, 2016 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Systems
- Intel
- Core M
- Skylake
- HDMI Stick
- Compute Stick
Performance Metrics - II
In this section, we mainly look at benchmark modes in programs used on a day-to-day basis, i.e, application performance and not synthetic workloads.
x264 Benchmark
First off, we have some video encoding benchmarks courtesy of x264 HD Benchmark v5.0. This is simply a test of CPU performance. The Core m3-6Y30 in the Compute Stick form factor is given a bit of a challenge by the Core i5-4210Y in the Zotac ZBOX CI540 nano, a NUC-form factor machine.
7-Zip
7-Zip is a very effective and efficient compression program, often beating out OpenCL accelerated commercial programs in benchmarks even while using just the CPU power. 7-Zip has a benchmarking program that provides tons of details regarding the underlying CPU's efficiency. In this subsection, we are interested in the compression and decompression MIPS ratings when utilizing all the available threads.
In these multi-threaded benchmarks, the quad-core processors (4C/4T) are able to score better than the 2C/4T configuration of the Core m3-6Y30.
TrueCrypt
As businesses (and even home consumers) become more security conscious, the importance of encryption can't be overstated. The Core m3-6Y30 supports the AES-NI instruction for accelerating the encryption and decryption processes. TrueCrypt, a popular open-source disk encryption program can take advantage of the AES-NI capabilities. The TrueCrypt internal benchmark provides some interesting cryptography-related numbers to ponder. In the graph below, we can get an idea of how fast a TrueCrypt volume would behave in the Intel Core m3-6Y30 Compute Stick and how it would compare with other select PCs. This is a purely CPU feature / clock speed based test.
Agisoft Photoscan
Agisoft PhotoScan is a commercial program that converts 2D images into 3D point maps, meshes and textures. The program designers sent us a command line version in order to evaluate the efficiency of various systems that go under our review scanner. The command line version has two benchmark modes, one using the CPU and the other using both the CPU and GPU (via OpenCL). The benchmark takes around 50 photographs and does four stages of computation:
- Stage 1: Align Photographs
- Stage 2: Build Point Cloud (capable of OpenCL acceleration)
- Stage 3: Build Mesh
- Stage 4: Build Textures
We record the time taken for each stage. Since various elements of the software are single threaded, others multithreaded, and some use GPUs, it is interesting to record the effects of CPU generations, speeds, number of cores, DRAM parameters and the GPU using this software.
Dolphin Emulator
Wrapping up our application benchmark numbers is the Dolphin Emulator benchmark mode results. This is again a test of the CPU capabilities, and the pure single-threaed performance advantage of the Core m3-6Y30 is evident here.
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Ryan Smith - Monday, June 27, 2016 - link
As I'm sure a lot of you are aware, ads are controlled by our publisher, Purch. So I don't have direct control over the situation.However feedback like this is immensely useful, and I'd like to note that I make it a policy to pass along all of this feedback to Purch so that they're made aware of what you guys think. Don't underestimate the value of feedback; even if it's not always visible, we're frequently looking at what you guys have to say.
redfirebird15 - Monday, June 27, 2016 - link
I'd say drop the outbrain links. They are literally an eyesore, and I sincerely hope every Anandtech reader has the common sense not to click on them. Leave the garbage ads for WCCFtech or some other sellout website.Ads are fine, when they are relevant to the article. I've never seen an outbrain, or its eviller twin taboola, ad come close to the content of the article. And some of those images arent always "work friendly".
Ascaris - Tuesday, June 28, 2016 - link
Oddly, the most relevant ads I see are still print ads in paper magazines that cater to a specific interest. Without javascript or cookies, they manage to be more relevant than anything tailored for me has ever been. How is that?Agent Smith - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
I use 'Block Bear' app, works very well and allows whitelist updates on your device.jann5s - Tuesday, June 28, 2016 - link
Thanks for this comment Ryan, it is reassuring that you (plural) at least check the comments, especially because some can be quite hurtful and inconsiderate.Sushisamurai - Tuesday, June 28, 2016 - link
Ohhhh... Is that what that stuff is? I'm on vacation and those ads aren't loading, so I've been getting this wall of non-loaded junk that I need to scroll through on my 5S before I get to the comment section.bug77 - Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - link
Most plugins work for Mobile Firefox. Including AdBlock and (untested by me) NoScript.Impulses - Monday, June 27, 2016 - link
I can just see it now, the very first comment on the eventual GTX 1080 FE review will read "well, this is useless, custom cards are already out"... And then the second comment will be about the missing HTC 10 review. :pfanofanand - Tuesday, June 28, 2016 - link
A cursory glance at the number of comments for each topic will clearly demonstrate where the readership's interest lies. The number of clicks can be deceiving, but those that will actually take the time to comment are far more engaged, and I would assume are far more valuable to the advertisers. There are hundreds of comments on each of the GPU articles, even pipeline stories. It would seem that nearly half of the comments on other articles are actually about the HTC 10, Galaxy S7, the GTX 1080/1070, and the lack of journalism regarding those products. It is quite clear what the audience is clamoring for. Josh literally spent months with the iPad pro, months! The corresponding number of comments on that article would indicate this time was poorly invested, as he could have easily churned out a half dozen articles on gadgets the readership is actually interested in, as opposed to the handful of Apple fanboys who frequent this site. Ryan, I know you read these comments, I know you see the numbers. Why on earth are products nobody is interested in, taking priority over the products we desperately want to read about? I don't care what other sites have said about the 1080, there is a reason I come to Anandtech and not TomsHardware. I value the analysis here far more, but if that analysis comes, I feel like a groom left at the altar, just waiting and waiting....fanofanand - Tuesday, June 28, 2016 - link
if that analysis never comes. Sigh, stupid 2001 era commenting board :( give us an edit function!