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. As expected, the results are similar to that of the SYSmark section, for the same reasons.

Video Encoding - x264 5.0 - Pass 1

Video Encoding - x264 5.0 - Pass 2

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.

7-Zip LZMA Compression Benchmark

7-Zip LZMA Decompression Benchmark

TrueCrypt

As businesses (and even home consumers) become more security conscious, the importance of encryption can't be overstated. CPUs supporting the AES-NI instruction can accelerate the encryption and decryption processes. The Core i5-6400 does have AES-NI support. 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. The AES speeds are graphed below. This is a purely CPU feature / clock speed based test.

TrueCrypt Benchmark

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. OpenCL acceleration in Photoscan doesn't seem to have any dramatic effect in the GTX 980-equipped MAGNUS EN980.

Agisoft PhotoScan Benchmark - Stage 1

Agisoft PhotoScan Benchmark - Stage 2

Agisoft PhotoScan Benchmark - Stage 3

Agisoft PhotoScan Benchmark - Stage 4

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 ZBOX wins this one, thanks to its higher power budget compared to other systems.

Dolphin Emulator Benchmark

Performance Metrics - I Gaming Benchmarks
Comments Locked

30 Comments

View All Comments

  • Oxford Guy - Saturday, August 27, 2016 - link

    "As for 70 dB - note that it is at maximum stress, and with the microphone placed right on top of the unit. It is unlikely that the unit will be subject to that much load, and even if it is, it is probably some intensive game or the other - the audio from those titles will easily drown out the fan / pump noise.

    It is also important to stress that it is a rough estimate - the readings were not carried out in a soundproof room and no special care was taken during the recording of the graph. I can say subjectively that is is much more silent compared to any other non-watercooled desktop PC I have seen or built. I encourage you to check it out in person if you can (or, you can pitch this to the SPCR guys and they will provide you a more reliable verdict that can be the final word - after all, that is their speciality)."

    So you're saying the load noise reading that we need to see, the usual one, just isn't in the article. Instead, we were given an academic reading that doesn't really tell us anything useful?
  • mr_tawan - Friday, August 26, 2016 - link

    I think I saw some youtuber (Linus, if I'm not mistaken) dissemble this system.
  • The_Assimilator - Friday, August 26, 2016 - link

    Thanks, it's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qu7qckqulY - much more informative.
  • fanofanand - Thursday, August 25, 2016 - link

    $1845 for last year's tech. *Yawn*
  • milkod2001 - Friday, August 26, 2016 - link

    Zotac caters for IT noobs with zero clue what is inside. Plenty out there so it might sell quite well. The rest can build 4K ready PC monster for that price.
  • Wineohe - Friday, August 26, 2016 - link

    Yes the effort put forward for this review should have been saved for a Pascal variant.
  • kyuu - Friday, August 26, 2016 - link

    Way too expensive given the components and it's barely smaller than a mITX case. But I guess someone must be buying these overpriced boutique systems since they keep making them.
  • AnnonymousCoward - Saturday, August 27, 2016 - link

    My mid-tower is significantly quieter, cooler, faster, cheaper, and has 1TB SSD. (well duh, but it's worth saying)

    Btw Page 1 could have used a picture with a known object like a soccer ball to show relative size.
  • Calista - Sunday, August 28, 2016 - link

    What's the point in creating a tiny box if it demands a huge external power brick?
  • Namisecond - Monday, August 29, 2016 - link

    Would LOVE to see Anandtech review and compare these machines with the most recent iteration of the Alienware Alpha.

Log in

Don't have an account? Sign up now