KPTI + Retpoline Ubuntu Linux Benchmarks Comparison
Tests by Michael Larabel.


Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE: 

	Processor: Intel Core i9-7980XE @ 4.40GHz (18 Cores / 36 Threads), Motherboard: ASUS PRIME X299-A, Chipset: Intel Device 2020, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 120GB Force MP500, Graphics: NV137 2048MB, Audio: Realtek ALC1220, Monitor: Acer B286HK, Network: Intel Connection

	OS: Ubuntu 17.10, Kernel: 4.14.0-041400-generic (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME Shell 3.26.1, Display Server: Wayland, OpenGL: 4.3 Mesa 17.2.2, Compiler: GCC 7.2.0, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 3840x2160

KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE: 

	Processor: Intel Core i9-7980XE @ 4.40GHz (18 Cores / 36 Threads), Motherboard: ASUS PRIME X299-A, Chipset: Intel Device 2020, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 120GB Force MP500, Graphics: NV137 2048MB, Audio: Realtek ALC1220, Monitor: Acer B286HK, Network: Intel Connection

	OS: Ubuntu 17.10, Kernel: 4.14.0-phx-retpoline-gcc-retpo (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME Shell 3.26.1, Display Server: Wayland, OpenGL: 4.3 Mesa 17.2.2, Compiler: GCC 7.2.0, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 3840x2160

Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5: 

	Processor: Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5 @ 4.00GHz (4 Cores / 8 Threads), Motherboard: MSI C236A WORKSTATION (MS-7998) v1.0, Chipset: Intel Skylake, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 256GB TOSHIBA-RD400, Graphics: Sapphire AMD Radeon 4096MB, Audio: Realtek ALC1150, Monitor: ASUS PB278, Network: Intel Connection

	OS: Ubuntu 17.10, Kernel: 4.14.0-041400-generic (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME Shell 3.26.2, Display Driver: modesetting 1.19.5, OpenGL: 4.5 Mesa 17.4.0-devel- padoka PPA (LLVM 6.0.0), Compiler: GCC 7.2.0, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 2560x1440

KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5: 

	Processor: Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5 @ 4.00GHz (4 Cores / 8 Threads), Motherboard: MSI C236A WORKSTATION (MS-7998) v1.0, Chipset: Intel Skylake, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 256GB TOSHIBA-RD400, Graphics: Sapphire AMD Radeon 4096MB, Audio: Realtek ALC1150, Monitor: ASUS PB278, Network: Intel Connection

	OS: Ubuntu 17.10, Kernel: 4.14.0-phx-retpoline-gcc-retpo (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME Shell 3.26.2, Display Driver: modesetting 1.19.5, OpenGL: 4.5 Mesa 17.4.0-devel- padoka PPA (), Compiler: GCC 7.2.0, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 2560x1440

Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K: 

	Processor: Intel Core i7-6800K @ 3.80GHz (6 Cores / 12 Threads), Motherboard: MSI X99A WORKSTATION (MS-7A54) v1.0, Chipset: Intel Xeon E7 v4/Xeon, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 2 x 120GB TOSHIBA-TR150, Graphics: NV120 12288MB, Audio: Realtek ALC1150, Monitor: ASUS PB278, Network: Intel Connection

	OS: Ubuntu 17.10, Kernel: 4.14.0-041400-generic (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME Shell 3.26.1, Display Server: Wayland, Display Driver: modesetting 1.19.5, OpenGL: 4.3 Mesa 17.2.2, Compiler: GCC 7.2.0, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 2560x1440

KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K: 

	Processor: Intel Core i7-6800K @ 3.80GHz (6 Cores / 12 Threads), Motherboard: MSI X99A WORKSTATION (MS-7A54) v1.0, Chipset: Intel Xeon E7 v4/Xeon, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 2 x 120GB TOSHIBA-TR150, Graphics: NV120 12288MB, Audio: Realtek ALC1150, Monitor: ASUS PB278, Network: Intel Connection

	OS: Ubuntu 17.10, Kernel: 4.14.0-phx-retpoline-gcc-retpo (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME Shell 3.26.1, Display Server: Wayland, Display Driver: modesetting 1.19.5, OpenGL: 4.3 Mesa 17.2.2, Compiler: GCC 7.2.0, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 2560x1440

KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE: 

	Processor: Intel Core i9-7980XE @ 4.40GHz (18 Cores / 36 Threads), Motherboard: ASUS PRIME X299-A (BIOS: 0802), Chipset: Intel Device 2020, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 120GB Force MP500, Graphics: NV137 2048MB, Audio: Realtek ALC1220, Monitor: Acer B286HK, Network: Intel Connection

	OS: Ubuntu 17.10, Kernel: 4.14.0-phx-retpoline-gcc-retpo (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME Shell 3.26.1, Display Server: Wayland, OpenGL: 4.3 Mesa 17.2.2, Compiler: GCC 7.2.0, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 3840x2160


Flexible IO Tester 2.1.13
Type: Random Write - IO Engine: Libaio - Buffered: No - Direct: Yes - Block Size: 4KB - Disk Target: Default Test Directory
MB/s > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 753.24 |=================================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 684.15 |==============================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 663.83 |=============================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 560.53 |=========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 287.04 |=============
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 75.00  |===
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 522.29 |=======================


Flexible IO Tester 2.1.13
Type: Random Write - IO Engine: Libaio - Buffered: No - Direct: Yes - Block Size: 4KB - Disk Target: Default Test Directory
IOPS > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 188306 |=================================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 171034 |==============================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 165953 |=============================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 140128 |=========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 71757  |=============
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 18747  |===
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 130570 |=======================


Flexible IO Tester 2.1.13
Type: Sequential Write - IO Engine: Libaio - Buffered: No - Direct: Yes - Block Size: 4KB - Disk Target: Default Test Directory
MB/s > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 726.28 |=================================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 687.38 |===============================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 730.54 |=================================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 728.60 |=================================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 431.81 |====================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 432.22 |====================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 696.15 |===============================


Flexible IO Tester 2.1.13
Type: Sequential Write - IO Engine: Libaio - Buffered: No - Direct: Yes - Block Size: 4KB - Disk Target: Default Test Directory
IOPS > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 181566 |=================================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 171841 |===============================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 182631 |=================================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 182147 |=================================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 107948 |====================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 108050 |====================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 174034 |===============================


FS-Mark 3.3
Test: 1000 Files, 1MB Size
Files/s > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 224.93 |=================================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 185.13 |===========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 99.97  |===============
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 68.10  |==========
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 61.43  |=========
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 47.93  |=======
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 191.47 |============================


FS-Mark 3.3
Test: 5000 Files, 1MB Size, 4 Threads
Files/s > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 673.93 |=================================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 500.60 |=========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 111.47 |=====
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 83.87  |====
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 51.73  |===
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 50.13  |==
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 495.53 |========================


FS-Mark 3.3
Test: 4000 Files, 32 Sub Dirs, 1MB Size
Files/s > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 366.08 |=================================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 264.50 |========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 59.40  |=====
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 56.73  |=====
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 42.63  |====
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 42.63  |====
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 332.45 |==============================


Compile Bench 0.6
Test: Compile
MB/s > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 1728.79 |================================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 1617.36 |==============================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 1025.74 |===================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 890.30  |================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 673.16  |============
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 625.73  |============
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 1610.15 |==============================


Compile Bench 0.6
Test: Initial Create
MB/s > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 768.95 |=================================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 652.25 |============================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 564.61 |========================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 502.70 |======================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 437.86 |===================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 341.72 |===============
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 619.26 |===========================


Compile Bench 0.6
Test: Read Compiled Tree
MB/s > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 3341.51 |==============================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 2901.76 |==========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 3554.88 |================================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 2940.48 |==========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 2873.76 |==========================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 2462.60 |======================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 2940.08 |==========================


Timed GCC Compilation 7.2
Time To Compile
Seconds < Lower Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 761.83  |======================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 817.09  |========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 1069.58 |===============================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 1095.89 |================================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 1043.44 |==============================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 1067.35 |===============================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 824.22  |========================


Timed Linux Kernel Compilation 4.13
Time To Compile
Seconds < Lower Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 37.95  |==========
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 39.23  |==========
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 129.07 |================================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 131.39 |=================================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 98.92  |=========================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 100.28 |=========================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 39.07  |==========


PostgreSQL pgbench 10.0
Scaling: Buffer Test - Test: Normal Load - Mode: Read Write
TPS > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 7756.95  |================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 6594.40  |==============
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 2251.69  |=====
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 2231.11  |=====
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 2487.20  |=====
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 2515.03  |=====
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 15067.00 |===============================


Redis 3.0.1
Test: LPOP
Requests Per Second > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 2114991.47 |===================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 1876687.36 |=================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 3174795.25 |=============================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 2198334.67 |====================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 2736121.25 |=========================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 2157675.11 |====================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 2571985.21 |=======================


Redis 3.0.1
Test: SADD
Requests Per Second > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 2334920.58 |============================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 2162591.79 |==========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 2445696.92 |=============================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 2212974.50 |==========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 2153727.13 |==========================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 1997466.83 |========================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 2164885.69 |==========================


Redis 3.0.1
Test: LPUSH
Requests Per Second > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 2227561.19 |=============================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 1920204.67 |=========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 2044989.17 |===========================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 1809081.16 |========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 1927479.21 |=========================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 1749531.25 |=======================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 1907426.04 |=========================


Redis 3.0.1
Test: GET
Requests Per Second > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 2722404.67 |===========================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 2428046.71 |========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 2882051.00 |=============================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 2553195.25 |==========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 2436558.69 |=========================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 2276820.75 |=======================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 2529291.13 |=========================


Redis 3.0.1
Test: SET
Requests Per Second > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 2229753.79 |=============================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 2005842.48 |==========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 2109357.27 |===========================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 1919907.83 |=========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 1986985.08 |==========================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 1790310.78 |=======================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 2021055.25 |==========================


NGINX Benchmark 1.9.9
Static Web Page Serving
Requests Per Second > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 54668.12 |===============================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 42867.70 |========================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 39061.22 |======================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 29838.35 |=================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 44577.66 |=========================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 32738.39 |===================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 43395.84 |=========================


Apache Benchmark 2.4.7
Static Web Page Serving
Requests Per Second > Higher Is Better
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i9-7980XE ....... 51621.45 |===============================
KPTI + Retpoline: i9-7980XE ......... 35205.88 |=====================
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: E3-1280 v5 ...... 32278.00 |===================
KPTI + Retpoline: E3-1280 v5 ........ 25399.47 |===============
Linux 4.14.0 Stock: i7-6800K ........ 39258.74 |========================
KPTI + Retpoline: i7-6800K .......... 29046.81 |=================
KPTI + Retpo + New ucode: i9-7980XE . 35704.57 |=====================