Ubuntu 14.04 Desktop Comparison Intel Core i7-3517U testing with a ASUS UX32VDA on Ubuntu 14.04 of different desktop environments... Benchmarks by Michael Larabel for a future article on Phoronix.com.. Unity 7.1.2: Processor: Intel Core i7-3517U @ 1.90GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: ASUS UX32VDA v1.0, Chipset: Intel 3rd Gen Core DRAM, Memory: 4096MB, Disk: 2 x 128GB SanDisk SD5SF212, Graphics: Intel HD 4000 512MB (1150MHz), Audio: Realtek ALC269VB, Network: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 OS: Ubuntu 14.04, Kernel: 3.13.0-16-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 7.1.2, Display Server: X Server 1.15.0, Display Driver: intel 2.99.910, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.1.0-rc3, Compiler: GCC 4.8.2, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 Xfce 4.10: Processor: Intel Core i7-3517U @ 1.90GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: ASUS UX32VDA v1.0, Chipset: Intel 3rd Gen Core DRAM, Memory: 4096MB, Disk: 2 x 128GB SanDisk SD5SF212, Graphics: Intel HD 4000 512MB (1150MHz), Audio: Realtek ALC269VB, Network: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 OS: Ubuntu 14.04, Kernel: 3.13.0-16-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Xfce 4.10, Display Server: X Server 1.15.0, Display Driver: intel 2.99.910, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.1.0-rc3, Compiler: GCC 4.8.2, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 KDE 4.12.3: Processor: Intel Core i7-3517U @ 1.90GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: ASUS UX32VDA v1.0, Chipset: Intel 3rd Gen Core DRAM, Memory: 4096MB, Disk: 2 x 128GB SanDisk SD5SF212, Graphics: Intel HD 4000 512MB (1150MHz), Audio: Realtek ALC269VB, Network: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 OS: Ubuntu 14.04, Kernel: 3.13.0-16-generic (x86_64), Desktop: KDE 4.12.3, Display Server: X Server 1.15.0, Display Driver: intel 2.99.910, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.1.0-rc3, Compiler: GCC 4.8.2, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 LXDE 0.6.1: Processor: Intel Core i7-3517U @ 1.90GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: ASUS UX32VDA v1.0, Chipset: Intel 3rd Gen Core DRAM, Memory: 4096MB, Disk: 2 x 128GB SanDisk SD5SF212, Graphics: Intel HD 4000 512MB (1150MHz), Audio: Realtek ALC269VB, Network: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 OS: Ubuntu 14.04, Kernel: 3.13.0-16-generic (x86_64), Desktop: LXDE 0.6.1, Display Server: X Server 1.15.0, Display Driver: intel 2.99.910, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.1.0-rc3, Compiler: GCC 4.8.2, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 GNOME Shell 3.10.4: Processor: Intel Core i7-3517U @ 1.90GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: ASUS UX32VDA v1.0, Chipset: Intel 3rd Gen Core DRAM, Memory: 4096MB, Disk: 2 x 128GB SanDisk SD5SF212, Graphics: Intel HD 4000 512MB (1150MHz), Audio: Realtek ALC269VB, Network: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 OS: Ubuntu 14.04, Kernel: 3.13.0-16-generic (x86_64), Desktop: GNOME Shell 3.10.4, Display Server: X Server 1.15.0, Display Driver: intel 2.99.910, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.1.0-rc3, Compiler: GCC 4.8.2, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 Openbox 3.5.2: Processor: Intel Core i7-3517U @ 1.90GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: ASUS UX32VDA v1.0, Chipset: Intel 3rd Gen Core DRAM, Memory: 4096MB, Disk: 2 x 128GB SanDisk SD5SF212, Graphics: Intel HD 4000 512MB (1150MHz), Audio: Realtek ALC269VB, Network: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 OS: Ubuntu 14.04, Kernel: 3.13.0-16-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Openbox 3.5.2, Display Server: X Server 1.15.0, Display Driver: intel 2.99.910, OpenGL: 3.3 Mesa 10.1.0-rc3, Compiler: GCC 4.8.2, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 QGears2 Rendering: XRender Extension - Test: Text Frames Per Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 196.69 |======================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 246.42 |================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 167.31 |================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 175.80 |==================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 205.29 |========================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 176.03 |==================================== QGears2 Rendering: XRender Extension - Test: Gears Frames Per Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 211.13 |=============================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 215.40 |================================================ KDE 4.12.3 ......... 149.00 |================================= LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 156.44 |=================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 226.58 |================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 154.97 |================================== QGears2 Rendering: XRender Extension - Test: Image Scaling Frames Per Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 801.35 |=============================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 775.43 |============================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 353.77 |============== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 355.13 |============== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 1253.73 |================================================= Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 357.74 |============== x11perf 1.5 Test: 500px PutImage Square Operations / Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 3700 |================================================= Xfce 4.10 .......... 3805 |================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 3610 |=============================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 3240 |=========================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 2980 |======================================= Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 3960 |==================================================== x11perf 1.5 Test: Scrolling 500 x 500 px Operations / Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 7737 |==================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 6370 |=========================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 7723 |==================================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 6363 |=========================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 7733 |==================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 6390 |=========================================== x11perf 1.5 Test: Char in 80-char aa line Operations / Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 8843333 |=========================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 15500000 |================================================ KDE 4.12.3 ......... 11400000 |=================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 15200000 |=============================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 12300000 |====================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 15633333 |================================================ x11perf 1.5 Test: PutImage XY 500x500 Square Operations / Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 153 |==================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 156 |===================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 147 |================================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 156 |===================================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 152 |==================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 156 |===================================================== x11perf 1.5 Test: Fill 300 x 300px AA Trapezoid Operations / Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 308667 |================================================= Xfce 4.10 .......... 316333 |================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 310667 |================================================= LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 317333 |================================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 291000 |============================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 300333 |=============================================== x11perf 1.5 Test: 500px Copy From Window To Window Operations / Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 7697 |==================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 6490 |============================================ KDE 4.12.3 ......... 7700 |==================================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 6497 |============================================ GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 7703 |==================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 6500 |============================================ x11perf 1.5 Test: Copy 500x500 From Pixmap To Pixmap Operations / Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 7710 |==================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 7710 |==================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 7703 |==================================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 7710 |==================================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 7707 |==================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 7710 |==================================================== x11perf 1.5 Test: 500px Compositing From Pixmap To Window Operations / Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 7637 |========================= Xfce 4.10 .......... 7720 |========================= KDE 4.12.3 ......... 15700 |=================================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 7720 |========================= GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 7663 |========================= Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 7720 |========================= x11perf 1.5 Test: 500px Compositing From Window To Window Operations / Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 15500 |=================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 6480 |===================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 15467 |=================================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 6500 |===================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 15567 |=================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 6500 |===================== Nexuiz 2.5.2 Resolution: 1920 x 1080 - HDR: Yes - Sound: Off Frames Per Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 17.72 |=================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 17.71 |=================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 15.32 |============================================ LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 17.73 |=================================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 17.68 |=================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 17.72 |=================================================== OpenArena 0.8.8 Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Frames Per Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 31.77 |=================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 31.60 |================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 24.83 |======================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 31.77 |=================================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 31.93 |=================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 31.87 |=================================================== OpenArena 0.8.8 Resolution: 1920 x 1080 - Total Frame Time Milliseconds < Lower Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ MIN: 4.0 AVG: 31.5 MAX: 68.0 Xfce 4.10 .......... MIN: 5.0 AVG: 31.4 MAX: 66.0 KDE 4.12.3 ......... MIN: 4.0 AVG: 40.3 MAX: 85.0 LXDE 0.6.1 ......... MIN: 4.0 AVG: 31.4 MAX: 69.0 GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . MIN: 5.0 AVG: 31.3 MAX: 68.0 Openbox 3.5.2 ...... MIN: 5.0 AVG: 31.2 MAX: 69.0 Urban Terror 4.2.013 Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Frames Per Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 68.13 |=================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 67.13 |================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 51.10 |====================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 67.80 |=================================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 66.70 |================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 67.37 |================================================== Urban Terror 4.2.013 Resolution: 1920 x 1080 - Total Frame Time Milliseconds < Lower Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ MIN: 3.0 AVG: 14.5 MAX: 33.0 Xfce 4.10 .......... MIN: 3.0 AVG: 14.9 MAX: 38.0 KDE 4.12.3 ......... MIN: 3.0 AVG: 19.5 MAX: 43.0 LXDE 0.6.1 ......... MIN: 2.0 AVG: 14.6 MAX: 32.0 GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . MIN: 3.0 AVG: 14.9 MAX: 33.0 Openbox 3.5.2 ...... MIN: 3.0 AVG: 15.0 MAX: 35.0 Xonotic 0.7 Resolution: 1920 x 1080 - Effects Quality: Low Frames Per Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 112.61 |============================================= Xfce 4.10 .......... 119.93 |================================================ KDE 4.12.3 ......... 88.88 |==================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 119.58 |================================================ GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 120.74 |================================================ Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 125.13 |================================================== Xonotic 0.7 Resolution: 1920 x 1080 - Effects Quality: High Frames Per Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 62.61 |================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 63.50 |================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 45.89 |==================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 62.80 |================================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 63.11 |================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 64.19 |=================================================== Xonotic 0.7 Resolution: 1920 x 1080 - Effects Quality: Ultra Frames Per Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 42.32 |================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 42.71 |=================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 32.86 |======================================= LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 42.20 |================================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 42.52 |================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 43.02 |=================================================== Xonotic 0.7 Resolution: 1920 x 1080 - Effects Quality: Ultimate Frames Per Second > Higher Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 27.72 |================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 27.74 |================================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 22.57 |========================================= LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 27.49 |================================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 27.51 |================================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 28.05 |=================================================== GtkPerf 0.40 GTK Widget: GtkComboBox Seconds < Lower Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 18.48 |========================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 21.25 |============================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 36.08 |=================================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 21.97 |=============================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 17.51 |========================= Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 12.74 |================== GtkPerf 0.40 GTK Widget: GtkCheckButton Seconds < Lower Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 2.67 |======================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 2.08 |=============================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 3.46 |==================================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 2.34 |=================================== GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 2.35 |=================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 1.29 |=================== GtkPerf 0.40 GTK Widget: GtkRadioButton Seconds < Lower Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 4.71 |==================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 3.32 |===================================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 3.94 |=========================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 4.02 |============================================ GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 3.78 |========================================== Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 2.07 |======================= GtkPerf 0.40 GTK Widget: GtkToggleButton Seconds < Lower Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 7.62 |==================================================== Xfce 4.10 .......... 3.04 |===================== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 3.45 |======================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 7.00 |================================================ GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 3.35 |======================= Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 1.28 |========= GtkPerf 0.40 GTK Widget: GtkComboBoxEntry Seconds < Lower Is Better Unity 7.1.2 ........ 11.70 |============= Xfce 4.10 .......... 13.10 |============== KDE 4.12.3 ......... 46.30 |=================================================== LXDE 0.6.1 ......... 6.22 |======= GNOME Shell 3.10.4 . 11.36 |============= Openbox 3.5.2 ...... 8.61 |=========