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


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  |====


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  |====


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 |======================


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 |======================


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  |========


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  |===


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  |====


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  |=============


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 |=================


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 |==========================


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 |====================================


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 |=============================


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 |============


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 |=======================


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 |============================


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 |===========================


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 |===========================


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 |===========================


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 |======================


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 |====================