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We've had a few queries asking why some AMD CPUs have better overall CPU Mark scores than similar Intel CPUs when both the Intel single thread & cross platform scores are higher, then when comparing the individual CPU scores they are often very close except for the encryption test.
The encryption test encrypts & hashes blocks of random data using several different encryption techniques. The methods used are AES, SHA256 and ECDSA (ECDSA also utilises SHA256 so any available SHA acceleration will also benefit the ECDSA component).
This is a bit of a strange situation because Intel started implementing SHA (SHA1 and SHA256) CPU hardware acceleration in 2016 in their Goldmont CPU core. And started talking about it in 2013. We kind of assumed that most Intel CPUs released after that date would also include this feature. Especially high end flagship models.
Recent CPUs have built in hardware acceleration for AES, eg both the Intel 10980X and AMD 3950X support AES acceleration however the 10980X doesn't support SHA acceleration, while the 3950X does so the AMD will score much higher in the encryption test.
The encryption test is not used as part of the single thread and cross platform scores so a high result here will only affect the overall CPU mark score.
Intel should be re-introducing SHA acceleration from Ice Lake onwards.
Until Intel add this back into their CPUs expect to see results like this,
The Intel Core i7-10510U is faster than the Ryzen 7 3750H for single threaded and cross platform, but slower for the CPUMark. This is partial due to the clock speed differences and also partial due to the Intel CPU missing SHA hardware acceleration.
The encryption test encrypts & hashes blocks of random data using several different encryption techniques. The methods used are AES, SHA256 and ECDSA (ECDSA also utilises SHA256 so any available SHA acceleration will also benefit the ECDSA component).
This is a bit of a strange situation because Intel started implementing SHA (SHA1 and SHA256) CPU hardware acceleration in 2016 in their Goldmont CPU core. And started talking about it in 2013. We kind of assumed that most Intel CPUs released after that date would also include this feature. Especially high end flagship models.
Recent CPUs have built in hardware acceleration for AES, eg both the Intel 10980X and AMD 3950X support AES acceleration however the 10980X doesn't support SHA acceleration, while the 3950X does so the AMD will score much higher in the encryption test.
The encryption test is not used as part of the single thread and cross platform scores so a high result here will only affect the overall CPU mark score.
Intel should be re-introducing SHA acceleration from Ice Lake onwards.
Until Intel add this back into their CPUs expect to see results like this,
The Intel Core i7-10510U is faster than the Ryzen 7 3750H for single threaded and cross platform, but slower for the CPUMark. This is partial due to the clock speed differences and also partial due to the Intel CPU missing SHA hardware acceleration.