Comparing CPU Mark scores

[projectshave]

If one cpu has a CPU Mark score of 3000, and another has a score of 1000, does that means the first is 3 times faster than the other cpu? Or are the scores relative, i.e. the first is faster by some magnitude, but not really 3X.

Does the score represent absolute or relative differences between CPUs?

Thanks.

[David (PassMark)]

The score are relative (in that there is no unit of measurement). But non the less a score of 3000 would indicate that the CPU is about 3 times faster than a CPU with a score of 1000.

The unit of measurement, if there was one, would be a scaled average of operations performed per sceond.

But real life might not always reflect the CPU Mark.
1) Most PC are not CPU bound, they are disk bound. So speeding up you hard drive will make your PC seems faster and have more impact, than a adding a new CPU. (Windows boots much quicker, apps start quicker and execute quicker).
2) Our CPU mark will use all CPUs and all CPU cores available. Not may real worlds apps can fully load 16, 8, or even 4 cores.