Assignment #1:   Comparing System Performance

Assigned:   Friday, Jan. 24
Due:   Tuesday, Feb. 4   by midnight

Contents:

Overview

Topics: System Performance
Related Reading: Sections 1.4 and the beginning of 1.6, and class notes/slides

Problems to be Submitted (25 points)

When submitting your assignment, please upload files directly to Canvas on that assignment's page. Doing so helps expedite grading and improves feedback. Homework submission via email or hardcopy is also accepted though.

  1.   (12 points)    Comparison of Hard Drives:

      Using the UserBenchmark site for comparing SSD (solid-state drive) and HDD (hard-disk drive) performance, compare these three drives:

      Note: On the UserBenchmark site, you'll find two of these drives under the SSD tab, and the final one under the HDD tab.

    1.   (3 points)   Using the UserBenchmark site, search for the desired drive, click on it, then scroll down to "Average Bench" and report the typical Sequential and Random 4k benchmark data rates (in MB/s) for each of the drives.

    2.   (3 points)   Which drive is the fastest? Compute the relative performance (or "speedup") of its Sequential rate between it and each of the other two drives. Hint: The two values should be greater than 1.0

    3.   (3 points)   Which drive is the slowest? Compute the relative performance (or "speedup") of its Sequential rate between it and each of the other two drives. Hint: The two values should be less than 1.0

    4.   (1 point)   Comparing the two SSDs, one uses SATA whereas the other uses NVME. From comparing these two drives, which interface technology is faster: NVME or SATA?

    5.   (2 points)   Notice that all the drives are in the same relative price range around $80-100. What is the clear benefit of buying the slowest drive? Which drive would you buy, and why?

  2.   (13 points)    Comparison of Computer Systems:

      Looking around for good deals on desktop computers, you narrow your choices down to the following three options. Using the PassMark websites for comparing CPUs (processors) and GPUs (video cards), compare these three computer systems:

    1.   (3 points)   First, using the CPU and GPU benchmark PassMark websites, report the benchmark ratings for the CPU and GPU in each of the three systems (i.e. report Passmark CPU Mark for CPUs and Passmark G3D Mark for GPUs)

    2.   (3 points)   Using the CPU and GPU ratings you found for each of the three systems, compute the relative performance (or "speedup") for each of the three possible pairings of the three CPUs. Repeat the computations for the three possible pairings of the GPUs.

    3.   (5 points)   In a table like the one given below, rank each system across each of the following four categories:

         Rank using a 10-point scale (1 = worst, 10 = best)

      • CPU performance
      • GPU performance
      • hard drive    (consider quantity and speed)
      • memory    (quantity and speed)
      • price    (cheaper is better)

    4.   (2 points)   Assuming you have an extra $1250 in the bank (and it's tax-free weekend), indicate which PC you would buy, and more importantly, discuss why you would buy that PC.