Agner`s CPU blog

There are many different versions of Intel compilers and function libraries with different CPU dispatching schemes. Some of these are fair to non-Intel processors and some are unfair. By unfair dispatching I mean that it chooses a suboptimal code path when running on a non-Intel CPU even when the CPU is compatible with a better code path. The different versions can get quite confusing, so I have tried to test as many different versions of Intel software products as I could get my hands on and present an overview of the results here.

The tables below show the highest instruction set available to Intel and non-Intel processors when running the different software products. The sequence of instruction sets have the not very logical names:

Intel Math Kernel Library

The Math Kernel Library (MKL) contains many advanced mathematical functions. The results in the following table do not apply to various (sub-)packages that may be bundled with the MKL, such as the Intel Vector Math Library (VML), Intel Performance Primitives (IPP) and Intel Threading Building Blocks (TBB).

As we can see, version 8 and 9 give Intel and non-Intel processors access to the same instruction sets, while version 7 and the 64-bit version 10 have unfair dispatching. MKL 7.0 has no x86-64 version.

Intel Vector Math Library

The Vector Math Library (VML) contains procedures for calculating elementary mathematical functions on vectors of arbitrary size.

As we can see, all versions have unfair dispatching. There are different branches for Intel processors with SSE2 and non-Intel processors with SSE2. I have not tested which of the SSE2 branches run fastest on non-Intel processors.

Intel Performance Primitives

All the versions I have tested have fair CPU dispatching.

Intel Threading Building Blocks

This library has some CPU dispatching, but I have not tested whether it is fair or not.

Intel standard C library and standard math library

These libraries are called automatically from code compiled with an Intel C++ compiler.

All versions have unfair CPU dispatching. In many cases, however, the Intel compiler can generate calls directly to the SSE2 version of a function when compiling for the SSE2 or higher instruction set. This also applies to non-Intel processors.

Intel Short Vector Math Library

The Short Vector Math Library (SVML) is used for elementary mathematical functions on vector registers (XMM and YMM registers). It is called automatically from code compiled with an Intel compiler when the SSE2 or higher instruction set is enabled. The SVML can also be used with other compilers such as the Gnu C++ compiler.

Intel C++ compiler

The Intel C++ compiler has various options that allow the programmer to generate code for a specific instruction set or to make multiple versions of the code for different instruction sets with automatic CPU dispatching. Non-Intel processors will always get the generic version of the code if CPU dispatching is used. The default level for the generic code is SSE2 for version 11 and 12 of the compiler, and 386 for version 10 and earlier in 32-bit mode as indicated in the following table.

There is an option for setting the generic level higher or lower. For example, the options   /arch:SSE3 /QaxSSE4.1,AVX   will set the generic level to SSE3 and generate three versions of the code for the SSE3, SSE4.2 and AVX instruction sets. Non-Intel processors can only get the generic version, which will be SSE3 in this example. Code compiled with the /Qx option, for example /QxSSE4.1 will fail to run on non-Intel processors and processors without the specified instruction set.

Other Intel products

The above test results are obtained with Intel C++ compilers and function libraries for Windows and Linux. I have found no differences between the Windows and Linux versions in the cases where I have had access to both. I have not tested the Macintosh versions, but this is less relevant as long as no Macintosh computers are available with AMD or VIA processors. I have not tested the Intel Fortran compiler, but it seems to be similar to the Intel C++ compiler with respect to CPU dispatching.

Anybody who have earlier versions of the compiler and function libraries than the ones I have tested are welcome to contact me.