EEMBC Publishes New Certified Scores for Freescale i.MX31 with ARM Compiler

New results show up to 2x performance increase

EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. -- July 31, 2008 -- The Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium (EEMBC) today announced the publication of new certified benchmark scores for the ARM processor-based Freescale i.MX31 multimedia applications processor. Tested with the ARM® RealView® RVCT 3.1 build 559 compiler, the new results supersede a previous set of certified scores using a GCC version 3.43 compiler and limited –O2 optimizations.

The 532-MHz Freescale i.MX31 was tested in an out-of-the-box environment against four EEMBC® benchmark suites - AutoBench 1.1, ConsumerBench 1.1, OABench 1.1, and TeleBench 1.1 - yielding extensive data on the processor’s expected performance in automotive/industrial, digital imaging, office automation, and fixed telecom applications.

Aggregate score results

Original scores were certified running under the Linux OS, the new scores were certified running without an OS.

“The ARM compiler helped the i.MX31 achieve up to a 2x increase in performance with one benchmark, and a 43 per cent increase in overall performance with all four benchmarks over an earlier version of the GCC compiler,” said EEMBC President Markus Levy. “These new benchmark scores demonstrate the benefits of ensuring that developers take advantage of the latest in compiler optimizations and technologies.”

Freescale’s i.MX31 processor, with a vector floating point coprocessor and L2 cache, is designed for wireless devices, such as portable media players and portable navigation devices, running computationally intensive multimedia applications. Based on an ARM1136JF-S™ processor, its target devices include feature rich smartphones, digital video recorders, digital cameras, mobile gaming consoles, mobile multimedia players and many other mobile wireless applications.

The ARM compiler, part of the RealView Development Suite 3.1, is designed to enable developers to get the best performance out of their ARM processor-based devices. ARM develops its compiler technology in conjunction with its processor technology to offer superior performance at the lowest possible memory cost.

“ARM uses the EEMBC benchmarks extensively during the development of our industry-leading processors and compilers, and these industry recognized results show that we continue to be ahead of the field in delivering maximum real-world performance and power efficiency for a wide range of mobile and consumer applications,” said Eric Schorn, vice president of marketing, Processors Division, ARM.

Detailed benchmark score reports for the Freescale iMX31 with ARM RealView RVCT 3.1 are available for free at www.eembc.org.

About EEMBC

EEMBC, the Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium develops benchmark software that helps processor architects and embedded system designers better understand the capabilities of embedded microprocessors and the systems in which they are used. Currently available benchmark software allows users to predict unicore and multicore processor performance and its associated energy cost in digital entertainment, digital imaging, networking, and office automation applications. Additional suites address automotive, embedded Java, and telecom applications. The consortium’s operations include an EEMBC Technology Center that provides a full range of benchmarking and benchmark score certification services in addition to serving as EEMBC’s R&D center for benchmark software development.

EEMBC members include AMD, Analog Devices, ARC International, ARM, Broadcom, Cavium Networks, Centaur Technology , CEVA, Code Sourcery, Cypress Semiconductor, EEMBC, esmertec, Faraday, Freescale Semiconductor, Fujitsu Microelectronics, Green Hills Software, Huawei Technologies Co, IAR Systems AB, IBM, Imagination Technologies, Improv Systems, Infineon Technologies, Intel, LSI, Marvell Semiconductor, Matsushita Electric Industrial, MediaTek, Mentor Graphics, Microchip Technology, MIPS Technologies, National Instruments, NEC Electronics, Netcleus Systems, Nokia, Nvidia, NXP Semiconductors, Oki Electric Industry Co, Open Kernel Labs, Qualcomm, Realtek Semiconductor, Red Hat, Renesas Technology, RMI, Samsung Electronics, Sony Computer Entertainment, ST Microelectronics, Tensilica, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, Trango Virtual Processors, and Wind River Systems.

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