MSI Wind U100 Netbook Overclocking Guide

Cinebench & wPrime

Cinebench

CINEBENCH is the free benchmarking tool for Windows and Mac OS based on the powerful 3D software CINEMA 4D. Consequently, the results of tests conducted using CINEBENCH 10 carry significant weight when analyzing a computer’s performance in everyday use. Especially a system’s CPU and the OpenGL capabilities of its graphics card are put through their paces (even multiprocessor systems with up to 16 dedicated CPUs or processor cores). The test procedure consists of two main components; the first test sequence is dedicated to the computer’s main processor. A 3D scene file is used to render a photo realistic image. The scene makes use of various CPU-intensive features such as reflection, ambient occlusion, area lights and procedural shaders. In the first run, the benchmark only uses one CPU (or CPU core), to ascertain a reference value. On machines that have multiple CPUs or CPU cores, and also on those who simulate multiple CPUs (via HyperThreading or similar technologies), MAXON CINEBENCH will run a second test using all available CPU power. Again, higher Frames/Second and lower rendering time in seconds equal better performance.

Once again, the difference between the Intel Atom N270 used inside the MSI U100 is slower than the Intel Atom N280 found in the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE, but that is with stock settings. With a 15% overclock the MSI Wind U100 turned into a monster and was 12% faster than the more expensive ASUS Eee PC 1000HE netbook.

wPrime

wPrime uses a recursive call of Newton’s method for estimating functions, with f(x)=x²-k, where k is the number we’re sqrting, until Sgn(f(x)/f'(x)) does not equal that of the previous iteration, starting with an estimation of k/2. It then uses an iterative calling of the estimation method a set amount of times to increase the accuracy of the results. It then confirms that n(k)²=k to ensure the calculation was correct. It repeats this for all numbers from 1 to the requested maximum. We ran the wPrime 32M benchmark and the results are shown below.

wPrime is purely a CPU benchmark and the overclocked MSI Wind U100 smacked the other Intel Atom powered systems like they were nothing. The benchmark showed the overclocked U100 was 14.6% faster than the default system, which was expected with our 15% overclock.