[Tech Update] Benchmark Testing of UP Squared, Raspberry Pi 4 & Jetson Nano

Pratik_Kushwaha
Pratik_Kushwaha Guest Posts: 123 ✭✭✭
edited October 2020 in Tech Updates

UP Squared/ Raspberry Pi 4/ Jetson Nano: performance and platform comparison

We have ran a set of benchmarks to evaluate CPU and Memory performance of UP Squared, Raspberry Pi 4 and Jetson Nano.

 
Upcoming benchmark testing: GPU and AI. Stay tuned!

Are you curious to know how UP Squared performed? Let’s have a look at the results:
image

Test Systems:
  • UP Squared N4200 4GB RAM
  • Jetson Nano 4GB RAM
  • RPi4 4GB RAM

The test is performed by keeping the system aligned as much as possible, realizing the hardware differences and considering the following baseline:
  • All systems are Quad Core
  • Same RAM: 4GB
  • Same Storage amount: 32GB
  • Same OS type: Ubuntu 18.04 64bit
  • Same version of Phoronix-Test-Suite and test version

Comparison Overview:
image
The results with the greatest spread from best to worst included:
✔ Stream (Type: Copy) at 3.92x
✔ OpenSSL (RSA 4096-bit Performance) at 2.68x
✔ PHPBench (PHP Benchmark Suite) at 2.3x
✔ RAMspeed SMP (Type: Copy - Benchmark: Integer) at 2.25x
✔ perf-bench (Benchmark: Sched Pipe) at 2.21x
✔ Parallel BZIP2 Compression (256MB File Compression) at 2.13x
✔ Java SciMark (Computational Test: Composite) at 2.03x
✔ x264 (H.264 Video Encoding) at 1.94x
✔ PyBench (Total For Average Test Times) at 1.89x


Results:
image


UP Squared N4200 4GB had the most wins, coming in first place for 90% of the tests.
▶ Comparison of UP Squared with the RPi4 and Jetson system’s performance shows,
  • superior performance for applications written with the most used programming language, compression tests and network/server applications
  • improved performance in cryptography, encoding and imaging
  • better results for generic CPU tests and memory tests
UP Squared sits on a higher price range compared to Jetson and RPi4 systems, and while it shares some of the I/O available with the other systems, such as the 40pin General Purpose Header and multiple Video Out, it offers users much more power and expandability with,
  • Multiple and Higher Speed USB ports: 3x USB3.0 (Type A), 1x USB 3.0 OTG (Micro -B) ), 2 x USB2.0 (internal header)
  • Faster Embedded Storage with multiple options: 32 GB / 64 GB / 128 GB eMMC, SATA3
  • Multiple Network Interfaces: 2x Gb Ethernet ports, optional WiFi/BT via M.2 2230 (including WiFi 6 modules), optional 3G/4G Connectivity via MiniPCIe
  • Expansion: 40 pin General Purpose bus + 4-channel 12-bit A/D converter 60 pin
  • AI Vision Kit: AI Core-X module (based on Intel Movidius Myriad-X) optional via MiniPCIe
  • Gateways: RED certification including supported Wireless interfaces (WiFi/BT, 3G/4G, LoRa)
 
While Raspberry Pi 4 model B and Jetson Nano Dev Kit are mainly development boards, UP Squared is an extremely versatile and powerful embedded platform for development and ready to be used in deployment. Using one platform from prototype to production is ideal for Software developers, Embedded Engineers and Data Scientists to reduce the effort and risks in their IoT, Robotics and AI/Machine Vision projects.

 

Comments

  • jmadeley
    jmadeley New Member Posts: 12

    The Mouser web site lists the Up Squared N4200 4GB DDR4, 32GB eMMC as end of life https://www.mouser.ca/ProductDetail/AAEON-UP/UPS-APLP4-A20-0432?qs=vLWxofP3U2yxSbwZAZ0i5w==. Your web site lists it without any mention of it being discontinued https://up-shop.org/up-squared-series.html. What is the production status of your Up Squared N4200 boards?

  • Pratik_Kushwaha
    Pratik_Kushwaha Guest Posts: 123 ✭✭✭

    Hi @jmadeley , the UP Squared Processors is going through an F1 Stepping change. The product details have been updated and hence the old Part number will no longer be available. You can find the new updated PN for UP Squared here ,
    https://www.mouser.ca/ProductDetail/AAEON-UP/UPS-APLP4F-A20-0432?qs=/ha2pyFadui2jH/A5m2SCxmc2/WIp9grDEwnLostHiTa%2BPNWE4P1z5fD%2BUe9MItc

  • 9600
    9600 New Member Posts: 8

    Something I'm struggling with is when you would use Pentium N4200 vs. Atom x7-E3950. The former has a higher boost clock frequency, but lower base, while the latter has higher base and lower boost. My understanding is that not all cores will simultenously run at the boost frequency, so maybe Atom is a bit better on properly multi-threaded apps? But also the Atom is double the TDP, yet both are manufactured on the same process node and so can this really be attributed to the marginally higher base operating frequency? Or is there some other factor that I've not considered.

    Our particular application involves running a real-time application (via ACRN hypervisor) and aiming for best possible performance using this class of processor (it's high bandwidth DSP), and I cannot seem to decide which of the two will be best fit. I have also seen mention of Intel Time Coordinated Computing — which seemingly includes RT features — in Atom E3900 series marketing literature, but then this will confusingly jump from talking about Atom to mentioning Celeron and Pentium processors, since these are also in the Apollo Lake family, without being clear if features such as TCC applies to them also.

  • DCleri
    DCleri Administrator, AAEON Posts: 1,213 admin

    The reason to choose the Pentium over the Atom was mainly to choose a configuration with the same amount of RAM and storage of the other 2 systems.

    Performance of Atom vs Pentium is similar, but Atom works better on sustained workload, while Pentium works better for short high peak workload.

    In general Atom is a better choice for industrial applications also due to its extended temperature range.

    Regarding TCC on Apollo Lake platform, it is available on the Atom SKU, but need to double check for more details.
    In your case I would suggest the Atom E3950.

    Also if you would like to share the use case with ACRN (which is really interesting) please feel free to do it in the community or contact us directly.