Accelerator Speeds: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 06:30, 3 May 2023

To better track IIe Accelerator testing this page has been created. Please update the table below with your findings.

As with any page on this Wiki, use the Discussion page (link above) to discuss your findings or related topics.

History

There were many accelerators for the Apple II over the years. Their speeds and processing ability have all been highly debated. This page was created to help document their test results, and may be updated by the Community.

On July 4th, 2017 Plamen Vaysilov (Пламен Вайсилов) modified SpeedTest for the IIe to use a No Slot Clock to more carefully time tests.

Software With Accelerator Issues

These titles are known to have issues with some accelerators.

PublishIt! v3

Antoine Vignau set up a spreadsheet with current known software issues for the FASTChip //e.

For the FASTChip //e to work correctly in 16 bit native mode (816 enabled) the CPU >MUST< be removed from your motherboard.
The FASTChip //e's compatibility with the Apple II/II+ is not guaranteed (page 26 of the manual).

Downloads / Software

As other software is written it will be posted here and the comparison charts updated / added.

SpeedTest v2.2.2 with NSC Patch. In "DSK" format.

SpeedTest Notes: All times are in SECONDS. TIME column is the time in seconds the test takes on YOUR system. RELATIVE column is how many times faster your test results are compared to a stock IIe. Higher scored INDEX tests are better. Lower scored READ/WRITE tests are better.

NOTE: To correctly test the UltraWarp you must do the following steps BEFORE testing.

Boot SpeedTest disk and load the SpeedTest program.
From the SpeedTest menu exit to BASIC.
Type CALL-151 and press Enter.
Type C081 and press Enter.
Type C081 again and press Enter. (both times are required)
Type D000<D000.FFFFM and press Enter.
Type C083 and press Enter.
Type 9DBFG and press Enter to get back to BASIC.
Type RUN to restart the SpeedTest program.

If you are testing an UltraWarp and do not perform these steps the program may not work correctly.

Accelerator Comparison

Notes: Some IIe systems may be slightly faster than others.
Running the SpeedTest program from a Mass Storage controller can influence some testing.
All testing should be done from a floppy disk for most consistent and accurate results to the chart.
A No Slot Clock is required for accurate test results.
Accelerator Speed Results Using "SpeedTest" for the II/+/e/c.
All Times In Seconds	//e 1.024MHz	IIc+ 4MHz	AE TransWarp 3.6MHz	AE TransWarp][ 7MHz	FastChip //e* 16.6MHz	FastChip //e* 20MHz	McT SpeedDemon Accelerator II	McT SpeedDemon Accelerator IIe	Titan Technologies Accelerator IIe	UltraWarp V1.91G 16.6MHz	ZIPChip 4 Mhz	ZIPChip 8 Mhz
CPU Index	1	3.605	3.083	5.760	15.23	17.61	3.150	3.160	2.970	13.59	3.782	6.022
Text Index	1	2.301	1.338	4.000	2.048	2.014	2.201	2.229	1.327	1.375	2.495	3.180
Video Index	1	3.632	2.519	5.822	5.086	5.184	3.229	3.274	2.310	4.365	3.925	6.130
	ABOVE Scores: Larger=Better / BELOW Scores: Smaller=Better
Memory Read	119.2	32	37	18	7	6	36	37	38	8	30	17
Memory Write	119.2	34	59	30	29	51	41	41	63	52	32	31
Memory Read (Zero Page)	119.6	32	37	18	7	6	37	36	38	7	30	17
Memory Write (Zero Page)	119.6	34	37	37	7	6	43	43	38	7	41	35
Indirect References	124	35	40	20	8	7	39	39	41	13	33	19
Branch Calculations	119.3	32	37	18	7	6	37	36	38	0	30	17
Register Variables	83.3	24	26	13	5	4	26	26	27	6	21	12
Instruction Fetch	114	31	35	17	7	6	35	35	37	8	30	17
CPU Instruction Mix	114	33	35	21	7	6	35	35	37	7	30	20
Direct Text Writes	115	36	67	24	43	43	38	37	67	63	34	26
Direct Text Writes #2	118	37	68	24	43	43	38	38	69	65	35	26
BIOS Text Write	117	224	208	51	161	187	247	246	211	241	232	202
Direct LoRes Writes	118	32	51	21	25	21	36	36	54	36	30	20
High-Res Memory Writes	114.5	32	42	19	21	18	36	35	47	21	29	18

*FastChip //e posted results were reported by designer prerelease. Since its release they have NOT been able to be independently verified by any user and have consistently been lower than what is posted. Several users have emailed ReActiveMicro about this and we are aware of it.
For the FASTChip //e to work correctly in 16 bit native mode (816 enabled) the CPU >MUST< be removed from your motherboard.
The FASTChip //e's compatibility with the Apple II/II+ is not guaranteed (page 26 of the manual).

AppleSqueezer

In 2022 AppleSqueezer was released. There are still no official test scores related to the above comparisons and if/when someone reports their results the table will be updated. Here is a user review of a real world comparrision of the AppleSqueezer vs TransWarp GS at the stock speed of 16MHz.

Apple IIGS Accelerator Showdown

There have been several limitations reported with the AppleSqueezer project. First and foremost was its DMA limit. No DMA is possible when the AppleSqueezer is installed. So the MicroDrive, Apple HighSpeed SCSI, RAMFast SCSI, VidHD, and several AE RAM Cards won't work if the AppleSqueezer is installed. So you lose all speed benefits that DMA can offer. This is no simple "update" that can fix with this the AppleSqueezer project as it needs connection to the slots to sense the DMA signal.

Second, due to the size of the AppleSqueezer it blocks slots 2 to 4 and almost no cards can be installed in those slots as they would hit or contact the AppleSqueezer.

Lastly, the motherboard CPU male mating header on the AppleSqueezer is a round male pin variety. These pins are at least 18mils wide and are outside the recommended mating spec with motherboard CPU dual wipe socket. So the CPU socket is "stretched" and there is a good chance that once you remove the AppleSqueezer the CPU or TransWarp CPU Cable will no longer mate well, or at all.