Results: Audio And Video Encoding
Our iTunes workload is single-threaded, as is LAME. Lower clock rates and an older architecture consequently hurt the current build's performance in both lightweight benchmarks. An Ivy Bridge-E-based processor could have helped a little bit, but we simply have to accept that the highest-end CPUs are built for heavier lifting.
HandBrake and TotalCode Studio are both optimized for at least six cores, though the current build’s lower frequency and older core architecture reduce its lead.