Stockfish 7 bmi2 and popcnt

[BobbyC]

Can anyone tell me the difference between bmi2 and popcnt versions? I am trying to figure out which version of stockfish 7 to use on my laptop. I have Windows 10 64bit and a core i7 6700HQ cpu, also 16gb ram. Thanks

[BobbyC]

Thx SzG, it's been a long time since I was experienced in computer chess software. I am just getting back into it and I am very new and rusty. When you say "use the faster one" I am trying to understand which version is "faster" or "compatible". I am sorry if my question seems "dumb" or whatever to you.

[BobbyC]

Thx SzG, it's been a long time since I was experienced in computer chess software. I am just getting back into it and I am very new and rusty. When you say "use the faster one" I am trying to understand which version is "faster" or "compatible". I am sorry if my question seems "dumb" or whatever to you.

I am not an expert on CPU's, therefore in all individual cases I decide based on experience. If both versions run on my CPU then I use the faster one. To determine which one is faster is easy: you install them and tell them to analyze a position (normally I use the traditional starting position) and watch which produces the higher nodes per second.

I guess your CPU is BMI2 capable and the BMI2 Stockfish is going to run slightly faster than the other. At least that's how it is on my PC.

Thanks, I did a test and indeed BMI is slightly faster. My CPU is configured for a laptop so it has this annoying speed boost which increases the MHz from like 2.6 up to 3.4 and until I can stress out the CPU it's a pain comparing Knps between the different versions, lol

[jpqy]

Hi Bobby,

For sure use BMI2 compiles..they are fastest for your system!

Download this little tool CPU-Z and you will see all Instructions your cpu can handle and you will see AVX2 -> =can handle BMI2 compiles!

Good luck with your system..
JP.