Why is this AVX code slower? - c++

Question

Updated: 19 Aug. 2017, 16:49 UTC
I’m writing an AVX code to multiply a vector with 4 billion components by a constant, however, I see no difference between my small -- I hope -- optimized AVX code and the long scalar compiler optimized version.
Both versions run between 410 ms - 400 ms.
Can someone tell me why it is occurring?
And why the large assembly generated by the compiler code takes almost the same time even it's larger ?
It's an important question, because if small computations -- like this multiplication -- have no improvement then it has no sense to use made the manual code in an Intel Core CPU. Perhaps in an Intel Xeon ( with 16 components ) or for more complex computations.
I'm compiling with G++ with parameters:
g++ -O3 -mtune=native -march=native -mavx -g3 -Wall -c -fmessage-length=0 -MMD -MP -MF"src/Test AVX.d" -MT"src/Test\ AVX.d" -o "src/Test AVX.o" "../src/Test AVX.cpp"
My CPU is a Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-5200U CPU # 2.20GHz.
There is the AVX code:
/**
* Run AVX Code
*/
void AVX() {
// Loop control
uint_fast32_t loop = 0;
// The constant
__m256 _const = _mm256_set1_ps(5.0f);
// The register for multiplication
__m256 _ymm0 = _mm256_setzero_ps();
// A "buffer" between the vector and the YMM0 register
float f_data[8];
// The main loop
for ( loop = 0 ; loop < SIZE ; loop = loop + 8 ) {
// Load to buffer
f_data[0] = vector[loop];
f_data[1] = vector[loop+1];
f_data[2] = vector[loop+2];
f_data[3] = vector[loop+3];
f_data[4] = vector[loop+4];
f_data[5] = vector[loop+5];
f_data[6] = vector[loop+6];
f_data[7] = vector[loop+7];
/*
* I tried to use pointers insted to copy
* the data, but the software crash
*
* float **f_data;
* f_data = float*[8];
*
* f_data[0] = &vector[loop];
* ...
*
*/
// Load to XMM and YMM Registers
_ymm0 = _mm256_load_ps(f_data);
// Do the multiplication
_ymm0 = _mm256_mul_ps(_ymm0,_const);
// Copy the results from the register to the "buffer"
_mm256_store_ps(f_data,_ymm0);
// Copy from the "buffer" to the vector
vector[loop] = f_data[0];
vector[loop+1] = f_data[1];
vector[loop+2] = f_data[2];
vector[loop+3] = f_data[3];
vector[loop+4] = f_data[4];
vector[loop+5] = f_data[5];
vector[loop+6] = f_data[6];
vector[loop+7] = f_data[7];
}
}
The AVX assembled:
0000000000400de0 <_Z3AVXv>:
400de0: 48 8b 05 b1 13 20 00 mov rax,QWORD PTR [rip+0x2013b1] # 602198 <vector>
400de7: c5 fc 28 0d 71 06 00 vmovaps ymm1,YMMWORD PTR [rip+0x671] # 401460 <_IO_stdin_used+0x40>
400dee: 00
400def: 48 8d 90 00 00 00 40 lea rdx,[rax+0x40000000]
400df6: 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 nop WORD PTR cs:[rax+rax*1+0x0]
400dfd: 00 00 00
400e00: c5 f4 59 00 vmulps ymm0,ymm1,YMMWORD PTR [rax]
400e04: 48 83 c0 20 add rax,0x20
400e08: c5 fc 11 40 e0 vmovups YMMWORD PTR [rax-0x20],ymm0
400e0d: 48 39 c2 cmp rdx,rax
400e10: 75 ee jne 400e00 <_Z3AVXv+0x20>
400e12: c5 f8 77 vzeroupper
400e15: c3 ret
400e16: 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 nop WORD PTR cs:[rax+rax*1+0x0]
400e1d: 00 00 00
The Serial Version:
/**
* Run Compiler optimized version
*/
void Serial() {
uint_fast32_t loop;
// Do the multiplication
for ( loop = 0 ; loop < SIZE ; loop ++)
vector[loop] *= 5;
}
The serial assembled:
It's more large, move the data more times and take almost the same time. How it's possible ?
0000000000400e80 <_Z6Serialv>:
400e80: 48 8b 35 11 13 20 00 mov rsi,QWORD PTR [rip+0x201311] # 602198 <vector>
400e87: 48 89 f0 mov rax,rsi
400e8a: 48 c1 e8 02 shr rax,0x2
400e8e: 48 f7 d8 neg rax
400e91: 83 e0 07 and eax,0x7
400e94: 0f 84 96 01 00 00 je 401030 <_Z6Serialv+0x1b0>
400e9a: c5 fa 10 05 7a 04 00 vmovss xmm0,DWORD PTR [rip+0x47a] # 40131c <_IO_stdin_used+0x1c>
400ea1: 00
400ea2: c5 fa 59 0e vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rsi]
400ea6: c5 fa 11 0e vmovss DWORD PTR [rsi],xmm1
400eaa: 48 83 f8 01 cmp rax,0x1
400eae: 0f 84 8c 01 00 00 je 401040 <_Z6Serialv+0x1c0>
400eb4: c5 fa 59 4e 04 vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rsi+0x4]
400eb9: c5 fa 11 4e 04 vmovss DWORD PTR [rsi+0x4],xmm1
400ebe: 48 83 f8 02 cmp rax,0x2
400ec2: 0f 84 89 01 00 00 je 401051 <_Z6Serialv+0x1d1>
400ec8: c5 fa 59 4e 08 vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rsi+0x8]
400ecd: c5 fa 11 4e 08 vmovss DWORD PTR [rsi+0x8],xmm1
400ed2: 48 83 f8 03 cmp rax,0x3
400ed6: 0f 84 86 01 00 00 je 401062 <_Z6Serialv+0x1e2>
400edc: c5 fa 59 4e 0c vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rsi+0xc]
400ee1: c5 fa 11 4e 0c vmovss DWORD PTR [rsi+0xc],xmm1
400ee6: 48 83 f8 04 cmp rax,0x4
400eea: 0f 84 2d 01 00 00 je 40101d <_Z6Serialv+0x19d>
400ef0: c5 fa 59 4e 10 vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rsi+0x10]
400ef5: c5 fa 11 4e 10 vmovss DWORD PTR [rsi+0x10],xmm1
400efa: 48 83 f8 05 cmp rax,0x5
400efe: 0f 84 6f 01 00 00 je 401073 <_Z6Serialv+0x1f3>
400f04: c5 fa 59 4e 14 vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rsi+0x14]
400f09: c5 fa 11 4e 14 vmovss DWORD PTR [rsi+0x14],xmm1
400f0e: 48 83 f8 06 cmp rax,0x6
400f12: 0f 84 6c 01 00 00 je 401084 <_Z6Serialv+0x204>
400f18: c5 fa 59 46 18 vmulss xmm0,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rsi+0x18]
400f1d: 41 b9 f9 ff ff 0f mov r9d,0xffffff9
400f23: 41 ba 07 00 00 00 mov r10d,0x7
400f29: c5 fa 11 46 18 vmovss DWORD PTR [rsi+0x18],xmm0
400f2e: 41 b8 00 00 00 10 mov r8d,0x10000000
400f34: c5 fc 28 0d 04 04 00 vmovaps ymm1,YMMWORD PTR [rip+0x404] # 401340 <_IO_stdin_used+0x40>
400f3b: 00
400f3c: 48 8d 0c 86 lea rcx,[rsi+rax*4]
400f40: 31 d2 xor edx,edx
400f42: 49 29 c0 sub r8,rax
400f45: 31 c0 xor eax,eax
400f47: 4c 89 c7 mov rdi,r8
400f4a: 48 c1 ef 03 shr rdi,0x3
400f4e: 66 90 xchg ax,ax
400f50: c5 f4 59 04 01 vmulps ymm0,ymm1,YMMWORD PTR [rcx+rax*1]
400f55: 48 83 c2 01 add rdx,0x1
400f59: c5 fc 29 04 01 vmovaps YMMWORD PTR [rcx+rax*1],ymm0
400f5e: 48 83 c0 20 add rax,0x20
400f62: 48 39 d7 cmp rdi,rdx
400f65: 77 e9 ja 400f50 <_Z6Serialv+0xd0>
400f67: 4c 89 c1 mov rcx,r8
400f6a: 4c 89 ca mov rdx,r9
400f6d: 48 83 e1 f8 and rcx,0xfffffffffffffff8
400f71: 49 8d 04 0a lea rax,[r10+rcx*1]
400f75: 48 29 ca sub rdx,rcx
400f78: 49 39 c8 cmp r8,rcx
400f7b: 0f 84 98 00 00 00 je 401019 <_Z6Serialv+0x199>
400f81: 48 8d 0c 86 lea rcx,[rsi+rax*4]
400f85: c5 fa 10 05 8f 03 00 vmovss xmm0,DWORD PTR [rip+0x38f] # 40131c <_IO_stdin_used+0x1c>
400f8c: 00
400f8d: c5 fa 59 09 vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rcx]
400f91: c5 fa 11 09 vmovss DWORD PTR [rcx],xmm1
400f95: 48 8d 48 01 lea rcx,[rax+0x1]
400f99: 48 83 fa 01 cmp rdx,0x1
400f9d: 74 7a je 401019 <_Z6Serialv+0x199>
400f9f: 48 8d 0c 8e lea rcx,[rsi+rcx*4]
400fa3: c5 fa 59 09 vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rcx]
400fa7: c5 fa 11 09 vmovss DWORD PTR [rcx],xmm1
400fab: 48 8d 48 02 lea rcx,[rax+0x2]
400faf: 48 83 fa 02 cmp rdx,0x2
400fb3: 74 64 je 401019 <_Z6Serialv+0x199>
400fb5: 48 8d 0c 8e lea rcx,[rsi+rcx*4]
400fb9: c5 fa 59 09 vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rcx]
400fbd: c5 fa 11 09 vmovss DWORD PTR [rcx],xmm1
400fc1: 48 8d 48 03 lea rcx,[rax+0x3]
400fc5: 48 83 fa 03 cmp rdx,0x3
400fc9: 74 4e je 401019 <_Z6Serialv+0x199>
400fcb: 48 8d 0c 8e lea rcx,[rsi+rcx*4]
400fcf: c5 fa 59 09 vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rcx]
400fd3: c5 fa 11 09 vmovss DWORD PTR [rcx],xmm1
400fd7: 48 8d 48 04 lea rcx,[rax+0x4]
400fdb: 48 83 fa 04 cmp rdx,0x4
400fdf: 74 38 je 401019 <_Z6Serialv+0x199>
400fe1: 48 8d 0c 8e lea rcx,[rsi+rcx*4]
400fe5: c5 fa 59 09 vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rcx]
400fe9: c5 fa 11 09 vmovss DWORD PTR [rcx],xmm1
400fed: 48 8d 48 05 lea rcx,[rax+0x5]
400ff1: 48 83 fa 05 cmp rdx,0x5
400ff5: 74 22 je 401019 <_Z6Serialv+0x199>
400ff7: 48 8d 0c 8e lea rcx,[rsi+rcx*4]
400ffb: 48 83 c0 06 add rax,0x6
400fff: c5 fa 59 09 vmulss xmm1,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rcx]
401003: c5 fa 11 09 vmovss DWORD PTR [rcx],xmm1
401007: 48 83 fa 06 cmp rdx,0x6
40100b: 74 0c je 401019 <_Z6Serialv+0x199>
40100d: 48 8d 04 86 lea rax,[rsi+rax*4]
401011: c5 fa 59 00 vmulss xmm0,xmm0,DWORD PTR [rax]
401015: c5 fa 11 00 vmovss DWORD PTR [rax],xmm0
401019: c5 f8 77 vzeroupper
40101c: c3 ret
40101d: 41 ba 04 00 00 00 mov r10d,0x4
401023: 41 b9 fc ff ff 0f mov r9d,0xffffffc
401029: e9 00 ff ff ff jmp 400f2e <_Z6Serialv+0xae>
40102e: 66 90 xchg ax,ax
401030: 41 b9 00 00 00 10 mov r9d,0x10000000
401036: 45 31 d2 xor r10d,r10d
401039: e9 f0 fe ff ff jmp 400f2e <_Z6Serialv+0xae>
40103e: 66 90 xchg ax,ax
401040: 41 b9 ff ff ff 0f mov r9d,0xfffffff
401046: 41 ba 01 00 00 00 mov r10d,0x1
40104c: e9 dd fe ff ff jmp 400f2e <_Z6Serialv+0xae>
401051: 41 ba 02 00 00 00 mov r10d,0x2
401057: 41 b9 fe ff ff 0f mov r9d,0xffffffe
40105d: e9 cc fe ff ff jmp 400f2e <_Z6Serialv+0xae>
401062: 41 ba 03 00 00 00 mov r10d,0x3
401068: 41 b9 fd ff ff 0f mov r9d,0xffffffd
40106e: e9 bb fe ff ff jmp 400f2e <_Z6Serialv+0xae>
401073: 41 ba 05 00 00 00 mov r10d,0x5
401079: 41 b9 fb ff ff 0f mov r9d,0xffffffb
40107f: e9 aa fe ff ff jmp 400f2e <_Z6Serialv+0xae>
401084: 41 ba 06 00 00 00 mov r10d,0x6
40108a: 41 b9 fa ff ff 0f mov r9d,0xffffffa
401090: e9 99 fe ff ff jmp 400f2e <_Z6Serialv+0xae>
401095: 90 nop
401096: 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 nop WORD PTR cs:[rax+rax*1+0x0]
40109d: 00 00 00
The full code:
#include <iostream>
#include <xmmintrin.h>
#include <immintrin.h>
using namespace std;
/**
* The vector size
* 268435456 -> 32*8388608 -> 2^32
*/
#define SIZE 268435456
/**
* The vector for computations
*/
float *vector;
/**
* Run AVX Code
*/
void AVX() { ... }
/**
* Run Compiler optimized version
*/
void Serial() { ... }
/**
* Create the vector
*/
void create() {
vector = new float[SIZE];
}
/**
* Fill the vector with data
* to be used for validation
*/
void fill() {
uint_fast32_t loop = 0;
// Fill the vector
for ( loop = 0 ; loop < SIZE ; loop++ )
vector[loop] = 1;
}
/**
* A validation to ensure the compiler have
* computed all the vector data
*/
void validation() {
// The loop variable
unsigned long loop = 0;
unsigned long errors = 0;
unsigned long checks = 0;
for ( loop = 0 ; loop < SIZE ; loop ++ ) {
// All the vector must be 5
if ( vector[loop] != 5 ) {
errors ++;
// To avoid to show too many errors
if ( errors < 12 )
std::cout << loop << ": " << vector[loop] << std::endl;
}
checks ++;
}
// The result
std::cout << "Errors: " << errors << "\nChecks: " << checks << std::endl;
}
int main() {
// Create the vector
create();
// Fill with data
//fill();
// The tests
//Serial();
AVX();
/*
* To ensure that the g++ optimization have executed the loop
*/
//validation();
}
Compiled with:
g++ -O3 -mtune=native -march=native -mavx -g3 -Wall -c -fmessage-length=0 -MMD -MP -MF"src/Test AVX.d" -MT"src/Test\ AVX.d" -o "src/Test AVX.o" "../src/Test AVX.cpp"

Answer 1

Multiplying by 5 is so trivial that you should do that on the fly next time you read the array, or fold it into the code that wrote this array. Loading all that data from RAM into the CPU and storing it back again just to multiply by 5.0 is not efficient.
If you can't just fold it into a different pass of your algorithm, try cache-blocking aka loop-tiling to run multiple steps of your algorithm over a part of this array that fits into cache, before moving on to the next cache-sized block.
Your scalar code auto-vectorizes to nearly the same inner loop as your manually-vectorized version. Neither one is unrolled at all.
The extra code size in gcc's version is just scalar startup / cleanup so its inner loop can use aligned loads/stores. gcc fully unrolls those loops.
Also note that your manually-vectorized code doesn't handle the case where SIZE is not a multiple of 8. (gcc does handle the cleanup at the end even then, because it doesn't know where the alignment boundary will be.)
clang usually just uses unaligned loads/stores on arrays that it can't prove at compile time are always aligned. gcc's default behaviour is maybe good for large arrays that actually are misaligned at run-time, but a total waste of I-cache and branches for cases where the data is in fact aligned at run time most of the time, or for small arrays where doing a bunch of branching and scalar iterations isn't worth it.
The inner loops are nearly the same. In your manually vectorized version, gcc managed to optimize away the element-by-element copy through f_data and emit what you would get from _mm256_loadu_ps(&vector[loop]), instead of actually copying to a local and then doing a vector load. And same for storing back into vector[], luckily for you.
# top of inner loop in the manually-vectorized version:
400e00: c5 f4 59 00 vmulps ymm0,ymm1,YMMWORD PTR [rax]
400e04: 48 83 c0 20 add rax,0x20
400e08: c5 fc 11 40 e0 vmovups YMMWORD PTR [rax-0x20],ymm0
400e0d: 48 39 c2 cmp rdx,rax
400e10: 75 ee jne 400e00 <_Z3AVXv+0x20>
gcc's inner loop uses a loop counter separate from the pointer, so it has an extra instruction, and it uses an indexed addressing mode. vmulps ymm0,ymm1,YMMWORD PTR [rcx+rax*1] can't stay micro-fused on Haswell, so it will issue as 2 fused-domain uops.
# top of gcc's inner loop:
400f50: c5 f4 59 04 01 vmulps ymm0,ymm1,YMMWORD PTR [rcx+rax*1]
400f55: 48 83 c2 01 add rdx,0x1
400f59: c5 fc 29 04 01 vmovaps YMMWORD PTR [rcx+rax*1],ymm0
400f5e: 48 83 c0 20 add rax,0x20
400f62: 48 39 d7 cmp rdi,rdx
400f65: 77 e9 ja 400f50 <_Z6Serialv+0xd0>
The extra add instruction is another extra uop. This is 6 fused-domain uops (and thus can run at best one iteration per 1.5 cycles, bottlenecked on the front-end).
Your manual version is only 4 fused-domain uops, so it can issue at 1 per clock. It can in theory run that fast if the buffer is hot in L1D cache (or maybe L2), also limited by 1 store per clock.
Of course, since you're running it over a giant buffer, you just bottleneck on memory bandwidth. The minor front-end bottleneck in the auto-vectorized version is a total non-issue. Even an SSE2 version would barely run slower.
You said something about a Xeon with 16 cores. If you want gcc to auto-parallelize as well as SIMD vectorize, you could use OpenMP. As it is, your code is purely single-threaded.