Our IPC (Instructions Per Clock) test was designed to evolve and improve over time. We ensure that the cores of all processors are set to a fixed speed of 3500 MHz. This standardization allows us to evaluate the efficiency of a processor's architecture when each core operates at the same speed, focusing on single-thread performance. Many experts consider this the ultimate test for determining the true speed of a processor's architecture on a per-core basis. However, we believe there's more to a processor's performance than just this measurement. Factors such as how well a processor handles different power states (P-states), its cache sizes, and memory response times also play crucial roles in defining per-core performance. Essentially, a higher IPC combined with a higher clock speed results in better overall performance. Currently, Intel's RaptorLake and AMD's Zen4 processors take the lead in providing the best IPC per core. However, Intel processors achieve higher clock speeds, which contributes to their accumulated performance advantage.

Upon verifying that the architecture in question is Alder Lake, we found it to be approximately 1% better in IPC compared to its predecessor. This indicates that improvements in clock speed are likely the main avenue for enhancing single-thread performance in this generation of processors.