w8io

The W8IO Antenna Site - NEC Benchmarks

(12 June 2023)


4NEC2 Software Benchmarks

There are many times when you have a large modeling problem or you have many smaller problems and you need the fastest system possible to solve the problem quickly. The NEC calculation speed is normally based on several factors including: type of CPU, clock speed, number of cores, cache memory, RAM, NEC software compiler, software author, etc.  The data in this page will help you choose which hardware and software system to use to obtain the best productivity.  For this comparison, I will use Windows operating system and Windows compatible hardware along with NEC executables that run inside of 4NEC2 v. 5.8.16, a popular GUI for NEC.

The multiprocessor version of NEC2 which was compiled by Athan Papadimitriou is no longer available from Athan. There are several people who have the original executeables in a zip file.  You can download this ZIP file from their web site. I can also provide these in a password-protected 7-Zip file if your anti-virus does not allow download of exe files in a normal zip file.

The first NEC Benchmark problem is a 52 element UHF LPDA with 2 parasitic directors in front.  This consists of 1353 segments, 51 transmission lines, no loads and 1 excitation point. The model name is LogYag220-520-15dbi.nec.

Simulation Parameters NEC Engine Operating System CPU Calculation Time
5 MHz steps, 200-520 MHz (65 steps)
2 degree resolution, azimuth plot		 NEC2/MP v. 1.50
by Athan Papadimitriou		 Windows 11, 22H2
 Dell Precision 5570 laptop workstation (Xu Da BG5TOX)
Intel Core i9-12900H   14 Cores, 20 threads  32 GB
Performance Cores: 6 cores, 12 threads, 2.5 GHz Base, 5 GHz turbo
Efficient Cores: 8 cores, 8 threads, 1.8 GHz Base, 3.8 Ghz Turbo
cache size: L1 1248 KB, L2 11.5 MB, L3 24 MB
CPU Mark = 28904
 38 seconds
same
 NEC2/MP v. 1.50 Windows 11 Home, 22H2 Lenovo IdeaPad 5 82SF000NUS laptop (W8IO)
Intel Core i7-1255U   10 Cores, 12 threads  16 GB
Performance Cores: 2 cores, 4 threads, 1.7 GHz
Efficient Cores: 8 cores, 8 threads, 1.2 GHz
cache size: L1 928 KB, L2 6.5 MB, L3 12 MB
CPU Mark = 13946		 37-38 seconds
sameNEC2/MP v. 1.50

Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel Core i7-7700 @3.6 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 32 GB RAM
CPU Mark = 8654
40.2 seconds
same
 NEC2/MP v. 1.50
 Windows 10 Pro for Workstations - 64 bit
 Intel Xeon E-2176M @2.7 GHz
(6 cores, 12 threads) 32 GB RAM
CPU Mark = 10916
 40.2 seconds
same
 NEC2 with LAPACK (64 bit)
9-23-2020 by Jim Lanier
GFORTRAN 5.4.0
 Windows 11, 22H2 Dell Precision 5570 laptop workstation (Xu Da BG5TOX)
Intel Core i9-12900H   14 Cores, 20 threads  32 GB
Performance Cores: 6 cores, 12 threads, 2.5 GHz Base, 5 GHz turbo
Efficient Cores: 8 cores, 8 threads, 1.8 GHz Base, 3.8 Ghz Turbo
cache size: L1 1248 KB, L2 11.5 MB, L3 24 MB		 42 seconds
(timed by watch because of bug)
same
NEC2/MP v. 1.50
Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel dual Xeon Gold 6154 @3.0 GHz
(36 cores, 72 threads) 128 GB RAM		45 seconds
same
 NEC42W64CL
(NEC 4.2)		 Windows 11, 22H2
 Dell Precision 5570 laptop workstation (Xu Da BG5TOX)
Intel Core i9-12900H   14 Cores, 20 threads  32 GB
Performance Cores: 6 cores, 12 threads, 2.5 GHz Base, 5 GHz turbo
Efficient Cores: 8 cores, 8 threads, 1.8 GHz Base, 3.8 Ghz Turbo
cache size: L1 1248 KB, L2 11.5 MB, L3 24 MB		 51 seconds
same
 NEC2/MP v. 1.50

 Windows 7 Professional SP1
64 bit
 Intel Core i7-4771 @3.5 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 16 GB RAM
 53 seconds
sameNEC2/MP v. 1.50

Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel dual Xeon E5-2643 @3.4 GHz
(6 cores, hyperthread OFF) 128 GB RAM		57 seconds
same
 NEC42W64CL
(NEC 4.2)		 Windows 10 Pro for Workstations - 64 bit Intel Xeon E-2176M @2.7 GHz
(6 cores, 12 threads) 32 GB RAM		 57 seconds
sameNEC42W64CL
(NEC 4.2)		Windows 7 Professional SP1
64 bit		Intel Core i7-4771 @3.5 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 16 GB RAM		66 seconds
sameNEC42W64CL
(NEC 4.2)		Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel dual Xeon Gold 6154 @3.0 GHz
(36 cores, 72 threads) 128 GB RAM		67 seconds
same NEC2/MP v. 1.50

 Windows 10 Home - 64 bit Intel Core i3-2120 @3.3 GHz
(2 cores, 4 threads) 6 GB RAM		 72.7 seconds
sameNEC42W64CL
(NEC 4.2  64 bit)		Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel dual Xeon E5-2643 @3.4 GHz
(6 cores, hyperthread OFF) 128 GB RAM		78 seconds
same
 NEC2 with LAPACK (64 bit)
9-16-2013 by Jim Lanier		 Windows 7 Professional SP1
64 bit		 Intel Core i7-4771 @3.5 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 16 GB RAM		 78 seconds
same
 NEC2 with LAPACK (32 bit)
9-16-2013 by Jim Lanier
GFORTRAN 4.8.1
 Windows 11, 22H2 Dell Precision 5570 laptop workstation (Xu Da BG5TOX)
Intel Core i9-12900H   14 Cores, 20 threads  32 GB
Performance Cores: 6 cores, 12 threads, 2.5 GHz Base, 5 GHz turbo
Efficient Cores: 8 cores, 8 threads, 1.8 GHz Base, 3.8 Ghz Turbo
cache size: L1 1248 KB, L2 11.5 MB, L3 24 MB		 81 seconds
(timed by watch because of bug)
sameNEC42W32CL
(NEC 4.2  32 bit)		Windows 7 Professional SP1
64 bit		Intel Core i7-4771 @3.5 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 16 GB RAM		88 seconds
sameNEC42W32CL
(NEC 4.2  32 bit)		Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel dual Xeon Gold 6154 @3.0 GHz
(36 cores, 72 threads) 128 GB RAM		89 seconds
sameNEC2/MP v. 1.50Windows 10 in VirtualBox 5.0.202.9 GHz Core i5 (iMac) - 4 cores95 seconds
sameNEC2/MP v. 1.50Windows 10 in VirtualBox 5.0.202.9 GHz Core i5 (iMac) - 2 cores116 seconds
sameNEC 4.2 compiled using
gfortran v. 6.2.0		 -O3 running on macOS Sierra2.9 GHz Core i5 (iMac)182 seconds
sameNEC 4.2 under CocoaNECiMac2.9 GHz Core i5, 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3228 seconds
same
 NEC2DXS from 4NEC2
v 2.7 30-Jan-08 by Arie Voors		 Windows 7 Professional SP1
64 bit		 Intel Core i7-4771 @3.5 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 16 GB RAM		 261 seconds
sameNEC2DXS from 4NEC2
v 2.7 30-Jan-08 by Arie Voors		Windows 10 Home - 64 bitIntel Core i7-2600K @3.4GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 8 GB RAM		301 seconds
same
 NEC2DXS from 4NEC2
 Windows 10 in VirtualBox 5.0.20
 2.9 GHz Core i5 (iMac)
 373 seconds
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The second NEC Benchmark problem is a whip antenna mounted on an 8 foot diameter grid ground plane.  This consists of 4392 segments, 0 transmission lines, 2 loads and 1 excitation point. The model name is whip_antenna_8ft_groundplane.nec.

Simulation Parameters NEC Engine Operating System CPU Calculation Time
1 MHz steps, 400-412 MHz (13 steps)
2 degree resolution, elevation plot		 NEC2/MP v. 1.50
by Athan Papadimitriou		 Windows 11, 22H2 Dell Precision 5570 laptop workstation (Xu Da BG5TOX)
Intel Core i9-12900H   14 Cores, 20 threads  32 GB
Performance Cores: 6 cores, 12 threads, 2.5 GHz Base, 5 GHz turbo
Efficient Cores: 8 cores, 8 threads, 1.8 GHz Base, 3.8 Ghz Turbo
cache size: L1 1248 KB, L2 11.5 MB, L3 24 MB
CPU Mark = 28904
 67.8 seconds
same
 NEC2/MP v. 1.50
 Windows 11 Home, 22H2
 Lenovo IdeaPad 5 82SF000NUS laptop (W8IO)
Intel Core i7-1255U   10 Cores, 12 threads  16 GB
Performance Cores: 2 cores, 4 threads, 1.7 GHz
Efficient Cores: 8 cores, 8 threads, 1.2 GHz
cache size: L1 928 KB, L2 6.5 MB, L3 12 MB
CPU Mark = 13946		 71-72 seconds
sameNEC2/MP v. 1.50

Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel dual Xeon Gold 6154 @3.0 GHz
(36 cores, 72 threads) 128 GB RAM		75 seconds
same
 NEC2/MP v. 1.50 Windows 10 Pro for Workstations - 64 bit Intel Xeon E-2176M @2.7 GHz
(6 cores, 12 threads) 32 GB RAM		 92 seconds
sameNEC2/MP v. 1.50
Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel Core i7-7700 @3.6 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 32 GB RAM		101.8 seconds
same
 NEC2/MP v. 1.50

 Windows 7 Professional SP1
64 bit
 Intel Core i7-4771 @3.5 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 16 GB RAM
 109.8 seconds
same
 NEC2 with LAPACK (64 bit)
9-23-2020 by Jim Lanier
GFORTRAN 5.4.0		 Windows 11, 22H2 Dell Precision 5570 laptop workstation (Xu Da BG5TOX)
Intel Core i9-12900H   14 Cores, 20 threads  32 GB
Performance Cores: 6 cores, 12 threads, 2.5 GHz Base, 5 GHz turbo
Efficient Cores: 8 cores, 8 threads, 1.8 GHz Base, 3.8 Ghz Turbo
cache size: L1 1248 KB, L2 11.5 MB, L3 24 MB		 122 seconds
(timed by watch because of bug)
sameNEC2/MP v. 1.50Windows 10 in VirtualBox 5.0.202.9 GHz Core i5 (iMac) - 4 cores160 seconds
same
 NEC42W64CL
(NEC 4.2  64 bit)		 Windows 11, 22H2 Dell Precision 5570 laptop workstation (Xu Da BG5TOX)
Intel Core i9-12900H   14 Cores, 20 threads  32 GB
Performance Cores: 6 cores, 12 threads, 2.5 GHz Base, 5 GHz turbo
Efficient Cores: 8 cores, 8 threads, 1.8 GHz Base, 3.8 Ghz Turbo
cache size: L1 1248 KB, L2 11.5 MB, L3 24 MB		 162.7 seconds
same NEC2/MP v. 1.50
 Windows 10 Home - 64 bit Intel Core i3-2120 @3.3 GHz
(2 cores, 4 threads) 6 GB RAM		 176 seconds
same
 NEC42W64CL
(NEC 4.2  64 bit)		 Windows 10 Pro for Workstations - 64 bit Intel Xeon E-2176M @2.7 GHz
(6 cores, 12 threads) 32 GB RAM		 179 seconds
sameNEC42W64CL
(NEC 4.2  64 bit)		Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel dual Xeon Gold 6154 @3.0 GHz
(36 cores, 72 threads) 128 GB RAM		204 seconds
sameNEC42W64CL
(NEC 4.2  64 bit)		Windows 7 Professional SP1
64 bit		Intel Core i7-4771 @3.5 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 16 GB RAM		205 seconds
same
 NEC2 with LAPACK (64 bit)
9-16-2013 by Jim Lanier		 Windows 7 Professional SP1
64 bit		 Intel Core i7-4771 @3.5 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 16 GB RAM		 236 seconds
sameNEC42W64CL
(NEC 4.2  64 bit)		Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel dual Xeon E5-2643 @3.4 GHz
(6 cores, hyperthread OFF) 128 GB RAM		244 seconds
sameNEC42W32CL
(NEC 4.2  32 bit)		Windows 10 Pro - 64 bitIntel dual Xeon Gold 6154 @3.0 GHz
(36 cores, 72 threads) 128 GB RAM		245 seconds
sameNEC42W32CL
(NEC 4.2  32 bit)		Windows 7 Professional SP1
64 bit		Intel Core i7-4771 @3.5 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 16 GB RAM		251 seconds
same
 NEC2 with LAPACK (32 bit)
9-16-2013 by Jim Lanier
GFORTRAN 4.8.1		 Windows 11, 22H2 Dell Precision 5570 laptop workstation (Xu Da BG5TOX)
Intel Core i9-12900H   14 Cores, 20 threads  32 GB
Performance Cores: 6 cores, 12 threads, 2.5 GHz Base, 5 GHz turbo
Efficient Cores: 8 cores, 8 threads, 1.8 GHz Base, 3.8 Ghz Turbo
cache size: L1 1248 KB, L2 11.5 MB, L3 24 MB		 265 seconds
(timed by watch because of bug)
sameNEC 4.2 compiled using
gfortran v. 6.2.0		 -O3 running on macOS Sierra2.9 GHz Core i5 (iMac)813 seconds
sameNEC 4.2 under CocoaNECiMac2.9 GHz Core i5, 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3825 seconds
same
 NEC2DXS from 4NEC2
v 2.7 30-Jan-08 by Arie Voors		 Windows 7 Professional SP1
64 bit		 Intel Core i7-4771 @3.5 GHz
(4 cores, 8 threads) 16 GB RAM		 1201 seconds
(20 minutes)
same
 NEC2DXS from 4NEC2 Windows 10 in VirtualBox 5.0.20 2.9 GHz Core i5 (iMac) 1607 seconds
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If you would like to submit a benchmark on your system, please download the 2 NEC files, run them and record the total calculation times at the bottom of the main window in 4NEC2. Send your information to my email address below. If you have a benchmark file that you would like to share, please send that too.

So, based on this information, what would be the ideal software and hardware to use for NEC? I would highly recommend NEC2/MP as the NEC engine and 4NEC2 as the GUI. Both are free and work together very well.  If you need to simulate HF Yagi antennas or other antennas with tapered elements/wires, you must use NEC4 (version 4.1 or 4.2) and the NEC42W64CL software works very well. For hardware, I would recommend an Intel Core i7 or Core i9 with as many cores/threads as possible and the highest clock rate - such as the Core i7-6950X at 3.0 GHz.  This has 10 cores and 20 threads! And the CPU alone costs $1450. For a more economical sytem, use the Core i7-6800K at 3.4 GHz or Core i7-7700K at 4.2 GHz. These CPU's are in the $320-370 range and systems can be found in the $800-$1000 range.

To run each file in 4NEC2, open the NEC file, select Calculate> NEC Output Data> Use Original File> Generate.

7-Zip file

Comments are welcome!

contact Roger: email to 

rgcox2 (at) gmail.com

Roger Cox - Spring Lake, MI