Benchmark: Math.abs speed vs multiply

Script Preparation code:

var x = -0.7
var abs = Math.abs

Tests:

Math.abs(x) <1
Math.abs(x) < 1
compare x*x <1
x*x < 1

Rendered benchmark preparation results:

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Previous results

Test case name	Result
Math.abs(x) <1
compare x*x <1

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Latest run results:

Run details: (Test run date: one year ago)

User agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/115.0.0.0 Safari/537.36

Browser/OS: Chrome 115 on Mac OS X 10.15.7

View result in a separate tab

Test name	Executions per second
Math.abs(x) <1	6569681.5 Ops/sec
compare x*x <1	9839886.0 Ops/sec

Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated 2 months ago):

LLMs can make mistakes. Check important info.

I'd be happy to explain the provided benchmark and its intricacies.

**Benchmark Overview**

The provided benchmark compares the performance of two approaches: using `Math.abs` and multiplying the number `x` by itself (`x*x`). The benchmark aims to determine which approach is faster for both conditions: when `x` is less than 1, and when `x` is not less than 1.

**Benchmark Preparation Code**

The script preparation code provides an initial value of `x = -0.7` and initializes the `abs` variable with the `Math.abs` function. This setup allows the benchmark to start measuring the performance differences between the two approaches from a common starting point.

**Test Cases**

There are two individual test cases:

1. `Math.abs(x) < 1`: This test case measures the performance of using the `Math.abs` function when checking if `x` is less than 1.
2. `compare x*x < 1`: This test case measures the performance of multiplying `x` by itself (`x*x`) when checking if `x` squared is less than 1.

**Library and Special JS Features**

In this benchmark, there is no specific library being used, but rather a part of the JavaScript standard library. The only notable mention is the use of `Math.abs`, which is a built-in function for calculating the absolute value of a number.

There are no special JavaScript features or syntax being tested in this benchmark.

**Approach Comparison**

The two approaches being compared are:

1. **Using `Math.abs`**: This approach uses the `Math.abs` function to calculate the absolute value of `x`. It is generally faster and more efficient than calculating `x*x`, especially for small negative values like `-0.7`.
2. **Multiplying by itself (`x*x`)**: This approach multiplies `x` by itself, which can lead to slower performance due to the multiplication operation.

**Pros and Cons**

**Using `Math.abs`:**

Pros:

* Faster execution speed
* More efficient for small negative values

Cons: None mentioned in this benchmark.

**Multiplying by itself (`x*x`)**

Pros:

None mentioned in this benchmark.

Cons:

* Slower execution speed compared to using `Math.abs`
* May lead to slower performance for large or complex calculations

**Other Considerations**

In general, when deciding between these two approaches, consider the specific use case and requirements. If you need to check if a value is negative but don't care about its absolute value, using `x*x` might be acceptable. However, if speed and efficiency are crucial, using `Math.abs` is generally a better choice.

**Alternative Approaches**

Other alternatives for calculating absolute values or comparing values include:

* `Number.isInteger(x)` (for checking if `x` is an integer)
* `Number.isNegative(x)` (for checking if `x` is negative)
* Custom implementations using bitwise operations

Keep in mind that the choice of approach depends on the specific requirements and performance needs of your project.

**Benchmark Considerations**

When running this benchmark, consider the following:

* Test cases: Ensure that test cases cover a range of values for `x`, including positive, negative, and zero values.
* Browser and device compatibility: The benchmark uses Chrome 115, but you may want to run it on other browsers or devices to ensure consistency.
* Execution environment: Be aware of the execution environment's limitations, such as memory constraints or resource availability.

By considering these factors, you can ensure that your benchmark provides accurate and reliable results.

Related benchmarks:

Math.abs speed vs multiply (version: 0)

Comparing performance of: Math.abs(x) <1 vs compare x*x <1

Created: one year ago by: Guest

Jump to the latest result

Math.abs(x) <1

compare x*x <1

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Experimental features:

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated 2 months ago):