march

Tells the compiler to generate code for a specified processor.

IDE Equivalent

None

Architectures

IA-32, Intel® 64 architectures

Syntax

Linux:

-march=processor

Mac OS X:

None

Windows:

None

Arguments

processor

Is the processor for which the compiler should generate code. Possible values are:

pentium3

Generates code for Intel® Pentium® III processors.

pentium4

Generates code for Intel® Pentium® 4 processors.

core2

Generates code for the Intel® Core 2™ processor family.

Default

OFF or
-march=pentium4

On IA-32 architecture, the compiler does not generate processor-specific code unless it is told to do so. On systems using Intel® 64 architecture, the compiler generates code for Intel Pentium 4 processors.

Description

This option tells the compiler to generate code for a specified processor.

Specifying -march=pentium4 sets -mtune=pentium4.

For compatibility, a number of historical processor values are also supported, but the generated code will not differ from the default.

Optimization Notice

Intel® Compiler includes compiler options that optimize for instruction sets that are available in both Intel® and non-Intel microprocessors (for example SIMD instruction sets), but do not optimize equally for non-Intel microprocessors. In addition, certain compiler options for Intel® Compiler are reserved for Intel microprocessors. For a detailed description of these compiler options, including the instruction sets they implicate, please refer to "Intel® Compiler User and Reference Guides > Compiler Options". Many library routines that are part of Intel® Compiler are more highly optimized for Intel microprocessors than for other microprocessors. While the compilers and libraries in Intel® Compiler offer optimizations for both Intel and Intel-compatible microprocessors, depending on the options you select, your code and other factors, you likely will get extra performance on Intel microprocessors.

While the paragraph above describes the basic optimization approach for Intel® Compiler, with respect to Intel's compilers and associated libraries as a whole, Intel® Compiler may or may not optimize to the same degree for non-Intel microprocessors for optimizations that are not unique to Intel microprocessors. These optimizations include Intel® Streaming SIMD Extensions 2 (Intel® SSE2), Intel® Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 (Intel® SSE3), and Supplemental Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 (Intel® SSSE3) instruction sets and other optimizations. Intel does not guarantee the availability, functionality, or effectiveness of any optimization on microprocessors not manufactured by Intel. Microprocessor-dependent optimizations in this product are intended for use with Intel microprocessors.

Intel recommends that you evaluate other compilers to determine which best meet your requirements.

Alternate Options

-march=pentium3

Linux: -xSSE

Mac OS X: None

Windows: None

-march=pentium4

Linux: -xSSE2

Mac OS X: None

Windows: None

-march=core2

Linux: -xSSSE3

Mac OS X: None

Windows: None


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