A microbenchmark to study GPU performance models

Basic microarchitectural features of NVIDIA GPUs have been stable for a decade, and many analytic solutions were proposed to model their performance. We present a way to review, systematize, and evaluate these approaches by using a microbenchmark. In this manner, we produce a brief algebraic summary of key elements of selected performance models, identify patterns in their design, and highlight their previously unknown limitations. Also, we identify a potentially superior method for estimating performance based on classical work.