Here is the performance data:
Using platform: AMD Accelerated Parallel Processing Using device: gfx900:xnack- ds_write_b64 aligned by 8: 3.2 sec ds_write2_b32 aligned by 8: 3.2 sec ds_write_b16 * 4 aligned by 8: 7.0 sec ds_write_b8 * 8 aligned by 8: 13.2 sec ds_write_b64 aligned by 1: 7.3 sec ds_write2_b32 aligned by 1: 7.5 sec ds_write_b16 * 4 aligned by 1: 14.0 sec ds_write_b8 * 8 aligned by 1: 13.2 sec ds_write_b64 aligned by 2: 7.3 sec ds_write2_b32 aligned by 2: 7.5 sec ds_write_b16 * 4 aligned by 2: 7.1 sec ds_write_b8 * 8 aligned by 2: 13.3 sec ds_write_b64 aligned by 4: 4.6 sec ds_write2_b32 aligned by 4: 3.2 sec ds_write_b16 * 4 aligned by 4: 7.1 sec ds_write_b8 * 8 aligned by 4: 13.3 sec ds_read_b64 aligned by 8: 2.3 sec ds_read2_b32 aligned by 8: 2.2 sec ds_read_u16 * 4 aligned by 8: 4.8 sec ds_read_u8 * 8 aligned by 8: 8.6 sec ds_read_b64 aligned by 1: 4.4 sec ds_read2_b32 aligned by 1: 7.3 sec ds_read_u16 * 4 aligned by 1: 14.0 sec ds_read_u8 * 8 aligned by 1: 8.7 sec ds_read_b64 aligned by 2: 4.4 sec ds_read2_b32 aligned by 2: 7.3 sec ds_read_u16 * 4 aligned by 2: 4.8 sec ds_read_u8 * 8 aligned by 2: 8.7 sec ds_read_b64 aligned by 4: 4.4 sec ds_read2_b32 aligned by 4: 2.3 sec ds_read_u16 * 4 aligned by 4: 4.8 sec ds_read_u8 * 8 aligned by 4: 8.7 sec Using platform: AMD Accelerated Parallel Processing Using device: gfx1030 ds_write_b64 aligned by 8: 4.4 sec ds_write2_b32 aligned by 8: 4.3 sec ds_write_b16 * 4 aligned by 8: 7.9 sec ds_write_b8 * 8 aligned by 8: 13.0 sec ds_write_b64 aligned by 1: 23.2 sec ds_write2_b32 aligned by 1: 23.1 sec ds_write_b16 * 4 aligned by 1: 44.0 sec ds_write_b8 * 8 aligned by 1: 13.0 sec ds_write_b64 aligned by 2: 23.2 sec ds_write2_b32 aligned by 2: 23.1 sec ds_write_b16 * 4 aligned by 2: 7.9 sec ds_write_b8 * 8 aligned by 2: 13.1 sec ds_write_b64 aligned by 4: 13.5 sec ds_write2_b32 aligned by 4: 4.3 sec ds_write_b16 * 4 aligned by 4: 7.9 sec ds_write_b8 * 8 aligned by 4: 13.1 sec ds_read_b64 aligned by 8: 3.5 sec ds_read2_b32 aligned by 8: 3.4 sec ds_read_u16 * 4 aligned by 8: 5.3 sec ds_read_u8 * 8 aligned by 8: 8.5 sec ds_read_b64 aligned by 1: 13.1 sec ds_read2_b32 aligned by 1: 22.7 sec ds_read_u16 * 4 aligned by 1: 43.9 sec ds_read_u8 * 8 aligned by 1: 7.9 sec ds_read_b64 aligned by 2: 13.1 sec ds_read2_b32 aligned by 2: 22.7 sec ds_read_u16 * 4 aligned by 2: 5.6 sec ds_read_u8 * 8 aligned by 2: 7.9 sec ds_read_b64 aligned by 4: 13.1 sec ds_read2_b32 aligned by 4: 3.4 sec ds_read_u16 * 4 aligned by 4: 5.6 sec ds_read_u8 * 8 aligned by 4: 7.9 sec
GFX10 exposes a different pattern for sub-DWORD load/store performance
than GFX9. On GFX9 it is faster to issue a single unaligned load or
store than a fully split b8 access, where on GFX10 even a full split
is better. However, this is a theoretical only gain because splitting
an access to a sub-dword level will require more registers and packing/
unpacking logic, so ignoring this option it is better to use a single
64 bit instruction on a misaligned data with the exception of 4 byte
aligned data where ds_read2_b32/ds_write2_b32 is better.