Dual core Processors?

[sq764]

I have heard people raving about the dual core processors that I am seeing on sale more and more. Are they THAT fast?

How do they compare to a simple Hyperthread processor?

[headhawg]

sq,

Hyper-threading allows the processor to allow multiple threads to be be run simultaneously, but this is more-or-less a trick -- a "virtual" second processor, if you will. You can expect about a 15-25% speed improvement over non-HTT processors assuming that an app can launch multiple threads.

Multi-core designs are the wave of the future and somewhat of the present. They also allow multiple threads. However, the main difference is that a multi-core processor combines two or more independent processors into a single package, often a single integrated circuit. You are more likely to see a performance boost with a multi-core than HTT as they are, for all practical purposes, two separate processors. Again, the biggest increase in performance will be with those apps that can run multiple threads. You will also see an increase in performance if you multitask -- run more than one CPU-hungry app at the same time, like storing to a db and burning a DVD.

One of the reasons that multi-cores are being manufactured is that previous single-core designs were reaching both a speed limit and a temperature limit. Increasing clock speeds causes a significant rise in temps. The way they were increasing was starting to cause concerns as a new cooling system would have been needed -- no more cheap heatsink/fan combos. More like liquid or phase-change cooling. Pretty expensive stuff, relatively speaking. So the current single-core design would have to be changed anyway, so AMD and Intel thought it wise to use current designs in a dual-core platform.

So if you were to make a purchase today you might be wise to go dual-core. Probably the exception to that is if you play the latest and greatest games. In that case, the way to go is still the fastest single-core processor you can afford (as well as the fastest video card).

HH