pctechguide.com

  • Home
  • Guides
  • Tutorials
  • Articles
  • Reviews
  • Glossary
  • Contact

Multi-Core Processors

In October 1989, envisioning the future through the lens of Moore’s Law, four Intel technologists authored an article entitled Microprocessors Circa 2000 which predicted that multi-core processors could come to market soon after the turn of the century. Fifteen years later their predictions proved true, and multi-core processor capability development had become one of the top business and product initiatives for both Intel and rival chipmaker AMD.

Explained most simply, multi-core processor architecture entails silicon design engineers placing two or more processor-based computational engines within a single processor. This multi-core processor plugs directly into a single processor socket, but the operating system perceives each of its execution cores as a discrete logical processor with all the associated execution resources. This differs from Hyper-Threading technology, which computes with a single core using existing execution resources more efficiently to better enable threading.

By divvying up the computational work performed by a single microprocessor core in traditional microprocessors and spreading it over multiple execution cores, a multi-core processor can perform more work within a given clock cycle. To realise this performance gain, the software running on the platform must be written such that it can spread its workload across multiple execution cores. This functionality is called thread-level parallelism or threading. Applications and operating systems that are written to support it are referred to as threaded or multi-threaded.

A processor equipped with thread-level parallelism can execute completely separate threads of code. This can mean one thread running from an application and a second thread running from an operating system, or parallel threads running from within a single application. Thread-level parallelism is of particular benefit to many multimedia applications because many of their operations are capable of running in parallel.

When combined with Hyper-Threading, Intel dual-core processors will be able to process four software threads simultaneously by more efficiently using resources that otherwise may have remained idle:

Thread-level

The first Intel dual-core processor for desktop platforms, codenamed Smithfield and based on 90-nm process technology, debuted in 2005. The mainstream chip will be referred to as the Pentium D, and will be given a model number starting with 8. It will have Hyper-Threading disabled. The new dual core Pentium Extreme Edition will use the same numbering system as the Pentium D, and will differ only by having Hyper-Threading enabled.

  • Pentium Architecture
  • Pentium Pro
  • Pentium MMX Technology
  • Pentium II
  • Pentium SEC
  • Pentium “Deschutes
  • Pentium Xeon
  • Pentium III
  • Pentium Tualatin
  • Pentium 4
  • Pentium Northwood
  • Hyper-Threading Technology
  • Pentium Prescott
  • Pentium Processor Numbers
  • Multi-Core Processors
  • Pentium Smithfield
  • Pentium D
  • Pentium Roadmap

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Pentium CPUs

Latest Articles

Floppy Drive Installation BIOS Setup

To have the BIOS automatically detect the new drive and set its parameters you need to enter the Standard CMOS Setup category of the BIOS Setup and ensure that the IDE Master and Slave designations are correct for your current configuration. If a Master or Slave device is set to Disable or None … [Read More...]

Clean Booting

Click Start followed by Run. Type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. On the General tab, select Selective Startup, and then clear the Process System.ini File, Process Win.ini File, and Load Startup Items check boxes. (Note that you'll not be allowed to clear the Use Original … [Read More...]

4 Experts Share Insights on the Intersection of Tech Support & Business Growth

There is certainly no shortage of technology that businesses can leverage to grow and be more successful than competitors. The innovative tech streamlining a number of daily, monthly, and even quarterly business processes continues to enter the market in every industry. “Whether you're part of a … [Read More...]

2021 PC Hardware Releases to Bolster Your Gaming

If you are a PC gamer, then chances are you are looking to upgrade your kit over the coming year. However, a lot of money can go into building the … [Read More...]

New Transfer Feature in Dropbox Enable Sharing files with Third Parties

Dropbox has been a popular P2P sharing platform for many years. They don't announce new features as often as other applications, since they have a … [Read More...]

Ransomware Operators Find Data Theft Profitable

How valuable is your data? That’s not a question that organizations or individuals have to ask themselves all that often. You might know the market … [Read More...]

Engineers Encounter the Quantum Challenge with Computers Running a Hundred Million Times Faster

Quantum computers have been a subject of discussion for many years. They have probably been something that philosophers and technology pundits have … [Read More...]

Transferring Image Files from Your Cell Phone Without Cables or Email

You don't have a cable available to transfer the photos from your cell phone to your computer? You don't feel comfortable sending them through your … [Read More...]

Why Drupal Accessibility is Vital for Your Website

Drupal may not be as popular as WordPress, but it is still used in over 1 million websites. The Internet might be more conducive to our needs if more … [Read More...]

Guides

  • Computer Communications
  • Mobile Computing
  • PC Components
  • PC Data Storage
  • PC Input-Output
  • PC Multimedia
  • Processors (CPUs)

Recent Posts

Hard Drive Partitioning

If your second drive is a new, empty hard disk, you're going to have to first create a primary partition on the disk and then format a file system on … [Read More...]

LP to CD Burning

You can use any CD mastering application - such as Roxio's Easy CD Creator or Ahead's Nero Burning ROM - so burn your .wav files to CD. Since … [Read More...]

AMD Radeon™ R9 285 Graphics

The AMD Radeon R9 285, is the graphic card designed to meet the demand on maximum playing PC games better and faster like no other … [Read More...]

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2021 About | Privacy | Contact Information | Wrtie For Us | Disclaimer | Copyright License | Authors