The two primary competitors in the computer chip business, Intel and AMD, have battled for years to produce the leading edge, fastest central processing unit (CPU). For the most part, speed gains have resulted from increasing the number of processing cycles per second to the point where speeds are almost incomprehensible. But as processor speeds approached 3 gigahertz (that is, 3 billion cycles per second), the added heat and energy consumption that resulted actually started to offset the benefits. Manufacturers decided that increased processing power required not just faster clock cycles, but multiple processors.
I recently read an informative article on the TechRepublic website that explained the genesis of what is called dual-core technology, and the marketing paths taken by Intel and AMD. I have borrowed freely from that on-line white paper in compiling the article you are currently reading, while trying to condense and simplify the information. Bear in mind that the computer chip industry long ago passed the point where any new machine has more than enough speed to satisfy the vast majority of casual users who restrict their needs to email, web searching, word processing, and simple applications. Still, as these dual-core processors come down in price and form the new backbone of the retail PC business, it will be helpful to equip yourself with a familiarity of some of the new terminology, especially if you find yourself in the market for a new PC.
Dual-core processors contain two processor cores on one chip. By doing so, they can process two streams of data at the same time, which is most effective when running programs designed to take advantage of their capability – most typically audio and video editing applications. The dual core processors generally run at lower cycle speeds than their single core predecessors. Their goal is to improve performance per clock cycle rather than continue to increase cycles themselves.
Intel has actually moved away from its well-known Pentium brand as it has moved
into dual-core technology. The Pentium-D and Pentium Extreme were pretty much
the last of the Pentiums, and were attempts to move to dual-processors by
placing two Pentium 4 dies into a single package. While very powerful, the
processors still had to deal with high heat and energy consumption. Intel is
now marketing its new “Core” lineup, which at a high level looks like this:
Core Duo – two 32-bit processors set into a single die, utilizing low heat and low voltage technologies. The Core Duo was targeted specifically at mobile computers (laptops) while the Pentium-D was rolling out for desktop machines.
Core 2 Duo – designed for both desktop and laptop machines, the Core 2 Duo incorporates 64-bit technology. The advantage of a 64-bit processor over a 32-bit unit lies in its ability to address far more memory, though the operating system and application software must be designed to take advantage of that capability. The Core 2 Duo may be the best choice today if you are looking for an Intel-based machine.
Core 2 Extreme – an enhanced dual core processor aimed at high-end gamers and people who work with digital media.
Each of the above three processor lines have multiple offerings with various levels of clock speed, on-chip cache memory, bus speeds, and voltages.
If you’re an AMD fan, you’ll find equally powerful offerings though in fewer
model lines:
Athlon 64 X2 – the X2 signifies that you are looking at a dual-core, 64-bit processor. The higher the model number, the faster the speed, with model numbers currently ranging from 3800+ to 5600+.
Athlon 64 FX – This version incorporates even higher clock speeds and other enhancements for no-holds-barred gamers and digital media professionals. FX processors are available in dual and quad core versions.
Turion 64 X2 – this is AMD’s low power, low heat, dual core processor designed for use in mobile computers.
The TechRepublic article includes detailed listings of model numbers, bus speeds, clock speeds, and cache levels by CPU class. If interested in that level of detail, check it out at http://articles.techrepublic.com/5102-10877-6151205.html.