Two in One – Understanding Dual-Core Processors

• By Scott Mueller
• May 16, 2005
• Article is provided courtesy of Que

From the author of
Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 16th Edition

Introduction

Workstations and servers have long enjoyed the benefits of multiple processors, such as:

• Better responsiveness when running multiple applications
• Faster performance of a single multi-threaded application
• Better throughput for business and creativity applications at lower clock speeds than a single faster processor

However, the high cost of multi-processor motherboards and multiple processors have kept most desktop computer users from enjoying the same benefits.

The new dual-core processors Intel and AMD have introduced are designed to bring the benefits of multi-processor operation to desktop systems by placing two processor cores in a single physical package. This article discusses the benefits you can expect to get from moving to a dual-core processor, how Intel and AMD approaches differ, what upgrades you must perform before you can install a dual-core processor in an existing system, and what the future holds for dual-core systems.