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Dual Core Processing: Over-simplified, demystified and explained.
MediaMan
September 9, 2004 12:42 AM ET in Tech
To SMP or not to SMP?
The processor engineers have probably already thought about tackling the SMP situation. What good is a dual core processor if the software only recognizes and then uses only one of the cores? The majority of software is not written to utilize multithreading at present. This breaks open a whole new can of worms in concepts of parallel computing.
Intel’s Hyper-Threading is a single processor logical variation of dual core processors. AMD has just taken it one step further with two physical cores on one processor die. Could AMD’s engineers have cracked the hardware problem of a dual core processor and load balancing a program that isn’t written for multithreading?
This is where dual core processors could fall short of expectations for mainstream users. If the software cannot “see” the second processor then it will not benefit from it. Programs, such as Adobe Photoshop, are SMP aware and are much faster on a dual processor system. There is no doubt that a program like Photoshop will be much faster on a dual core system than its single core counterpart. The majority of operating systems do recognize and support at least two processors. There is some load balancing of non-SMP applications but not as efficiently as those written for multithreading.
The bottom line…for now
The benefit will come for users who multitask. As in a dual processor system there is a second processor core to share the load either in balanced form or by itself. If one processor is busy burning a DVD then the second is available to, I don’t know, bake bread. The point is there are now two pairs of processor hands to execute multiple tasks simultaneously.
For the home enthusiast it mean less processor hiccups while playing DOOM III and, at the same time, burning a DVD or listening to music.
Dual core processors brings a whole new twist to server environments. Dual or quad servers based on the 940-pin Opteron processor may be on the road to some staggering performance results. AMD recently demonstrated a 4-socket HP ProLiant DL585 server powered by 4 dual core Opteron processors. Think about it. That’s like 8 processors for the price of four. It boggles the mind to think of dual core on an 8-way system.
For the processor manufacturer dual core means a less expensive route to producing a new product that continues the performance curve. The PR Rating numbers will be interesting. A dual core Opteron that has two 2.4 GHz cores won’t be classified as a 3800+, for example, or twice that at a 7600+. Since AMD dual core processors are going to be released in the 940-pin flavor first then it will be an FX. Most likely the FX-57 which brings up the question of “where’d FX-55 go?”
Nevertheless there will be the performance increase and getting the consumers head wrapped around dual core as better will be a challenge. The public believes that two processors are better than one but also expensive. There are two processors (or more) to buy, a multi-processor motherboard, special RAM and so on. With dual core processor technology there isn’t the added cost of a second physical processor. The manufacturing process is very close to single core cost so, it is hoped, that the dual core processor won’t have a shocking sticker price. It will, obviously, be more as the newest and fastest always does cost more but it has to be less than the total of two comparable Opteron processors.
Dual core processors will also be hard to slot into the gigahertz realm of public comprehension. Does “Two 2.4 GHz cores” sound slower or faster than the same processor described as a “3.6 GHz comparable”? It’s for certain that the two core clock speeds won’t be combined for a gigahertz rating but a comparable gigahertz rating will be assigned for those still stuck comparing which number is bigger in the gigahertz wars.
Bottom line it’s what we’ve been saying for a year now. It’s the mushroom effect. For AMD it isn’t so much about do it faster….it’s about do more of it faster.
AMD must be feeling smug by now because many had foretold of the end of the 940-pin era for the desktop and workstation. Opteron indeed is alive and well for the server but it will again be heard roaring in the enthusiast and desktop market.
More on AMD and dual-core processors at the AMD website.
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