Console Bliss

If you have been looking for a computer lately you have probably been hearing buzz words like “dual core” or even “quad core”, but what exactly does that mean?  Many people confuse a dual processor system with a dual core processor system.  There is a big difference between the two.

A dual processor system means that the computer has two separate computer processors which are often on two seperate motherboards.  Think of a dual processor system as two computers that are linked together to share some of the work load, even though they have separate operations they each have to take care of.

A dual core processor system is different.  In a dual core system there are two processors on the same board on the same die and share the same front side bus.  This means that there is one computer but two processors to share the load of the one computer.  Quad cores utilize the dual core technology but instead of using two processors, a quad core used 4 processors on the same die that share the front side bus.  Dual core technology makes a computer lightning fast as all the processors are sharing the workload for the one machine and accomplish the tasks very quickly.

Dual core processor systems are only fast if the OS and other software applications are made to work with dual core processors.  The OS must be able to multi thread, or in simple terms, be able to tell the different processors to do different things to speed up the overall speed of the computer.  Even though your operating system multi-threads to your processors, the software applications must also be made to utilize multi-threading.  If the software applications are not designed for this they may run slow on a dual core system.  Dual core systems are also 32 and 64 bit compatible.  64 bit technology is what everyone is using these days as it allows a lot more information to be processed at one time.

Which processors are popular?  The AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual core processor and the Pentium dual core processor are the main two contenders building the fastest dual core processing chips on the market.  The reason why dual core’s even were created is that processor speed peaked in about 2004.  Ever since then computer engineers have been building computers to work with many processors to share and quickly finish the work load and commands of a computer.  Although the hardware design is flawless and is very very fast, software has yet to catch up.  Many dual core machines feel slow, but it is because the software packages and applications are not utilizing the 64 bit dual processors in the most effective way.

Windows 7 promises to utlize many processors more efficiently than the previous Windows Vista operating system.  Computers will continue to get faster and faster as operating systems and software providers utilize and multi-thread efficiently with the multi processors found in today’s machines and the machines of the future.

Gaming consoles are utilizing the multi-thread quad core technology in the PS3 and all the games and software utilize this technology to the fullest to produce the fast frame rates and stunning graphics that can be found in these consoles.  The Ps3 boasts 8 processors that slam information around it’s system with ease.  Games are continuing to improve in look and size, and still play beautifully on this machine as the hardware is made for it.

If you are a basic computer user, or a hardcore gamer or animator, a dual core processor system is the absolute best way to go.  If you can afford the quad core systems that is even faster, but once again you must remember that the software you use has to utilize the technology, or it will still feel slow.