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This section of this website, which consists of two
long pages, provides all of the information a PC user or
prospective PC purchaser or upgrader would need to know
about the processors made by the two major manufacturers,
AMD and Intel, that are used in desktop computers. Currently,
there is now a more bewildering number of models of processor
made by those two major manufacturers available than ever
before, making choosing a desktop or laptop PC with the
processor the best suits your computing needs and budget more
difficult than it has been for some time. The specially-designed
mobile processors that are used in laptop computers are dealt
with in the Laptops
section of this website. This article contains too much information
to make it possible to provide an index menu linking to
all of its categories, but the information is presented
in a way that makes scrolling down the pages the best way
to find out what the coverage is. You can also press the
Ctrl + F key combination to bring up the Find box in most
web browsers. Note that it can only find the whole search
query, not the individual words in it. This website's Search box
at the top of each page returns the pages
that contain the whole search query and its individual
words.
PROCESSORS: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONSClick here! to visit the page on this site devoted to processor problems and their solutions. PROCESSORS: UPGRADE CHECKLISTClick here! to go to information on this site on what you need to consider when upgrading a PC's processor. |
Another name for a computer's processor is central processing unit (CPU). Installed in a printed circuit board (PCB) called a motherboard (also known as a mainboard), the processor processes the programmed software instructions of applications and utilities, such as MS Office, Open Office, Microsoft Security Essentials, PaintShop, etc., according to the programmed instructions provided by the computer's operating system, which is usually a version of Windows (XP, Vista, Windows 7) or Linux or Apple's Mac OS X.
Click here! to go to the information on processor installation that is dealt with on this page. Processor cooling (air and water cooling is dealt with on Page 2 of this article. Click here! to go directly to the information on cooling on that page. Click here! to visit the Processors Sockets page of this website that provides information on the history of the different socket types used by AMD and Intel processors.
The four images below of the AMD product show from left to right, top to bottom, the retail packaging of a desktop-PC processor, an advertising image of the top and bottom of a Phenom II processor (you will never see the top looking like that, it's shown like that for advertising purposes) and (below) what the top and bottom of an AMD processor really look like (all processors made by AMD or Intel are square and don't get any bigger with additional cores, they just get slightly higher. An 8-core AMD FX processor is a bit thicker than a single-core or dual-core model.
There are only two major manufacturers of desktop PC and laptop PC processors - AMD and Intel. However, there are many major manufacturers of the motherboards that these processors run on. You cannot run an Intel processor on an AMD-based motherboard and vice versa. Visit the Motherboards, PC Cases and Power Supplies pages on this site for more information on them. Use your browser's Back button to return to this page.
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AMD and Intel processors that have integrated graphics chipsThe Motherboard, PC Cases and Power Supplies section of this website deals with the motherboards used by AMD and Intel processors. Note that by March 2012 both the first and second generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors were available. The third-generation of quad-core (four processors in one unit) Core i5 and i7 processors for desktop and laptop PCs, code-named Ivy Bridge, using the same Socket LGA1155 motherboards as the previous Sandy Bridge models, were made available in April 2012. There are no Ivy Bridge Core i3 models. All of the new processors have an onboard graphics chip. The second wave of dual-core (two processors in one unit) third generation processors are expected to be released later this year, which will include Intel Core i3 and i5 models. The third generation of chips for the desktop PC - Core i5 and Core i7 - will run on motherboards using most of the previous generation Sandy Bridge chipsets, but some will require the replacement of the chipset by the motherboard manufacturer; a mere BIOS update does not suffice. Intel recommends that confirmation that a particular Socket LGA1155 motherboard is capable of running the new processors - or that the purchaser buys a motherboard with a 7-Series chipset. It may also be possible to run an Ivy Bridge processor on a motherboard designed for a Sandy Bridge processor, but that option depends on the motherboard manufacturer. Note that there is not much increase in performance when compared with the second-genation chips. Here are the specifications and costs of the new CPUs: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/gallery/reviews/374158/intel-ivy-bridge/177439 The first generation chips use Socket LGA1156 motherboards and the second generation uses Socket LGA1155 motherboards. The first generation chips cannot be used on the motherboards that run the second generation chips, which are superior, and vice versa, so it is advisable to avoid buying the first-generation chips unless you are upgrading a PC with a Socket LGA1156 motherboard to a faster first-generation Core i processor. Several models of AMD and Intel processors now have an onboard graphics chip, making it unnecessary to have a separate graphics card or a graphics chip built into the motherboard. If the graphics chip is integrated into the motherboard or the processor, the motherboard has to provide the port that connects the graphics capability to the monitor. The high-end models of AMD's A-Series APU processors all have onboard graphics chips that can play the latest 3D games in high detail, such as Dirt 3, on their own without the support of an AMD graphics card running in tandem with them in CrossFire mode, which improves the already good graphics performance significantly. These processors run from Socket FM1 motherboards, which provide the graphics ports. All of Intel's second-generation Core i3, i5, and i7 processors (except the the extreme high-end Core i7-3930K and Core i7-3960X, which run on LGA2011 motherboards) run from Socket LGA1155 motherboards. All of these second-generation processors have onboard graphics chips, so all Socket LGA1155 motherboards provide graphics ports (usually analog VGA and digital DVI ports). Note that with the first generation of Core i processors, not all of them provide onboard graphics chips, so if you want to use the onboard graphics, a H57 or H55 chipset is required on the Socket LGA1156 motherboards that run those Core i processors. In short, not all Socket LGA1156 motherboards provide the graphics ports required to use onboard graphics. Note that unlike AMD's A-Series APU peocessors, none of Intel's Core i processors can play the latest PC games at playable frame rates using their onboard graphics chips. |
For many years only single-core processors containing one processing unit were available. However, over the last few years dual-core processors that contain two identical processing units and quad-core processors that contain four identical processing units have become available from AMD and Intel - the only major manufacturers of laptop and desktop PC processors. AMD also provide triple-core processors that have three processing cores, which are cheaper than its quad-core processors.
Both AMD and Intel have now released six-core processors called hexa-core processors. In April 2010, the only hexa-core processor that was available was the Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition processor, which was hideously expensive at £881 - the cost of an entire high-end desktop PC. AMD's much cheaper hexa-core processor was available in the US ahead of the launch date.
The specification that indicates how many cores an Intel or AMD processor has is an X followed by the numbers of cores - X2, X3, X4, X6, X8. The specification is expected to reach X16. The AMD FX range of processors, made available in October 2011, was the first to have a model with 8 cores. Links to webpages that provide all of the specifications of the processors made by Intel and AMD are provided further down on this page, including the number of cores.
In October 2011, AMD released the first 8-core (octo-core) processors for the desktop PC, which use AMD's first all-new processor architecture since 2007 called Bulldozer. The new range of AMD processors, called FX, do not have an onboard graphics chip like AMD's new A-Series Fusion APU Socket FM1 processors for the desktop and laptop PC, all of which do. All of the FX processors have unlocked clock multipliers, which allow enthusiasts unrestricted overclocking from the stock speed.
Officially, a new Socket AM3+ motherboard with an AMD 990FX chipset is required for the Bulldozer processors, which provide an unlocked clock multiplier, allowing for unrestricted overclocking (running processors and other components, such as the memory and graphics card, at higher speeds than their stock speed). However, some Socket AM3 motherboards will run FX processors with a BIOS update. Socket AM3, first made available in February 2009, was the previous socket for AMD's processors, which don't provide onboard graphics.
Questions of Compatibility: AMD, AM3, and Bulldozer -
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/Questions-of-Compatibility-AMD-AM3-And-Bulldozer-Discussed/
AMD has made two 8-core models (FX8120 and FX8150) and one hexa-core (6-core) model (FX6100) and one quad-core model - the FX-4100. According to reviews, of which there are already several on the web, most current software and games cannot make full use of 8 cores. Apparently, the performance of the FX processors is improved quite a bit when running on Windows 8, which is still under development.
Here is a well-illustrated, comprehensive review of the FX8150 model that provides benchmark test results:
AMD FX-8150 Review: From Bulldozer To Zambezi To FX -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/fx-8150-zambezi-bulldozer-990fx,review-32295.html
Here are the specifications of a current AMD processor:
AMD Phenom II X2 545 3GHz Socket AM3 - L1, L2, L3 6MB caches
Product Description -
Revision - C2 Core Speed (MHz) - 3000 [3.0GHz]
Voltages - 0.875-1.425V
Max Temps (C) - 70 Wattage - 80W
L1 Cache Size (KB) - 128
L2 Cache Size (KB) - 512
L3 Cache Size (KB) - 6144 [6MB]
Fabrication process - 45nm
Processor Socket - AM3
Cache (pronounced as cash/cashes) is implemented differently in AMD and Intel's latest processors. Since system RAM memory works far more slowly than the processor, processors store information in buffers called caches that are kept filled so that they can can keep themselves fed with data at full speed. The amount and type of cache affects a processor's performance dramatically. If the three types of cache were disabled, the processor's performance would fall off very markedly.
Intel's Sandy Bridge processors (Core i3, i5, i7, using socket LGA1155) have up to four cores each, with each core having its own Level 1 and Level 2 cache, with all of the cores sharing the Level 3 cache. AMD's Bulldozer (FX) processors use modules, with each module containing two processor cores. Each of the cores has its own Levl 1 cache and the two cores in each module share 2MB of Level 2 cache. The modules all share the Level 3 cache.
CPU cache - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPU_cache
Does Cache Size Really Boost Performance? -
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/cache-size-matter,1709.html
How to identify a PC's processor(s)If you want to identify a the make and model of a PC's processor, the easiest way to do it in Windows XP is to use the right mouse button to click on My Computer, click Properties, Hardware, open the Device Manager, and click the + beside Processors. There is no Processors category in the Device Manager of Windows 95/98/Me, so it's best to use the free utility CPU-Z to identify a processor in a PC using those versions of Windows. You can also use it in Windows XP. It displays all of the information about the processor that you might need to know, such as its make and model, clock speed, FSB and clock multiplier settings in MHz, etc. It also identifies and displays information about the PC's motherboard (mainboard), and its RAM memory. If the computer is running a dual-core processor, look under the Processor Selection heading. The drop-down menu allows you to select the two cores. Another good utility used for processor identification is the free WCPUID utility, which is made available from h-oda.com/. Your browser may ask if you want to install various Asian character sets to view the pages, but you can refuse, because the download link and the actual software is in English. Processor usage - CPU usage - Which processes (programs) are making the most use of the processor as a percentage of the total useThere is an easy way in Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 to find out what use is being made of the computer's processor by which processes, measured as a percentage for each process. Just press the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys to bring up the Windows Task Manager, and click on the Performance tab. The CPU Usage graphic shows how many of the processor's available cycles are being used as a percentage by each of the listed processes (all of the listed file names with .exe extensions). The PF Usage refers to how much hard-drive space is being used by the virtual-memory swap file or page file that Windows uses instead of RAM. If the CPU usage is high, especially if it is close to 100% when a demanding program is not running, you should find out why, because spyware might have installed itself and is consuming processor cycles. If you want to find out which of the listed programs (processes) are using the most processor cycles as a percentage of the total use, click on the Processes tab of the Windows Task Manager, maximise the window, and then click on the CPU heading. The programs that are using the processor are shown and will change as the percentage of the CPU usage of each program changes. Read Managing Processes and Tasks in Windows Vista to find out what the differences are between the Task Manager in Windows XP and Windows Vista. The Task Manager in Windows 7 is much the same as it is in Vista. Alternatively, use the free Sysinternals Process Explore. Sysinternals was an independent organisation but it is now owned by Microsoft. Visit http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/sysinternals/bb545021 for the excellent free utilities. If the listed process or processes causing the problem are unfamiliar to you, enter a web search of the name of the process in your web browser while you're online in order to find out which software program runs the process. E.g. - identify xp process - in which you would substitute the word process with the file name of the process. Using a laptop/notebook Pentium M notebook processor in a desktop PCIf you want a quiet desktop computer that uses only a minimal amount of power and that runs so cool that it can be fitted with a passive heatsink (one without a fan), ATX desktop PC motherboards are available that use the processors normally only found in laptop/notebook computers. It is also possible to buy an adapter that fits to particular standard motherboards that allows a mobile notebook processor to be used. Click here! to go directly to information on these motherboards, processors, and adapters on the Motherboards, Cases & Power Supplies section of this website. |
Note that in March 2012, I still have a relatively low-spec desktop PC by today's standards that has an AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ dual-core processor (from 2005) with 1GB of DDR (not DDR2 or DDR3) RAM memory (two 512MB modules running in dual-channel mode), which has a motherboard with an integrated ATI graphics chip that supports DirectX 9 (a system requirement of Windows 7), running Windows XP professional and 7 Home Premium very well and it can run any of the latest office software, multitasks very well and can access the web at the highest speed that my ADSL broadband connection allows (all at once).
Therefore, the lowest specification AMD and Intel (desktop and laptop) processors available now are superior to that 2005 processor and will be able to perform those tasks as well as possible, so, if you only use a computer for those kinds of activities, which is the case for most people, you don't have to buy or build a computer with an expensive high-end processor.
All of the processors made by AMD and Intel use a motherboard that has either an AMD-based or Intel-based socket type. The socket types are discussed further down in this article (and on the Processor Sockets page of this website).
Note well that you must make sure that any motherboard you intend to buy to upgrade or build a PC already supports the processor you want. The motherboard manufacturer's website should provide that information. Don't buy a motherboard that requires a BIOS update in order to support your chosen model of processor, because you'll need to install a processor that is currently compatible with the motherboard in order to install the update.
The manufacturing fabrication process is measured in nanometres (US: nanometer) - millionths of an inch, which measures the width of the wiring. The current smallest manufacturing process is 32nm, but both Intel and AMD will be moving to the 22nm fabrication process. The smaller the manufacturing process, the faster and cooler the processor can run and the less energy it uses, thereby extending battery life for mobile computers.
If you require high performance from a computer's processor, forget about the processor specifications, which are meaningless to most people, read the reviews that provide comparative benchmark tests that can be found using any of the popular search engines.
The following webpage provides a quick video guide on how to install a processor, its cooling unit and RAM memory on a motherboard and how to install the motherboard in a tower desktop PC case. Before you install the components of a desktop PC into the case, you should always read the motherboard's user manual, downloaded from its manufacturer's website if you don't have a paper copy.
The following video guide does not provide information on aligning the processor the correct way around, making sure that you have the correct DDR3 RAM memory for the motherboard, that there are several ways that the heatsink and fan cooling unit is installed, depending on the processor's socket type, etc. You should never use a brief video guide like that one to find out how to upgrade a motherboard or build a desktop PC. There is quite a lot more to it than is shown in the video.
How to upgrade your motherboard: video guide -
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/353893/...
Boxed retail processors come in the manufacturer's official packaging with installation instructions. How a processor is aligned in the motherboard's processor socket is dealt with in this article.
Note that if you are using a version of Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7, upgrading the motherboard can create issues with Windows Product Activation, especially if the PC is using an OEM licence that brand-name manufacturers such as Dell and HP use, which can only ever be used on the PC it was first installed on, because Microsoft regards changing the motherboard as having a new PC, which requires a new licensed copy of Windows.
The following article discusses the use of multi-core processors, which are the norm now, and when their use improves performance and when it does not.
Desktop multiprocessing: Not so fast -
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9136633/...
The manufacturer of a particular model of processor sets it to run at a particular stock speed, which is really the frequency (measured in gigahertz - GHz- in modern processors) that it operates at. The higher the frequency (1GHz, 2GHz, 2.5GHz, 3.0GHz, etc.) the faster the processor can process data. Note that the design and the size of the fabrication process, which, at the time of writing this (December 2011) AMD and Intel have got down to 32nm, is also an important factor in how fast a particular make/model of processor processes data. Both AMD and Intel will be moving to the 22nm fabrication process in 2012.
However, most processors can be overclocked to run faster than the manufacturer's setting allows; some more than others. The amount of speed/frequency overhead that a particular processor has depends on several factors. Click here! to go to the information and links on overclocking computer hardware on this website, which includes the memory and the graphics card. If you want to read a good introduction to overclocking, visit this webpage:
Make your PC go faster for free -
http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/features/259888/...
Note that Intel's latest two generations of Core i5 and Core i7 processors have a feature called Turbo Boost that automatically overclocks the processor. The Core i3 processors do not have it, but do have Hyper Threading, discussed further down in this artice, which creates a virtual core for each real core. A virtual core increases performance when running many applications at once or several applications that have been programmed for multithreading (running multiple threads of data streams at once), but not as much as a real core.
Intel Turbo Boost Technology frequently asked questions -
http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/CS-029908.htm?wapkw=(turbo+boost)
Explaining Intel's Turbo Boost technology -
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13512_3-10362882-23.html
The automatic-overclocking technology used by AMD's hexa-core Phenom II X6 processors is called Turbo CORE.
CORE Or Boost? AMD's And Intel's Turbo Features Dissected -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/turbo-boost-turbo-core-six-core,review-31958.html
Most of Intel's processors since the Pentium 4 use technology called Hyper-Threading. It is available in Intel's Atom, Core i7, the new Core i3 (with an inbuilt graphics chip) and Core i5 processors. In the case of a single-core Atom processor (dual-core models are also available), it makes the processor work as if it is a dual-core processor. The technology works well to increase a single-core processor's speed, but is less effective in adding a virtual core to every real core with dual-core (two processor cores) and quad-core (four cores) processors, hexa-core processors (six cores), etc. Virtual cores do speed up the running of applications, but are never as efficient or as fast as real cores.
In 2011, AMD was the first manufacturer to release a range of 8-core processors called AMD FX.
To find out how many actual cores and virtual cores (if it is an Intel processor with Hyper-Threading) your computer has, press the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys to access the Task Manager in XP/Vista/Windows 7. Open the Performance tab. The cores and virtual cores are each represented by a graphic box showing performance. AMD processors will display the same number of boxes as the number of cores. A dual-core processor with Hyper-Threading (HT) will show four boxes (two actual cores and two virtual cores).
The second-generation Intel Core i3 range is dual-core with HT, so four graphic displays will be shown. The Core i5 range with HT is quad-core, so eight boxes will be displayed. The Core i7 range is quad-core or six-core, so will eight or twelve boxes are displayed.
Note that some motherboard manufacturers, such as MSI, have developed automatic overclocking technology that overclocks the system automatically.
The MSI K9A2 Platinum (AMD Socket AM2+) motherboard provides this technology. The following is an extract from its user manual.
"Dynamic Overclocking Technology is an automatic overclocking function, included in the MSI's newly developed Dual CoreCenter Technology. It is designed to detect the loading of CPU/GPU while running programs, and to over-clock automatically. When the motherboard detects that the loading of CPU exceeds the default threshold for a time, it will speed up the CPU and fan automatically to make the system run smoother and faster. When the graphics card detects that the loading of GPU exceeds the default threshold for a time, it will speed up the GPU, memory, fan and voltage automatically to make the system run smoother and faster. When the use of CPU/GPU is temporarily suspended or staying in low-loading balance, it will restore the default settings instead. Usually the Dynamic Overclocking Technology will be powered only when user's PC runs huge amounts of data, like 3D games or video processes, and the motherboard/graphics card needs to be boosted to enhance the overall performance." [Grammatically-corrected by me.]
With every new socket that Intel brings out, the user almost always has to buy a new motherboard, because the new socket type is not backwards compatible with any of the previous socket types. Moreover, when new RAM memory becomes available, Intel has a habit of only running its latest processors on motherboards that only run the latest memory, which does not usually offer much of a performance hike compared to the previous type, whereas AMD's backward compatibility (the latest processors running on earlier socket-type motherboards), allows the memory to be retained in use.
Users who upgrade frequently find that upgrading to AMD's latest processors the most cost-effective because of the backwards-compatibility of its socket types. For example if your desktop PC has an inexpensive AMD Athlon II X2 Socket AM3 (dual-core) processor, you can upgrade to a AMD Phenom II X4 (quad-core) or even an X6 (hexa-core) model. If you have an elderly AMD-based Socket AM2+ motherboard running a single-core Athlon 64 processor you can upgrade to an Athlon II X4 (quad-core) Socket AM3 processor and enjoy a staggering increase in performance. There is no need to upgrade the RAM memory or anything else, because AMD, with its Socket AM2+ and AM3 processors, has an upgrade path the backwards-compatibility of which is not available to the users who choose an Intel-based PC.
As with some of Intel's latest (first and second generation) Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, AMD's newest range of A-Series Fusion APU Socket FM1 dual-core and quad-core processors, code-named Lynx for the desktop-PC versions, use a new FM1 socket and have onboard graphics chips, which is the reason for AMD calling them APUs (Accelerated Processing Units). All of them, unlike Intel's second-generation Core processors of which only some models provide onboard graphics.
In tests the new processors have outperformed Intel's Core processors in 3D gaming by a long way, but lag behind in 2D rendering, but remain fast enough to cater very well for the computing needs of most users. Moreover, with AMD's new processors, it is possible to run an AMD graphics card in tandem with the processor's graphics chip in Crossfire mode to increase performance even more just by using a low-end, inexpensive graphics card and even more by using a high-end graphics card. For example, with the AMD A8-3850 model installed (£100), add a cheap AMD Radeon HD 6450 graphics card (£35), the system achieves a very smooth 52fps playing the very demanding Dirt 3 game.
The Fusion APU processors support the latest DirectX 11; Intel's second-generation (Sandy Bridge) Core processors that provide a graphics chip only support DirectX 120. Moreover, the mobile (laptop) versions have much longer battery life than Intel's equivalent processors with onboard graphics. Unlike Intel's Core processors with onboard graphics, which cannot play games without the computer having a graphics card, AMD's new processors are capable of playing games on their own with lowered settings (screen resolution, anti-aliasing, etc.
The new A-Series Fusion APU processors and the Socket FM1 motherboards that run them were made available in July 2011. Here is the information on them on AMD's site. -
http://www.amd.com/us/products/technologies/fusion/Pages/fusion.aspx
AMD released the second generation of its A-Series APUs in December 2011. The models that were released are provided in the following article. Desktop PCs and laptops with the first generation APUs are still available, so if you want to buy one, make sure that it's a second-generation model. The second-generation APUs are backward-compatible with the first generation, but a BIOS update will probably be required.
AMD Unleashes 2nd-Gen A-Series APUs for Laptops, Desktops -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/AMD-APU-A-Series-Radeon-Dual-Graphics,news-37368.html
A new socket type was no doubt required because of the onboard graphics chip. It remains to be seen if AMD will maintain an upgrade path similar to that afforded its Socket AM2 and AM3 processors, but which it has not maintained with its new Socket AM3+ platform for its FX (Bulldozer) processors, which is not backwards compatible with the Socket AM3 platform. In short, a Socket AM3+ FX processor will not run on a Socket AM3 motherboard and vice versa.
Both AMD and Intel make sure that the major motherboard manufacturers will be releasing motherboards that support their new releases, otherwise no one will be able to buy them. Some manufacturers, such as Asus, Gigabtye, MSI and Asrock usually make new boards available faster than others.
New AMD 'Llano' processors promise graphics 60% faster than Intel - [June 14, 2011] - http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/processors/1285285/...
AMD A8-3850 Review: Llano Rocks Entry-Level Desktops [30 June 2011] -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/amd-a8-3850-llano,review-32222.html
Intel's third-generation Core i5 and Core i7 Ivy Bridge processors for desktop and laptop PCs are availableMay 1, 2012. Intel's delayed Ivy Bridge processors - the third generation of its Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core ranges (four identical processors in one unit) - are now available for desktop and laptop PCs. This means that purchasers who want the latest models have to take care that they aren't buying one of the first two generations that use the same names, minus Core i3, available for both of them but dropped for the Ivy Bridge ranges. The second wave of dual-core (two processors in one unit) third generation processors are expected to be released later this year, which will include Intel Core i3 and i5 models. All of the newly released models are quad-core and have an onboard graphics chip. The HD Graphics 4000 chip, available on the Core i7 models and on the highest-end Core i5 model, is capable of playing the demanding Crysis game on its own, but not as well as AMD's high-end A-Series Fusion APU quad-core processors, which have a superior AMD Radeon graphics chip that can be used in tandem with an AMD graphics card in CrossFire mode to increase performance significantly, which Intel's processors cannot do. The socket type remains the same - Socket LGA1155 - but a new range of motherboard chipsets has been created. The new ranges for the desktop PC Core i5 and Core i7 will run on motherboards using most of the previous Sandy Bridge chipsets, but some will require the replacement of the chipset by the motherboard manufacturer; a mere BIOS update does not suffice. Most users won't bother to have that done due to the expense involved. Intel recommends that confirmation that a particular Socket LGA1155 motherboard is capable of running the new processors - or that the purchaser buys a motherboard with a 7-Series chipset. It may also be possible to run an Ivy Bridge processor on a motherboard designed for a Sandy Bridge processor, but that option depends on the motherboard manufacturer. The fabrication process of the new processors has been reduced to 22nm from the 32nm of the previous generation Sandy Bridge models. Benchmark testing shows varying results for the different types of processing, but the increase in performance compared with the previous-generation chips never gets higher than 15%, which isn't noticeable. The Ivy Bridge desktop and laptop CPUs specifications and costs - http://www.pcpro.co.uk/gallery/reviews/374158/intel-ivy-bridge/177439 INTEL'S SECOND-GENERATION CORE i3, i4 and i5 (SOCKET 1155) PROCESSORSNote that the new second-generation of Intel's Core i3, i4 and i5 processors have the same names as the first generation, so you have to make sure that the processor that the computer you buy has a Sandy Bridge processor if you want one with one of the new much-improved models. Intel Extreme Memory Profiles (XMP)A computer with a specific Intel Core i5 and i7 processor (first and second generation) should have a BIOS that supports Intel Extreme Memory Profiles (XMP). Most but not all RAM memory kits can make use of this technology, which replaces the plethora of memory settings with a single setting that just has to be enabled in order to function automatically with the optimal memory settings. DDR3 Overclocking with Intel® Extreme Memory Profile - http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/gaming-computers/... How To Enable XMP Performance Profiles - http://blog.corsair.com/?p=1977 Intel releases Celeron processors for laptop PCs based on the Sandy Bridge architectureAugust 8, 2011. - Celeron processors are cheaper cut-down versions of Intel's full-blown processors. In this case, they are the Celeron versions of the second-generation Sandy Bridge Core i3, i5 and i7 processors for laptop PCs. It will be a while before laptops with these new Celerons start appearing in the stores. Most home users won't notice the difference if a laptop or desktop PC has a full-blown Core processor or a Celeron, but will usually pay less for the computer. Sandy Bridge Socket LGA1155 Celeron processors for desktop PCs are also available. Intel released a new range of Pentium processors based on the Sandy Bridge architecture in August 2011. A flaw in Intel's motherboard 6-series chipset for its second-generation Core i3, i5 and i7 (Sandy Bridge) processors requires product recallMarch 10, 2011. - Intel has discovered a flaw in its 6 Series motherboard chipsets for its new second-generation Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 (Socket LGA1155) processors, affecting only the SATA2 ports to which storage (hard disk and SSD drives) and CD/DVD/Blu-ray optical drives are connected. SATA3 ports are not affected. A transistor flaw will cause performance to degrade over time for drives connected to the SATA2 ports that are controlled by the chipset. It is estimated that about 15% of desktop PCs with the new Sandy Bridge processors will be affected. Laptop PCs are not affected because a laptop usually only has one SATA hard disk or SSD drive and one optical CD/DVD or Blu-ray drive and manufactures have used SATA3 ports for them, which are unaffected by the flaw. The short-term solution is not to use the motherboard's SATA2 internal headers or external ports. Intel has produced a revised chipset and instigated a product recall, so the long-term solution is to obtain a replacement motherboard from the vendor or to return an affected PC to its manufacturer for a replacement motherboard to be installed. For more detailed information, read the following article. Intel Sandy Bridge flaw: details and workaround - |
Software has to be specially written to run optimally (as fast and as efficiently as possible) on processors that have two, three, four, six, eight cores, etc., otherwise it won't run any faster than on a single-core processor. The problem is that software development always lags quite far behind hardware development, so users have to wait for software that can run optimally on the latest hardware. Of all software, PC games are the quickest to take advantage of technological hardware advancements.
That said, even if you don't have, or perhaps won't ever have the required software, you should only buy a desktop or a laptop PC if it has a dual-core or a quad-core processor, because those processors use less energy and therefore run much cooler. Given that overheating is the cause of many problems, especially with laptops, that is a definite bonus in a system.
Quad-core processors can be dramatically faster than dual-core processors when running software that has been written to run on four cores, but there is not much of such software currently available. However, if you run several applications at once any operating system that can run multiple cores will use a core to run each application, thereby increasing performance considerably.
With the arrival of its Core 2 processor technology, Intel named both its desktop PC and laptop PC processors Core 2 Duo (the processor has two cores) and Core 2 Quad (the processor has four cores). The laptop processors start with a T, such as T7100. Desktop processors start with an E, such as E8500, and X for the extreme (extremely fast and expensive) version, a Q for quad-core, such as Q6700, and QX for the extreme version, such as QX9770.
If you are thinking of buying a desktop PC which has a particular make and model of processor, you can visit the following two pages to view tables containing all of the technical specifications (number of cores, clock speed, supported instruction sets, cache, etc.) and other information, such as the dates of release, of all of the processors made by AMD and Intel up to the present. The further down the list a processor appears, the more recent it is.
Desktop CPU Comparison Guide - AMD processors -
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=337&pgno=0
Desktop CPU Comparison Guide - Intel processors -
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=337&pgno=4
Here are the two pages on Wikipedia that list all of the AMD and Intel processors, including laptop-computer processors, and their specifications, which includes the socket type:
List of AMD microprocessors -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_microprocessors
List of Intel microprocessors -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_microprocessors
This page provides a comparison of laptop/notebook PC processors:
Comparison of Mobile Processors -
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmarklist.2436.0.html
If any of the above links don't work, try entering a suitable search query using the relevant keywords into a web search engine.
The Tom's Hardware Guide processor pages can give you a good idea how different processors compare with each other.
Best Gaming CPUs [Processors] For The Money - April 2012 -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/...
Mobile [laptop/notebook] CPU Charts -
"Tom's Interactive Mobile CPU Charts focus on popular mobile processors, which are used in laptops and notebooks because of their increased energy efficiency." -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts/processors/3d-studio-max-9,463.html
If your desktop PC has a motherboard made by Intel you can use the following compatibility tool:
Intel Processors and Boards Compatibility Tool -
Find the Intel processors that work with motherboards made by Intel (not other motherboard manufacturers).
http://processormatch.intel.com/COMPDB/Default.aspx
The images at the top of this page show an AMD Phenom II X6 hexa-core (Socket AM3) processor (right) and the packaging that the retail product comes in (left). The processor in the image is for advertising purposes only, it is not what it looks like in reality. Images of the top and bottom of the real thing are shown under those images and further down on this page. A heatsink and fan cooling unit is included in the package. If you want to use thermal paste to improve the transfer of heat from the processor to the heatsink, you'll have to buy some, because none is included in the package. Sometimes thermal paste is included in the package, so check before buying some.
The array of pins or contact points that fit into or connect with the motherboard's processor socket are on the reverse side of the processor. AMD Athlon 64 single-core and AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors are fitted into and run from Socket 939 and Socket AM2/AM2+ motherboards. The first AMD Phenom triple and quad-core processors use Socket AM2+ motherboards, but the Phenom II models, use Socket AM3 motherboards, which supports DDR3 RAM memory. In 2011, AMD brought out its FX Socket AM3+ processors. Note that the Socket AM3 Phenom processors also run on Socket AM2+ motherboards, which use the cheaper DDR2 RAM memory. Socket AM3+ FX processors cannot be run on a Socket AM3 motherboard, because they have a new architecture that is not backwards compatible with the previous AMD socket.
Note that AMD Phenom and Phenom II dual-core, triple-core and quad-core and later processors no longer use speed-rating to compare them to Intel's equivalent processors; they just have model numbers like Intel's processors. As can be seen on this page:
CPU Benchmarks - Common CPU's - "This chart comparing common CPU's is made using thousands of PerformanceTest benchmark results and is updated daily. This chart mainly compares Desktop CPUs, from high end CPUs (such as Intel Core2, Intel Core2 Quad and AMD Phenom Quad-Core processors) to mid-range and lower end CPUs (such as Intel Pentium 4 and AMD Athlon processors)." -
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/common_cpus.html
I am not going to provide the pricing of the various available Intel and AMD processors here, because it is constantly changing. There are many price-comparison websites that provide up-to-date pricing information. You can find them just by entering a search term, such as amd processors, in a web search engine.
Visit the Annotated images of ATX Socket LGA775, Socket A and Socket 939 motherboards page on this site to see annotated images of motherboards with those socket types.
The following online video shows a desktop PC being built with an Asus P5E64 WS Professional motherboard and an Intel Core 2 Quad QX9770 quad-core processor. It shows you where the motherboard is installed in the case and where the processor is installed in the motherboard in a desktop PC.
Video: How To Build An Intel QX9770 QuadCore PC -
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/02/...
Processors and the sockets they can be fitted into on a computer's motherboard started to become confusing back in the days when the maximum speed of a PC processor was 200MHz and 233MHz, and Intel dropped using Super Socket 7 (SS7), while AMD went on using it all the way up to 550MHz for its K6-2 and K6-3 processors. Because AMD's clock speeds were always slower than Intel's after the 1GHz barrier was broken first by AMD, that company adopted a rating system comparing them to Intel's processors, because its processor designs made them comparable to Intel's in their speed of operation while having slower clock speeds. Since then, Intel's processor designs have also become a very important factor determining processor speed or operation.
Intel's single-core Pentium 4 processor reached a clock speed of 3.8GHz, which is twenty times faster than 200MHz. However, due to heating problems, the clock speed halted and both AMD and Intel opted to develop dual-core, quad-core, hexa-core and octo-core processors (processors with two, four, six and eight identical processor cores housed as a single unit) instead of attempting to overcome the problem of overheating that comes into play with clock speeds of 4.0GHz and higher.
Note that while clock speed is still an indicator of a processor's functional quickness, the design and how many cores the processor has are now important factors that determines how quickly a processor runs software. The more cores a processor has, the better it is with regard to running processor-intensive tasks such as multitasking (running many programs at the same time) and activities such as playing the latest graphic-intensive games and editing video using a video-editing application. Therefore, clock speed is really only useful when comparing processors in the same range, such as the dual-core Intel Core i3-350 (clock speed 3.06GHz) and Core i3-550 (clock speed 3.20GHz) processors. Within a range of processors, higher numbers always means a quicker and therefore more expensive processor.
Unfortunately, the software developers are almost always far behind the hardware developers. Software that can make the best use of the processors with the highest number of cores is always rare or non-existent. By the time that the software developers have caught up to, say, quad-core processors, AMD and Intel have added more cores for which software has to be written in order for them to be run at anywhere near their full capacity. AMD was the first to release its 8-core FX Bulldozer processors in 2011, but there was no software or games able to make use of that many cores.
Note that AMD and Intel now only make 64-bit processors, which came in around 2005 and have now replaced 32-bit processors. They can run 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems (Windows, Linux, OS X, etc), and can run most 32-bit and all 64-bit software. 64-bit operating systems currently include Windows XP Professional x64 Edition • Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition and Linux.
Note that a 64-bit system might not be able to run some 32-bit software such as malware scanners and utility programs/tools , which might require a 64-bit version to run on a 64-bit system. All 16-bit software will not run on one, but most 16-bit software will run on all 32-bit systems.
A bit is the smallest unit of data that a computer can handle, which is a 1 or a 0 in the binary code that computers use, which consists of code made up of only those two digits. A 32-bit and 64-bit processor or operating system can handle binary code 32 and 64 bits long respectively.
There are eight bits in a byte of binary computer code. The higher the number of bits of binary code (data) that a processor can process at a time, the more powerful it is. 64-bit processors, running on a 64-bit operating system that is running 64-bit software can process twice as much data at the same time as 32-bit processors running on a 32-bit operating system that is running 32-bit software. However, when processing 64-bit software a 64-bit operating system requires twice as much RAM memory as a 32-bit operating system running 32-bit software.
On top of that, laptop/notebook computers can use the processors used in desktop computers, or use processors specially designed for low power consumption so that battery life is extended and overheating problems do not occur. Both AMD and Intel have ranges of mobile processors for laptops/notebooks. Moreover, it is also possible to buy motherboards that allow a laptop processor to be used in a desktop PC.
Using a laptop/notebook Pentium M notebook processor in a desktop PCIf you want a quiet desktop computer that uses only a minimal amount of power and that runs so cool that it can be fitted with a passive heatsink (one without a fan), ATX desktop PC motherboards are available that use the processors normally only found in laptop/notebook computers. It is also possible to buy an adapter that fits to particular standard motherboards that allows a mobile notebook (laptop) processor to be used. |
The choice doesn't end there. Both AMD and Intel have made dual-core (2- core), quad-core (4-core), hexa-core (6-core) processors available, which are single units that house two processor cores with the same clock speed. AMD was the first to release octo-core (8-core) processors in its FX (Bulldozer) range.
Intel first made quad-core processors available (its Core 2 Quad range) in January 2007. AMD made its Socket AM2/AM2+ Phenom range of quad-core processors available in November 2007. In February 2009, AMD made its range of Phenom II quad-core processors available that use Socket AM3 motherboards and which use DDR3 RAM memory.
Socket AM3 Arrives: AMD Joins the DDR3 Revolution -
http://www.sysopt.com/features/cpu/article.php/3803661
AMD has made triple-core (X3) and quad-core (X4) processors available. This article compares them and the alternatives from Intel. Note that Intel does not have triple-core processors.
New AMD Phenom X3 Vs. Phenom X4 -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/amd-phenom-athlon,review-30731.html
When two or more applications are running on a dual-core or a quad-core system, the work can be shared by the two or four processor cores. However, a single application won't run faster on a dual-core/quad-core system unless it has been programmed to do so by splitting it into threads that can be shared between the two/four cores. A multithreaded application is one that has been programmed to run on two or more processor cores.
If you are using software that hasn't been written to take advantage of two processor cores, you can make use of SMP Seesaw by Mike Lin from mlin.net.
"SMP Seesaw is a small utility for dual CPU workstations that allows the user to finely tune how Windows balances the processing load between the two CPUs."
Monitoring and optimising applications on dual-core, quad-core, and multiple-processor systemsWindows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 set running processes to run on all of the available processors by default. In Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, which support dual-core, quad-core, and multiple-processor systems, you can set which of the processors runs a particular program or application. This is known as setting the processor affinity. However, note well that you should not use any third-party utility to set the processor affinity for operating system files, because doing so could cause system instability, system crashes, and data or system loss. Here is how you set the processor affinity for Windows Explorer: Press the Ctrl + Alt + Del key combination to bring up the Windows Task Manager. In Windows Vista and Windows 7 a window opens with several options, one of which is to open the Task Manager. Open the Processes tab with the mouse pointer. Windows Explorer is explorer.exe. Right-click on explorer.exe under Processes, and choose Set Affinity. This brings up the Processor Affinity window, which has boxes for 32 processors (CPU0 to CPU31). In a dual-core system, which uses two processors, the two processors are called CPU0 and CPU1. They are both enabled by default, which is the best setting for Windows Explorer, but, because explorer.exe is a Windows program, not a system file, you could choose to have just one of the processors running it by removing one of the enabling check marks to disable that processor from running it. You can assign a processor to run any of the processes (programs and applications) listed under Processes. |
The current state of play between Intel and AMD processors
You can find plenty of recent articles discussing the state of play between Intel and AMD by entering the search query AMD vs Intel in a web search engine - or sites that provide comparative benchmark-test results, such as this one:
CPU Benchmarks - High End CPU's - Intel vs AMD -
"This chart comparing high end CPU's is made using thousands of PerformanceTest benchmark results and is updated daily. These are the high end AMD and Intel CPU's are typically those found in newer computers." -
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html
Dual-core processors run as if they're a single processor, but two processors appear in the Windows Device Manager - and under the Performance tab of the Windows Task Manager that you bring up by pressing the Ctrl+Alt+Del key combination. A qud-core processor will show as four processors, etc. If you have a motherboard that has two separate quad-core processor, eight processor will be displayed in the Device Manager.
However, note that for both AMD and Intel multi-core processors, if the motherboard was initially manufactured to run, say, a single-core processor, a BIOS update that allows the system to be configured to run a dual-core processor is probably required. If such an update is not available for such a motherboard, it won't be able to use a dual-core processor. This will not be the case if the motherboard was manufactured to be able to run dual-core processors (or a higher number of cores) out of the box. Note well that if you buy a processor that can run on a particular make/model of motherboard if its BIOS is updated, you need to have a processor that the board already supports in order to be able to update the BIOS.
For example, to run AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors, motherboards that support both single-core and dual-core processors only require a BIOS update. However, Intel's dual-core processors only work with certain motherboard chipsets, so just having a Socket LGA775 motherboard doesn't mean that it can run Intel's dual-core processors. Intel's Pentium D 800 and 900 series of dual-core processors require a motherboard that uses Intel's 965 chipset or higher or a motherboard with an nVidia nForce 4 chipset. Intel's latest Core 2 Duo processors, including the Core 2 Extreme X6800, require a motherboard with at least a 975 chipset, or a motherboard with an nVidia nForce 5 chipset. Therefore, you have to check the system requirements of a particular make/model of processor before you buy it as an upgrade or to build a PC.
If in doubt, you can easily check the make and model of a motherboard at its manufacturer's site to find out which processors it supports.
Note that if you are upgrading a PC's motherboard and processor, you must also find out if you have to upgrade the RAM memory, because the current types - DDR, DDR2 & DDR3 RAM - are incompatible with each other.
A few of the early Socket LGA775 motherboards that run Intel processors support DDR memory, but most of them require DDR2 memory. The Socket 939 motherboards that can run some of AMD's Athlon 64 processors require DDR memory, but the Socket AM2 motherboards that run the latest Athlon 64 processors require DDR2 memory. All of AMD's and Intel's latest processors use DDR3 memory, which has been available for several years. At the time of writing (Dec. 2011), DDR4 memory was in development.
With dual cores, each processor contains two separate cores capable of running independently. This should not be confused with Intel's HyperThreading technology that allows a single processor to emulate two processors. Nor should it be confused with multiple independent processors that are discussed further down this page.
However, you should note that only Windows XP Professional Edition supports multiple processors (a motherboard running two or more independent processors). That said, systems running multiple processors are very seldom used as home PCs.
Needless to say, all of the versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7 support dual-core, triple-core and quad-core processors.
Apparently, both Windows Vista and Windows 7 from the Home Premium version up support two independent processors that can themselves be multi-core processors. Read this forum thread on this:
http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/7513-physical-processors.html
Windows Vista and Windows 7 and dual-core and multiple processorsAll of the versions of Windows Vista down to Home Basic, support multi-core (dual-core, quad-core, etc.) processors, and the Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate Editions all support multiple processors (more than one processor) on the motherboard. This is also the case with all of the versions of Windows 7, the latest releases of Windows. Exploiting Multi-Core Processors in Windows Vista - http://developer.amd.com/documentation/articles/Pages/282007123.aspx |
By the end of 2011, Socket AM3+ was AMD's latest socket type for its FX range of processors. Socket AM2, AM2+ and AM3 preceded it.
AMD's Socket AM2 processors have an on-board memory controller that supports the latest DDR2 RAM.
In November 2007, the AMD Socket AM2+ quad-core processors called the Phenom arrived on the market.
Socket AM2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socket_AM2
Socket AM2+ - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socket_AM2%2B
AMD's Phenom II Socket AM3 triple-core and quad-core processors and the motherboards that run them were made available in February 2009.
Socket AM3 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socket_AM3
Socket AM3 Arrives: AMD Joins the DDR3 Revolution -
http://www.sysopt.com/features/cpu/article.php/3803661
Socket AM3+. - By December 2011, there was not much information on the web about this new AMD socket. Apparantly, AMD only supports Socket AM3+ FX processors running on AM3+ motherboards, but some Socket AM3 motherboards will run the FX processors. Usually, if AMD (or any other hardware manufacturer for that matter) does not support its processors being run on an earlier platform, it means that if you do the processor's warranty is rendered void. The following webpage provides useful information on the AM3+ platform:
Questions of Compatibility: AMD, AM3, and Bulldozer -
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/Questions-of-Compatibility-AMD-AM3-And-Bulldozer-Discussed/
Almost every time Intel brings out a new range of processors that have a new socket type supported by specific chipsets, a new motherboard is required to run them, which is why I have had to use AMD sockets to illustrate socket backward-compatibility. In most cases, a new AMD processor can be run from a motherboard which has the previous socket type.
For the first time since its take-over of the graphics-chip company, ATI, AMD has produced a complete platform, code-named Spider, that consists of the new Phenom processor, the 790FX motherboard chipset, and the Radeon HD3800 series of graphics cards.
Intel's quad-core processors are really just two dual-core processors in a single package. However, AMD's quad-core processors have all four cores in a single chip.
The good news is that the Phenom processors, and all of the Athlon 64 Socket AM2 processors, can be used on either the new Socket AM2+ motherboards or on Socket AM2 motherboards. In other words, in order to run, the Phenom processors do not require a new Socket AM2+ motherboard. They will also run in a Socket AM2 motherboard. A Phenom processor uses Hypertransport 2.0 on an AM2+ motherboard, and Hypertransport 1.0 on a AM2 board. However, a BIOS update may be required to run a Phenom processor on an AM2 motherboard.
The single-die, quad-core design involves a greater risk of manufacturing defects resulting in lower yields per silicone wafer. If only one of the four cores is defective, it cannot be sold as a quad-core processor. However, if one of the cores is defective, it is deactivated with the intention in mind of marketing it as a triple-core or tri-core processor. AMD's customers will therefore soon be able to purchase a less expensive tri-core processor. However, at the time of writing this (November, 2007) no information was available about when the Phenom X3 processors will be brought to the market.
Each of the four processor cores of a Phenom processor possesses its own 512 KB of L2 (Level 2) cache, and all of the cores have access to 2MB of L3 (Level 3) cache, which produces an increase in performance.
Even Phenom processors manufactured on a 45nm fabrication process and supporting DDR3 memory run in Socket AM2 and AM2+ motherboards.
The other advantages of the Spider platform are that it can be upgraded to use up to four graphics cards, and the platform supports the new PCI Express 2.0 graphics standard.
Motherboard manufacturers Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte were at the introduction of the Spider platform in Warsaw to show off their AM2+ motherboards. According to AMD, the MSI K9A2 Platinum (MS-7376) was the best of the offerings.
You can find out what the current prices of AMD and Intel processors are in the UK at a site such as http:www.overclockers.co.uk/ and at http://www.newegg.com/ in the US.
There are many other vendors that you can locate by making use of a search engine. You could use a search query such as: amd [intel] dual-core [quad-core] processors.
If you are not sure if your motherboard can run a particular Intel (dual-core, quad-core, etc) processor, visit the manufacturer's website for that information. For example, I discovered that an MSI 7093 motherboard can run Athlon 64 X2 (dual-core) processors by visiting the BIOS update page on the MSI site. The page stated that the latest BIOS update enables dual-core processor support.
Intel dropped the 4 from Pentium 4 for the name of its first range of dual-core processors. The Intel Pentium D 840, 830 and 820, and Intel Pentium Processor Extreme Edition 840 (EE), are all dual-core models. Core 2 Duo was Intel's second range of dual-core processors. Since then, Intel has produced two generations of its Core i3, i5 and i7 processors that have 2, 4 and 6 cores, depending on the model.
All of the above-mentioned processors can run 32-bit software, but require 64-bit software to run at maximum efficiency. Microsoft has already issued a 64-bit edition of Windows XP Professional Edition, and the Linux kernel can run 64-bit software, but, currently, there is hardly any 64-bit software available.
Visit the following two pages to view tables containing all of the technical specifications (clock speed, supported instruction sets, cache, etc.) and other information, such as the dates of release, of all of the processors made by AMD and Intel up to the present. The further down the list a processor appears, the more recent it is.
Desktop CPU Comparison Guide - AMD processors -
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=337&pgno=0
Desktop CPU Comparison Guide - Intel processors -
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=337&pgno=4
Unfortunately, the situation with regard to the complexities involved in choosing or even identifying the kind of processor required in a laptop or desktop PC intended for use for specific purposes is set to get even more confusing. Now that invisible features are being added to processors instead of raw clock speed, both Intel, and, to a lesser extent at present, AMD, think that it is a good idea to include an encoded description of what those features are in the model names of their processors. Unfortunately, AMD seems intent on following Intel's lead in creating the same kind of confusion about its processors.
This is what Tom's Hardware Guide had to say on this subject on a page that no longer exists:
"It is hard to decide whether it was a bunch of marketing people that didn't think through how to categorize future processors properly, or if Intel actually intended the nomenclature to go bananas. Either way, it is clear that with processor numbering schemes becoming increasingly complex, nobody but the most deeply involved enthusiasts, tech journalists and the technical elite of the industry will be able to keep track of processor models, their features and performance capabilities."
In any case, before you purchase a desktop or laptop/notebook computer, it is advisable to find out what the make and model of the processor used in the machine is, and then conduct a web search for its manufacturer's site and others that provide information and reviews about it.
It's possible to install a motherboard that can run two separate processors (multiple processors) in a personal computer, but most current computers use a motherboard that can run only one processor - or a multi-core processor that has 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 cores.
The operating system has to be designed to run multiple processors. Linux, Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional Edition (32- or 64-bit versions), Windows XP SP2 Home Edition, and Windows Server 2003 can do so, but the two versions of Windows XP Home Edition prior to SP2 (the original XP Home and XP Home SP1) and Windows 95/98/Me cannot. Windows Vista and Windows 7 from the Home Premium versions and higher versions support multiple processors. Windows 95/98/Me can't run multiple processors or multiple-core processors. The software being used also has to be programmed to use multiple processors, otherwise it will just use one of the processors.
All of the versions of available Windows 7 and Windows Vista (down to Home Basic), support multi-core (dual-core/quad-core, etc.) processors, and the Business (the Professional version in Win7), Enterprise, and Ultimate Editions all support multiple processors on the motherboard (that is, the motherboard must have more than one processor socket).
Exploiting Multi-Core Processors in Windows Vista -
http://developer.amd.com/documentation/articles/Pages/282007123.aspx
Note that a licence for Windows XP (or any other version of Windows) only allows the use of a single processor. If you use two separate processors on a motherboard, you have to purchase two licences for Windows. This is not the case with a dual-core processor, because it is installed as a single unit in a single socket on the motherboard.
HT stands for HyperThreading. It is technology that belongs to Intel that allows a single processor to emulate two processors, so AMD Athlon processors don't use it.
If you see nm in relation to processors, it stands for nanometres, and describes how small the manufacturing process - called fabrication - can wire the processor's interconnections - measured in nanometres. Intel has already updated from using 130nm to using a 90nm fabrication process, which is used to manufacture the Pentium 4 Prescott and AMD's Athlon 64 processors. Determined to keep one step ahead of AMD, Intel will soon be moving to the even more miniaturised 65nm technology.
A nanometre is a billionth of a metre (a nanosecond is a billionth of a second), where a billion is 1,000 million, so a namometre is 10 to the power of minus 9 of a metre; an incredibly small distance.
Below are images showing the top (left), and underside views of the Intel's Celeron 1.7GHz Socket 478 processor. The 478 is derived from the number of pins on the processor - 478 - that fit into the socket. Note that Socket 478 was replaced by Socket LGA775 that has itself been superseded by later socket types.
The pins can clearly be seen in the image on the right. The processor can stand on its pins, but should one break off, or bend so that it doesn't fit into its corresponding hole in the processor socket, the processor won't be able to function. Bent pins can be straightened, but if a pin breaks off, a new processor would be required.
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Intel abandoned using pins for its processors long ago in favour of using contact points, but, by December 2011, AMD was still using pins for its processors. Click here! to see close-up images of the underside of the magnified AMD FX processors, first made available in October 2011, showing the pins. If you want to see the contact points on the underside of the latest Intel processors, enter a search query, such as: images intel core i7 cpus. You'll find images of all kinds.
The start-up screen for a system running an American Megatrends (AMI) BIOS and an AMD Athlon 64 3200+ processor is shown below. The Checking NVRAM.. 1048576KB OK is 1GB of RAM. There may be power problems with upgrading a system to run large amounts of RAM. See the RAM section of this website for more information on this subject.
The system's DRAM clock is shown as 400MHz, so DDR400 (PC3200) RAM) is installed. Pressing the DEL key enters the BIOS setup program, pressing the F11 key brings up the Boot Menu, and pressing the F10 key runs the BIOS recovery utility, which you would use if the computer won't boot past the start-up screen, and you can't enter the BIOS because it has become corrupt.
In order to install a particular make and model of processor in a motherboard, that motherboard and its BIOS setup program must support it. All of the recent and current processors made by Intel and AMD just have to be installed in a motherboard that is properly installed in a PC's case with RAM memory, video/graphics card, etc., in order for the supporting BIOS to recognise and configure it for the operating system, which is usually a version of Windows.
To install a socketed processor that has pins on its underside involves nothing more than matching the pin grid array on the processor with the socket's pin grid, lifting the ZIF (zero insertion force) lever on the socket, inserting the processor so that it fits flush with the socket on all sides, and then lowering the ZIF lever so that the processor is held fast in the socket. All processors use a relatively foolproof method to align the processor so that it fits the correct way into the socket and instructions are provided with the retail boxed product, but if you buy a bare (unboxed) processor - OEM or on eBay, etc. - you'll have to find out what its alignment method is. Usually, you just have to match an alignment arrow on a top corner of the processor with the arrow on the socket.
Intel's Pentium 4 Socket LGA775 processors and later Intel processors don't have pins; they have metal contact points called a land grid array (LGA). The flat contacts on the processor's underside make contact with tiny coils on pins inside the socket. The processor sits on top of them.
The coils inside the socket are mounted on pieces of metal (pins), which give them a bit of spring so that they push up and make firm contact with the metal contact points on the processor. When you install or remove the processor, it's possible to bend or move the pins. If one or more of the coils can't make contact with the processor, the computer won't start up. If that hapens after you've installed the processor or removed and reinstalled it, examine the socket from above. The pattern of pins should be completely ordered and symmetrical.
If any of the pins are out of line, you can use a knife with a sharp point or a pin to ease them back into position, but you must make sure that you don't cause a short circuit by leaving any of them making contact with each other.
The idea is to get the vertical part of each of these inner pins into an upright position and equidistant from the surrounding pins. It might not be possible to get them exactly equidistant from one another, but as long as their locations are approximately right, they should be able to make contact with the contact points on the processor. If you replace the processor and its heatsink and starting up the computer fails, you'll have to try adjusting the pins until startup takes place.
When the processor is placed in its socket, the heatsink and fan unit, also known as a CPU cooler or cooling unit (usually custom made for the particular make and model of processor), is fitted over the processor, and, depending on its type, is either plugged into a power socket on the motherboard, or attached to a power plug from the case's power supply unit. Retail boxed AMD and Intel processors come with illustrated installation instructions, the diagrams of which are easy to follow if the written instructions are not easy to understand. A heatsink and fan unit is supplied with the boxed product, but not usually with the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) product, which is supported by the retailer/vendor instead of AMD. Installation instructions aren't usually provided with OEM computer components. Only AMD sells OEM processors. Intel only sells the retail, boxed product.
Each of the major motherboard manufacturers provides user manuals for every motherboard it has released on to the market. The installation instructions vary for the make and model of the processor and the make and model of the motherboard.
To read examples, you can download the manuals for the latest MSI motherboards free of charge from msi.com. The manuals provide illustrated instructions on how to install the processor in its socket. Each type of processor will have its own method of being correctly aligned in its socket. Instructions are also provided in the manual on how to install a heatsink and fan unit over the processor. All of the major motherboard manufacturers provide user manuals for their boards, and copies in the PDF format are also provided from the motherboard manufacturer's website. Those instructions are also provided when you buy a retail, boxed processor.
The following page provides access to PDF files on how to apply Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound to Intel and AMD processors:
How to apply Arctic Silver 5 to Intel and AMD desktop and laptop PCs -
http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm
See the image below that shows the top and bottom (pin grid array) views of an Athlon 64 processor. The triangle in one of the corners shows where the processor has to be inserted into the matching corner of the socket on the motherboard.
The top of Intel's Pentium 4 processors look the same as the Athlon 64 processors, but the underside pin-grid-array of a Pentium 4 with a Prescott core looks like this:
Those are not pins that fit into holes in the processor socket, they are flattish contact points that make contact with matching points in the socket.
If you need to see how Intel and AMD processors are installed, view these videos:
Intel CPU Install - Shows the installation of the processor, heatsink, and removal of the heatsink. - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=b6NbPMQgwPM
AMD SOCKET 754 939 940 AM2 install MOVIE - Shows the installation of the processor, heatsink, and removal of the heatsink. -
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn14oA6Db4k&NR=1
There is no need to use an electro-static discharge (ESD) wrist strap. Just touch some metal that is not insulated from the ground, such as a the PC's case.
Most current desktop and mobile computers use 32-bit processors made by Intel or AMD. But that position won't last long because the latest processors made by both companies are 64-bit processors that can run both 32-bit and 64-bit software.
The single-core Athlon 64 and dual-core Athlon 64 X2 64-bit processors from AMD (that, in theory, can access and transport twice as much data at once as 32-bit processors) are available. The new processors have more pins than their predecessors, the Athlon XP Socket A processors, which are now out of production.
The Athlon 64 processors can run 64-bit applications, which are not yet available, and the current 32-bit software. A 64-bit version of Windows XP Professional Edition for 64-bit processors is now available, but there is currently (August 2005) no 64-bit version of Windows XP Home Edition.
No emulation mode is used by a 64-bit processor in order for it to run 32-bit software. The processor can run both types naturally and at once.
Click here! to go to information on the Software section of this website on the 64-bit versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista.
"Correct Driver installation is crucial to overall platform performance. This is especially true for the Intel® 850 and Intel® 845 chipsets. Drivers should always be installed in the order displayed in Table 1 below. The most critical step in the installation order is to run the Intel® Chipset Software Installation Utility before all other drivers. Once the chipset is properly detected and configured using this utility, device driver installation order becomes less crucial and will have less impact on system performance." - From a page called Pentium® 4 processors Optimization Tip - Checking Driver Installation that no longer exists on Intel's site.
Visit Intel.com for any such information or Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility that you need for your particular motherboard's Intel chipset.
Laptop/notebook processorsLaptop processors are designed to make portable computing as efficient as possible. The processors are designed to have a low power consumption that can be lowered even further by the use of the power-management software that is built into the operating system (Windows, Linux, etc.) Consequently, mobile laptops don't need to have large cases for additional cooling hardware and they're lighter. Visit the Laptop PCs page on this site for more information about them. Processor reviewsExpert Reviews - Processor reviews - http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/processors PC Pro - Processor reviews - http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/processors Best Gaming CPUs [Processors] For The Money - April 2012 - http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/... Benchmark testsIf you want to run benchmark tests on the processor, RAM, video/graphics card, and hard disk drive, download PCMark04 from http://www.futuremark.com/. |
The latest super-fast processors operate at speeds (frequencies) that old programs (such as those designed for an MS DOS system) weren't designed to run at. Consequently, such software may fail to work properly, if at all. CPU Killer is a free utility that allows a user to slow a super-fast processor down sufficiently to be able to run old software. The latest version of the tool provides support for Hyperthreading and multiple-core processors. -
http://www.cpukiller.com/products/cpukiller/
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