Question about Pentium D dual core.

A

audiobahn1000

Member
I just bought a Dell XPS 400 with a Pentium D / Intel VIIV 2.8 GHz. processor. I am trying to figure out how dual core processors work. With mine is it 2.8 GHz. between both processors or 2.8 GHz. for EACH processor for a total of 5.6 GHz. of processing power? The other question I have is say one processor is running a game and the other is running Windows. Say that the processor running Windows is only at 500 MHz. of usage. Then say the processor running the game maxes out and requires more then 2.8 GHz. In that case would the load spill over onto the other processor to provide more processing power to the game? Like 3.5 or 4 GHz. or whatever's needed?
 
There are two processor cores running each at 2.8 Ghz. However, that does not equal 5.6 Ghz, it just means that it can handle twice the thoroughput of a single cored processor. If a game requires 2.8Ghz, the other processor will not help by assisting with the game, though it will handle all the other non-game related tasks.
 
Ok but if both processors are maxed out. i.e. Windows is running the CPU at 100% for processor 1 and a game is running the CPU at 100% for processor 2, does the total bandwidth that is being processed between both equal 5.6 Ghz.?
 
audiobahn1000 said:
I just bought a Dell XPS 400 with a Pentium D / Intel VIIV 2.8 GHz. processor. I am trying to figure out how dual core processors work. With mine is it 2.8 GHz. between both processors or 2.8 GHz. for EACH processor for a total of 5.6 GHz. of processing power? The other question I have is say one processor is running a game and the other is running Windows. Say that the processor running Windows is only at 500 MHz. of usage. Then say the processor running the game maxes out and requires more then 2.8 GHz. In that case would the load spill over onto the other processor to provide more processing power to the game? Like 3.5 or 4 GHz. or whatever's needed?
Click to expand...

Well, no. Its two cores, not two processors. It still one processor but it has two cores so its still running at 2.8GHZ. But anyways for games, both processors won't work together for the game, unless the game is multi-threaded. This means that the game can utilize both cores so that it has more processing power. Same goes with applications.
 
^What he said.

Dual-core technology is nice and sounds awesome, but its only cool if the software developers (office apps, games, OS, etc) write he software to utilize it. So really you're at the mercy of developers. Though the dual core tech still helps out in every day computing too.
 
Ok well is this a good processor for gameing? I am not going to be typeing crap in the background on another program at the same time. I am wondering it it will outpreform my 2.63 GHz. Celeron that I have now for gameing.
 
audiobahn1000 said:
Ok well is this a good processor for gameing? I am not going to be typeing crap in the background on another program at the same time. I am wondering it it will outpreform my 2.63 GHz. Celeron that I have now for gameing.
Click to expand...

It's a decent gaming chip. In most games, it will be about the same as a P4 2.8. However in multi-threaded games, it will perform much better.

And yes, it's significantly better then the Celeron 2.63Ghz. :)
 
What are some of the games that work with dual threading? And what is "hyper threading"? Is that the dual threading that you guys are talking about?
 
Hyperthreading is a fake dual core processor. It has two logical cores instead of two physical cores, and doesn't perform nearly as good in multitasking situations. Multithreaded applications are apps that can utilize both cores at the same time. Some of the newer games are multithreaded, meaning that it will use both cores instead of just one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top