Just a quick question. If a dual core processor rates its speed at 2.8Ghz or what ever, does that mean both cores run at that clock speed or is it split between them? Thing that made me wonder was AMD ones are named things like "Athlon 5600+ Dual core 2.8Ghz"

Thanks!

Both cores run at 2.8GHz - AMD have a weird way of labelling their processors.

The big number on AMD processors is meant to be how fast it is compared to a particular processor from about 5 years ago. I can't remember which processor it was though. It was introduced when the clock speeds on Intel started to be higher than AMD even though the benchmark results would be the same. Just a marketing tool really so they didn't loose customers who bought the processor with the highest number.

As already said with Dual Core the ghz figure is per core.

Ah ok thanks. So basically, the big number now is the total processing power? (2800 x 2 = 5600)

Ah ok thanks. So basically, the big number now is the total processing power? (2800 x 2 = 5600)

well, yes... but like cynic said it's just a label.

When Intel were still producing Pentiums with a, say, 3GHz clock speed, AMD were producing chips with a 2GHz clock but the processors were quite comparable in terms of performance (ie. AMDs chips were more efficient)... so AMD labelled the chip "3000" to match Intel's 3.00Ghz.


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Quad core anyone one :) or maybe the newer 8 Core.....

HELP!!! lol

Regarding the comparison of AMD and Intel Core 2, anyone would give the advice of buy Intel at the moment, AMD are trailing badly in both performance and efficiency.

anyone would give the advice of buy Intel at the moment

yep, agreed. although i would hope AMD come up with something better soon... competition is good! :D


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I'm not holding my breath. I read the review at tomshardware yesterday of the intel replacement for conroe (penrith is it?). It's another big step forward, partly due to new fabbing techniques. But the upshot is that they got the already faster at an equal clock speed new core, running on air cooling at 4GHz. The architecture is only a step increment, but the new fab technique lets it run cooler and on a lower voltage, and the 45nm component size means more space, so a bigger on chip cache. The first part is due out Nov 10th, at $1000/chip or something silly, but the lower priced more sensible cores are due out by Q1 2008, I think I'm going to wait until they're out to build my new media/gaming pc.