Question about dual processors

[ryangarfield]

When it says that your computer has a dual core processor, and then gives you the speed, is that for each one? or combined?
For instance i just bought a Compaq v6000 series laptop, which states it has dual AMD processors at 1.6 Ghz, so is that each or in total?

Thanks for any help.

[manono]

Each.

[jagabo]

If they state the clock speed, each core is running at that speed. But AMD's model numbers roughly reflect performance of the two cores together.

[handyguy]

1.6? That is basically just two 1.6ghz computers working side by side. This is not a new idea, two processor computers have been around for many years.

You can get 3.0ghz duals these days.

[rallynavvie]

The 3.0 GHz are the old Pentium Ds. That 1.6 (Core Duo likely) will perform amost as well as the 3.0 GHz dual core Pentium D.

[RabidDog]

ut AMD's model numbers roughly reflect performance of the two cores together.

no no that's a bit off ..Amds ratings used to be in comparison to intel but they are a bit arbitrary now. You sound like you have an early Amd x2 of perhaps 3600. Both cores in a dual AMD setup will run slower than the PR(pentium) rating eg present x2 3800 will have two cores running at 1.8ghz each, both of which are considered to be equal to a single p4 running at 3.8ghz. To confuse things the new core2duo run slower clock speeds than the athlon x2 but however are quicker/ more powerful as they utilise a more efficient architecture.

[jagabo]

present x2 3800 will have two cores running at 1.8ghz each, both of which are considered to be equal to a single p4 running at 3.8ghz.

What do you mean by "both of which"? Do you mean the two taken together are equal to a 3.8 GHz P4? Then you're saying the same thing I said. If you mean each of the cores is equivalent to a 3.8 GHz P4 you are wrong.

All X2 3800+ processors I'm aware of run at 2.0 GHz. I have a 2.8 GHz P4 and an X2 3800+. The performance of a single core of the X2 3800+ (it's easy to disable one core) is pretty close to the 2.8 GHz P4. A single Core A64 CPU at 2.0 GHz gets a PR rating of 3000 or 3200.

AMD always denied that the PR ratings had anything to do with P4 clock speeds. They never divulged exactly how they arrived at the numbers. They claimed it was performance relative to an eary Athlon model. I don't remember which.

In any case, with vastly different architectures, different numbers of cores, different amounts of cache, obscure model numbers, and a mix of single and multithreaded software, you simply have to look at benchmarks of the programs you run to determine what hardware will best suits you.

[handyguy]

There was another topic on this. It was kind of fun, in a race between three cars, two cars going 16mph & one going 30 mph, which one would win? Lol. Course, if you have a lot of people in the cars, then you'd come out ahead sometime with two cars going 16mph.

[rallynavvie]

There was another topic on this. It was kind of fun, in a race between three cars, two cars going 16mph & one going 30 mph, which one would win? Lol. Course, if you have a lot of people in the cars, then you'd come out ahead sometime with two cars going 16mph.

Which is a very apt metaphor for 90% of users, but then since this is a video forum then it tends to take on a different meaning.

[RabidDog]

Jagabo I was just disputing Amd's ratings and some of the "confusion" surrounding what Amd gives out about the ratings .
Basically many people think that a single core amd3800 runs at the same speed as each of the dual cores in an x2 3800, which is not true. An amd x1 3800 runs at 2400 whilst an Amd x2 3800 runs at 2000mhz which is quite a difference (20%) so if your running something like a single threaded video encoder a single core CPU can be significantly faster (rating for rating, etc)

[jagabo]

...many people think that a single core amd3800 runs at the same speed as each of the dual cores in an x2 3800, which is not true. An amd x1 3800 runs at 2400 whilst an Amd x2 3800 runs at 2000mhz which is quite a difference (20%) so if your running something like a single threaded video encoder a single core CPU can be significantly faster (rating for rating, etc)

Ahh, yes. And a lot of retailers are happy to let people think the PR rating equates to actual GHz.