What is Hyper-Threading Technology?

Question

some cpus are HT...what exactly does this mean in good old englih please....and understandable for a non-technician computer freek :-p LOL...thanks

Answer 1

It basically allows one CPU to act like a dual core CPU, in simple terms. Now it is more complicated than that, but that is the simple answer. As far as how good it is, a Pentium 4 with it is better than without, but a Pentium D (actual dual core) is better than both. The new Core 2 Duos are replacing everything now, and they do not support hyperthreading. The technology is pretty much dead as it was not that effective anyway.

Answer 2

Hyperthreading is Intel's implementation of simultaneous multithreading. OK... English.

Some programs are written using something called threads. A thread is a portion of a program that can be executed on its own. Sort of a sub-program. The benefit of this is that the program doesn't have to execute sequentially, and that parts that take longer can be done in the background while the CPU has spare time. (It's really more complicated than that, but we're keeping it simple)

With simultaneous threads, multiple processor systems can execute separate theads at the same time. The system is literally doing two things at once. Handling multiple threads takes a bit more housekeeping as you have to keep track of what each of them are doing, who they are going to be sending messages to, and that sort of thing.

With Hyperthreading, Intel makes a CPU LOOK like it's got multiple processors. Doing this, some programs are able to operate much faster. The trouble is that not all programs can take advantage of hyperthreading and some can actually slow down.

If you're going to use hyperthreading, you might want to make sure that your software will take advantage of it, or that it will not be adversely affected by it. If the software you use does take advantage of this technology, you could see a real performance boost.

Answer 3

Yes, Dual Core Technology is better and faster than Hyper-Threading Technology.

Answer 4

Hyper-threading, officially called Hyper-Threading Technology (HTT), is Intel's trademark for their implementation of the simultaneous multithreading technology on the Pentium 4 microarchitecture. It is a more advanced form of Super-threading that debuted on the Intel Xeon processors and was later added to Pentium 4 processors. The technology improves processor performance under certain workloads by providing useful work for execution units that would otherwise be idle, for example during a cache miss.

Answer 5

In simple terms, HTT allows a single core CPU to act like a dual core CPU, which means it can handle two threads at once. This speeds things up if you like to, say, download some music while editing a document or surfing the net. Each process will have it's own processor, one real and one virtual, to do it's work.

Answer 6

Marketing lingo. Seriously.