About Computer Processors?

Question

Let's say I have a processor that says "Intel Core 2 Duo 1.86GHz." Does it means that the processor has two 1.86GHz (3.72GHz total) or does it mean that the WHOLE processor speed adds up to 1.86GHz. Thanks.

Answer 1

It means you have 2 x 1.86GHz processors, but this is not the same as a single 3.72GHz processor.

A processor can only perform 1 calculation at a time. The gigahertz rating relates to how many calculations the processor can perform in a second, the higher the number, the more calculations it can do. Normally, when you have your computer running more than one program at a time, the work your processor does it divided between those to programs; it will do a calculation for one program, then one calculation for the other, and so on.

A dual core processor is essentially just 2 processors for your computer so when you have 2 programs running, one will be running on one processor and one will be running on the other processor.

Essentially, this doesn't make much of a difference for the average user, most programs don't require too much processing power and the average user tends to have lots of programs open at once (internet browser, iTunes, minesweeper, whatever) so the average user is doubling his computing power.

But the difference comes in when you try to run your professional 3d architecture program that requires 3.0GHz of computing power, a dual core processor won't help you there.

Answer 2

Solo means one processor per chip.
Duo means it has two processors built on the same chip, yet acts like a single processor to your operating system.

"The Intel Core Duo is actually two processors (cores) engineered onto a single chip — offering virtually twice the computational power of a traditional single processor in the same space. With two cores tightly integrated, increased L2 cache, and a host of engineering breakthroughs, the Intel Core Duo delivers higher performance for all the things you do — from enhancing the family photos to rendering special effects for a feature film."


It doesn't actually run at 3.72, but it has almost the power of 3.72.

Answer 3

NO NO NO, computer software run in "threads", ok, say u run windows media player, and internet explorer, if you have one processor, then the windows media player "threads" is processed while the internet explorer "threads" is waiting to be processed, so if u have a operating system that supports a dual core processor, than both programs will be processed at the same time. Plus multimedia programs are mainly multi-threaded so that program will run faster, for most purposes, you dont need that kind of processor, but if you are going to buy windows vista, or run multimedia prgrams, you have no use for it, and by the way, i reccomend, an amd x64 dual core processor, i own one, it works great, buy from www.tigerdirect.com, cheap computer stuffs

Answer 4

From my understanding its just what it says 1.83 not 1.83x2.
Ive built my own computer and this is rather new to me. They even have a quad core. Core 2 does not stress designs based on extremely high clock speeds but rather improvements on other CPU features.

You may want to read this; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core_2

Answer 5

It has 2 distinct cores however, the total speed that you referenced (1.86) is the total speed of the processor.

Answer 6

It means you have two 1.86ghz processors.

Answer 7

i think that the whole thing adds up to 1.86ghz it just acts like its faster because it can do two or more tasks at once without becoming slowed down

Answer 8

Both cores are running at 1.86 GHz doing two different things in certain applications. They don't add up to 3.72GHz.

Answer 9

What TIm said