Dual-core processor

Recently, many projects have been paying more and more attention to the dual-core technology. although the early dual-core technology was proposed by some server manufacturers, such as IBM and HP, with the universality of technology, dual-core technology is no longer available for high-end devices, for example, dual-core has gradually entered the public's life. first, let's take a look at what dual-core is: Dual core processor ): A dual-core processor integrates two computing cores on one processor to improve the computing capability. The concept of "dual-core" was first proposed by high-end server vendors that support the server architecture such as IBM, HP, and sun. However, due to the high price and narrow application of the server architecture, not attracting wide attention. Recently, the concept of "dual-core" is mainly a dual-core technology based on the x86 Open Architecture. In this regard, the leading vendors mainly include AMD and Intel. The two ideas are different. AMD was designed to support multiple cores from the very beginning. All components are directly connected to the CPU to eliminate system architecture challenges and bottlenecks. The two processor cores are directly connected to the same kernel, and the core communicates with each other at chip speed, further reducing the latency between processors. Intel shares the frontend bus with multiple cores. Experts believe that amd architecture is more likely to achieve dual-core or multi-core, Intel architecture will encounter Bottlenecks of multiple kernels competing for bus resources.

Intel has three types of dual-core desktop processors: Pentium D, Pentium EE (Pentium extreme edition), and Core Duo. Pentium D and Pentium EE are oriented to mainstream markets and high-end markets respectively. Each core adopts an independent cache design, and the two cores inside the processor are mutually isolated) the arbitration server is responsible for the task allocation between the two cores and the synchronization of cached data. The two cores share the frontend bus and use the frontend bus to transmit cache-based data synchronization between the two cores. In terms of architecture, this type is a loosely coupled dual-core processor solution based on independent caching. Its advantage is that the technology is simple and only two identical processor kernels need to be encapsulated on the same substrate; the disadvantage is that the data delay problem is serious and the performance is not satisfactory. In addition, the biggest difference between Pentium D and Pentium EE is That Pentium EE supports hyper-Threading Technology, while Pentium D does not. After the hyper-Threading Technology is enabled, Pentium EE is identified as four logical processors by the operating system.

AMD's dual-core processors are the dual-core opteron series and the new athlon 64 X2 series Processors. Among them, athlon 64 X2 is a dual-core desktop processor series used to compete with Pentium D and Pentium extreme edition.
AMD's athlon 64 X2 is a combination of the Venice Cores Used on two athlon 64 processors. Each core has an independent 512kb (1 MB) L2 cache and execution unit. In addition to an extra core, the architecture of athlon 64 has not changed significantly.

Most of the dual-core athlon 64 X2 specifications and functions are no different from the familiar athlon 64 architecture. That is to say, the new athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor still supports the 1 GHz hypertransport bus, the DDR memory controller supports dual-channel settings.

Unlike Intel dual-core processors, the two kernels of athlon 64 X2 do not need to be coordinated by MCH. AMD provides a system request queue (system request queue) technology in the athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor. At work, each core puts its request in srq, after a resource is obtained, the request is sent to the corresponding execution core. That is to say, all the processing processes are completed within the CPU core and do not need to use external devices. 
For dual-core architecture, amd integrates two cores into the same silicon crystal kernel, while Intel's dual-core processing method is more like simply combining the two cores. Compared with Intel's dual-core architecture, AMD's dual-core processor system does not have a transmission bottleneck between two cores. Therefore, the athlon 64 X2 architecture is significantly better than the Pentium d Architecture.

 

Although amd does not have to worry about power consumption and power consumption of the Prescott core compared with intel, it also needs to consider reducing power consumption for dual-core processors. Therefore, amd does not adopt a method to reduce the clock speed. Instead, it uses the so-called dual stress liner strain silicon technology in the athlon 64 X2 processor produced using the 90nm process, which is used in combination with the SOI technology, it can produce transistors with higher performance and lower power consumption.

The most affordable advantage of AMD's athlon 64 X2 processor is that the new dual-core processor can be used without the need to change the platform. You only need to upgrade the BIOS of the old motherboard, compared with the practice that Intel dual-core processors must be replaced with a new platform to support, upgrading dual-core systems will save a lot of money.