dual core CPUs - what apps?

[FunkyChicken]

Hi there guys,

I've just purchased a new PC, not got loads of cash so had to suffice with a Pentium 820D (Dual Core 2.8GHz).

I know that to take advantage of the dual core apps need to be multi-threaded. I know plenty of video encoding apps ect do this but are apps such as M$ Office, Adobe Photoshop and Firefox mutlithreaded?

Also, a tad off topic but games..........Are there any games available at the moment that are multi-threaded and make better use of dual core cpus? Quake 4? Far Cry? Doom3? ect....

Thanks in advance for your help

[FunkyChicken]

p.s. just to add, it must be an absolute nightmare to program multiple threads in a game? how would you prevent deadlocks? Or would you simply use one core for the AI for example and the other core for the rendering messages being sent to the GPU?

[Deviant Ollam]

Adobe Photoshop

can't be sure of any others, but i'm rather certain that photoshop has supported multiple-processor threading for a while... especially since back in the day, professionals typically ran it on SGI machines as opposed to traditional workstations.

[ck3k]

I am curious on this topic to, anyone have some knowleage on how the dual cores work, is it similiar to SMP or more like the hyper-threading stuff. I have yet to upgrade but those amd 64 x2's are just damn sexy.

[TheCotMan]

I am curious on this topic to, anyone have some knowleage on how the dual cores work, is it similiar to SMP or more like the hyper-threading stuff. I have yet to upgrade but those amd 64 x2's are just damn sexy.

"How they work" is beyond my scope-- something to do with logical gates, and whatnot ;-)
If you get an SMP-enabled, modern Linux kernel, it should work. I believe it will show you more than one CPU when interrogating the CPU psuedofiles of /proc.

[theprez98]

I know next to nothing about dual core processor technology but I did find some links that were informative. There is some mention of applications as well. All together they give a fairly decent baseline of knowledge about how dual core technology works.

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1797
http://www.devx.com/Intel/Article/27399
http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/.../dual_core.asp
http://www.short-media.com/review.php?r=261

Hope this helps.

[FunkyChicken]

goto the intel site below, then watch the flash demo by clicking the text that says:

"Demo: Dual-core and Hyper-Threading comparison" (its on the right hand panel labeled as "Dual-Core Portal")

http://www.intel.com/business/bss/pr.../dual-core.htm

This gives a very good description on how dual core proc work. Well i enjoyed it anyway.

Hope you like

[bascule]

I am curious on this topic to, anyone have some knowleage on how the dual cores work, is it similiar to SMP or more like the hyper-threading stuff.

A little bit of both. HyperThreading uses two decoder pipelines that share one set of execution units. Dual core processors typically use two sets of decoder pipelines that share cache and memory controllers, although they don't have to, and depending on the implementation can share two sets of execution units.

[Ridirich]

When you look at the dual core HT demo, it shows 4 things going through all at the same time. These might represent: Sound, AI, 2d graphics, 3d graphics. It would make sense.

I wonder what google has to say about it though instead of basing my idea on assumptions.

And indeed, google found it. Wow, this is informative too! Look here.

[bascule]

Dual core + HT would have four pipelines... two per core

[Astronut413]

Intel vs AMD

OK, I'm hopefully gunna be getting a new computer soon. And was looking into dual-core (if i pull off the cash that is). I was wanting to know which you guys recommended, Intel or AMD. Right now im running an AMD, and it does stay very cool and all, but I've been considering switching back to Intel. Is this a good idea? And what is your opinion if it is in a Shuttle case?

[Ridirich]

Intel is more expensive than AMD in both motherboards and processors. The performance due to benchmarks I have seen puts AMD as better overall. I am sure, however, someone will say I am wrong...you see...here is the normal conversation:

Bill: AMD is cool, it is less expensive than Intel and puts out better performance.

Ted: Intel is better.

Bill: Show me how they are, and the benchmarks to prove it.

Ted: It just is.

Bill: blah blah blah....

Ted: blah blah blah...

You get the idea.

In the end, my personal opinion is this:
When it comes to personal computers and gaming computers....AMD is better. When it comes to servers I would go with Intel(IT2). It's that simple.

[dYn4mic]

I've always been an AMD person myself (maybe I just like underdogs).

AMD64/FX-XX and Operton processors are hard to beat if you have the money..

And if you use intel.. your being like adolph hitler. ;-P

(ok.. this argument is now over. Thread closed)
(see: http://forum.defcon.org/showpost.php...0&postcount=10)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law (thanks cot, that was a good laugh when i first saw it)

[SlackJaw]

Intel is more expensive than AMD in both motherboards and processors. The performance due to benchmarks I have seen puts AMD as better overall. I am sure, however, someone will say I am wrong...you see...here is the normal conversation....it's that simple.

Not quite THAT simple Ridirich....

In the seamless age-old battle of the processor’s, primarily between AMD and Intel, (Cyrix who?), AMD has really come out with a killer class A SERVER class processor.

The Opteron 64X2 (Dual Core) is powerhouse relative to its nemesis: Intel’s Xeon 64 bit monster. ZDNet has the benchmarks if you're interested. According to Daniel A Begun & Rich Brown through the ZDnet forum, the server class AMD Opteron beat out Intel’s top dog - the Extreme Edition - in every beanchmark.

Dual core and hyper-threading technology will make obsolete the dual processor motherboards as the design of dual core is to emulate two processors. I just built a dual processor ( Twin Intel Plll 800 mhz on an Intel Serverboard) for my web/mail server though, because the dual processor cost is still way too high.

Through the use of two separate set’s of execution instructions, the dual core processors are capable of speed and workload efficiency not seen by any previous technology. And now, at 64 bits processor bus architecture, it can all be executed before you can say, well…anything.

Back to AMD, the Athlon class processor kicked ass on the Extreme and the Opteron far exceeds expectations for quality and performance against what most people consider the number one line in processors.

Oh, and before anyone can offer a rebuttal....I'd just like to say....Aldolf FUCKING Hitler...Shut er down Cot..

[TheCotMan]

Godwin's Law:

It is considered poor form to arbitrarily raise such a comparison with the motive of ending the thread. There is a widely recognized codicil that any such deliberate invocation of Godwin's Law will be unsuccessful.

It is not just mentioning the name, but also the context in which it is mentioned. When there is an appeal to emotion in a discussion where posters are showing signs of hostility, anger, or emotions-- especially in topics like politics or religion, THAT is a suggestion of what is to come. (That thread is a good example of why politics can be a problem, and it is safest to avoid such topics here.)

Some of the old "rules" of USENET came into being to deal with problems that still exist today.

Back on topic...

I'd like to add that the scheduler for the Linux 2.6 kernels with SMP is better than the scheduler for 2.4 Linux kernels-- especially where desktop use is considered.

Dual Core in Linux with a modern SMP enabled Linux 2.6 kernel is pretty good.