The computer helper: Quad core questions

By Jay Dougherty Sep 7, 2007, 15:10 GMT

Washington - Just when you thought you had a handle on the idea of dual core processors, along come quad-core chips.

And quad-core processors aren't just appearing as alternatives for those with ultra-deep pockets.

Intel's aggressive recent price cutting of its mainstream quad- core processor has put it into direct competition with mid-level dual

core processors, and AMD is about to launch some quad-core competition that will really heat up the microprocessor race.

But is quad core ready for what you do? Read on for some answers.

Q: What are the advantages of a quad-core processor?

A: Today, more 'cores,' in essence, mean smoother multitasking. When you use a traditional single-core processor, such as the venerable Pentium, you'll notice that while you can run multiple programs at once, if those programs are all active, drawing upon the processor, then your entire computer will slow down - and sometimes even seem to freeze.

A perfect example is when you're working on video editing in the foreground while your virus scanner scans your hard drive in the background. With a single-core processor, these simultaneous operations will slow a machine to a crawl and make it virtually unusable.

With a dual-core processor, things get better. But with a quad- core processor, the situation improves even more, since your computer has at its disposal many more clock cycles in which to accomplish tasks.

Q: Is there any software available that will take advantage of quad-core chips?

A: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista can take advantage of quad-core chips because they can schedule different applications or different parts of applications to run on different cores. The same goes for Linux. So if you frequently run several processor-hungry programs at once, you will definitely be happier with a quad core processor over a dual-core one.

That said, there currently are not many applications on the market today that are themselves designed to take advantage of the extra cores in a quad-core chip - or even a dual-core chip. That will change, however, especially with high-end applications designed for video, business use, science, and in the gaming world. So if you're buying a system with the future in mind, quad core is the way to go.

Q: My local computer store is selling high-end dual core computers for about the same price as quad-core computers. The dual-core processor seems to have a faster clock speed. Which would run my applications faster?

A: Today, thanks to recent price cuts by Intel, the quad core Q6600 chip, which consists of four processing cores, each running at 2.4 GHz, is priced at about the same level as the more recently introduced e6850 dual-core chip, which features two processing cores, with each running at 3.0 GHz. That means computers based on these chips should - all other things being equal - cost about the same amount.

Which one you should buy should depend upon two things: how frequently you run many processor-hungry applications at once and how much you want to purchase a computer with the future in mind. For single applications that are not specifically designed to take advantage of multi-core processors - and that means most - then the 6850 will hold a slight speed advantage. But for applications that are designed to see and use multiple cores in a processor - and these should be right around the corner - the Q6600 will easily win out.

In short, both processors are blazingly fast for today's operating systems and programs, but when programs become 'quad-core aware,' the Q6600 will keep you satisfied for longer.

Q: Is Intel the only provider of quad-core chips?

A: For now, Intel is out in front with its quad core technology. But AMD is not far behind. The company has announced that its Quad- Core Opteron processors should start selling in August. Although not clocked as high as Intel's processor - AMD's first models are said to max out at 2 GHz - the quad core processors from the long-time Intel competitor should be available in low-power versions that will make them attractive to system builders who want to minimise power consumption.

One thing is clear: quad-core is what will be hot in the immediate future, and with both AMD and Intel in the mix, prices on quad core systems should drop fast.

--- Have a computer question? Send it to the Computer Helper at jayd@csi.com.