Pentium Dual Core

Dual core technology alludes to 2 individual microprocessors on a single die cast chip. This is largely 2 PC processing units ( CPUs ) in one.

A benefit of a dual core chip is that jobs can be carried out in parallel streams, decreasing processing time. This is known as thread-level parallelism ( TLP ). TLP is also possible on motherboards that will accommodate 2 separate CPU dies. When TLP is accomplished in a single CPU thru dual core technology, it is known as chip-level multiprocessing ( CLM ). In dual core CPUs, each microprocessor often has its own on-board cache, known as Level one ( L1 ) cache. L1 cache noticeably improves system performance, as it is much quicker to access on-chip cache than to use random access memory ( RAM ). L1 cache is accessed at microprocessor speeds. Twin core chips also frequently feature secondary shared cache on the CPU, known as Level two ( L2 ) cache. Motherboards might also have a cache chip appointed as Level 3 ( L3 ) cache. While quicker than RAM, L3 cache is slower than cache built into the twin core chip. Dual core technology has edges over double-core or twin-core technology. These latter terms refer to two independent CPUs installed on the same motherboard. Dual core chips take up less real-estate on the motherboard, have bigger cache coherency, and need less energy than 2 independent CPUs. But Dual core technology also has its drawbacks.

Whether a dual core processor is correct for you will rely on what you’re planning on using your PC for. If the programs you constantly need are made for TLP, then you’ll benefit a great amount from a dual core chip. If not, you could be better served by a top of the range single-core CPU.