computer engineer asks for advise

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beatdown

n00b
Joined
Apr 21, 2006
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57
My question:

Is a dual core processor always faster than a single core? For games? Correct me if i'm wrong but only 1 processor can be executing one task at a time therefore in games and such a dual core would not be as beneficial? Obviously they are nice for doing multiple things at once but I am concerned about their performance on solo applications....
 
wow youre seriously a computer engineer?? :confused:

dual core does nothing on single threaded apps
 
There is a slight performance boost to single threaded applications because one core can run the application while the other can take care of Windows related things. However, the performance boost is minimal.
 
wow why does everyone get them then? and yea i work at IBM doing some stuff that i still dont completely understand....but it involves pci-e
 
beatdown said:
wow why does everyone get them then? and yea i work at IBM doing some stuff that i still dont completely understand....but it involves pci-e
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Because it's nice to be able to do multiple things at once. You can play a game while downloading a file, playing music, or whatever and you won't have to worry about the game slowing down at a bad time. Additonally, more and more games and applications will support multi threading in the future as all new CPUs appear to be going the multi core route. So, it can be thought of as additional future proofing.
 
until apps become more multi threaded dual core has minmal effect unless you muti task alot
 
if you've ever used a dual processor or dual core computer and compared it to a single chip system with the same or even a bit faster processor speed you'd know, the 2nd chip makes for "smoother" computing. i would personally prefer to have dual 2.4GHz than a single 2.8GHz chip, but i run a lot of applications at the same time.

the apps don't need to be multi-threaded as long as you are running more than one app(which you are if you're running windows).

now i just want to get my hands on a dual core, SMP setup...
 
beatdown said:
wow why does everyone get them then? and yea i work at IBM doing some stuff that i still dont completely understand....but it involves pci-e
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I assume you have some sort of degree in computer engineering which would mean that you took a significant number of programming/computer science courses and you haven't ever heard of threads and youre not quite sure how a processor works?
 
osalcido said:
dual core does nothing on single threaded apps
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true, but more and more things are multithreaded now..

if only the CS majors weren't so damn lazy and would start writing solid code again :p


zutme said:
I assume you have some sort of degree in computer engineering which would mean that you took a significant number of programming/computer science courses and you haven't ever heard of threads and youre not quite sure how a processor works?
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i find that rather curious too..
 
zutme said:
I assume you have some sort of degree in computer engineering which would mean that you took a significant number of programming/computer science courses and you haven't ever heard of threads and youre not quite sure how a processor works?
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Well, I have friends who are an engineer and a programmer and their training were specific so they are pretty oblivious to these "enthusiast" technologies. The friend who is a senior software engineer for NIH, boy, she really shames her profession. She is apparently very good with what she does but when it comes to everything else about computers (like um, how much ram she should have for her OS or why her P2 with 256MB of ram is having problems with XP), she is clueless.

Now, back to topic we go....
 
felix88 said:
if you've ever used a dual processor or dual core computer and compared it to a single chip system with the same or even a bit faster processor speed you'd know, the 2nd chip makes for "smoother" computing. i would personally prefer to have dual 2.4GHz than a single 2.8GHz chip, but i run a lot of applications at the same time.

the apps don't need to be multi-threaded as long as you are running more than one app(which you are if you're running windows).

now i just want to get my hands on a dual core, SMP setup...
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My 4x Pentium pro comcrap proliant 5500 was a real ass kicking machine, considering each cpu was only clocked at 220Mhz. It couldnt hold a candle to my 500Mhz K7 amd for gaming, or any other single-threaded job. But when it came to transcoding multiple streams of video, I had 2 cpu's maxed out at 100% and I could still cruise around in windows 2000 pro as if nothing was happening. THATS why dual-core is awesome :cool:.
 
I thought this was the way they work I just wanted to make sure. I have a good general knowledge of computers but when it comes to keeping up with new products and what's better than what and for what reason - that always takes some effort to stay up to date.
 
Yeah to summarize, benefits of dual core:

1) Do multiple things at once
2) Pray that more apps (specially games) are programmed with multi-threading in mind.
 
TrueKaio said:
2) Pray that more apps (specially games) are programmed with multi-threading in mind.
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a few newer games are sorta multithreaded, and video drivers are too.
 
(cf)Eclipse said:
a few newer games are sorta multithreaded, and video drivers are too.
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Lately we've seen more benefit from the drivers than the games themselves.
 
All my CS friends talk about this .notifyAll() joke -- the group members are threads waiting for one guy to finish his part in a project.
 
I like the ability to rip and encode my music or video in the background while doing other tasks without slowdown.
 
osalcido said:
wow youre seriously a computer engineer?? :confused:

dual core does nothing on single threaded apps
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You'd be surprised how many computer engineers know less then the average hardware enthusiast.

I used to work for Apples RMA dept in the UK let me tell you we had a very blinkered view of PC related technology and experence, we were only really intrested in things relating directly to what we were doing and when we got home we didn't want to look at another computer until the next day back at work.

The term 'Computer Engineer' is very generic and one does not need any qualifications with which to call themselves an Engineer. Infact 95% of people i know who have set themselves up as such had no real qualifications, they just had a bit of confidence poking around.
 
I dont mean any offense, but why did you have to put "computer engineer" in your subject? It immediately makes you look silly when you dont even know about SMP.
 
Dual-core and/or SMP are extremely pleasant setups to have. In situation where a single cpu system bogs down running a big app, dual systems can switch over to another app and keep trucking while that one app sluggs it out on the cpu it's utilizing.
 
osalcido said:
wow youre seriously a computer engineer?? :confused:

dual core does nothing on single threaded apps
Click to expand...


most of the time.. computer engineering progrmas wouldn't talk about things like dual core CPUs till you take a graduate comptuer architecture class... sadly...
 
wee96 said:
I dont mean any offense, but why did you have to put "computer engineer" in your subject? It immediately makes you look silly when you dont even know about SMP.
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He just wanted adviSe.
 
RancidWAnnaRIot said:
most of the time.. computer engineering progrmas wouldn't talk about things like dual core CPUs till you take a graduate comptuer architecture class... sadly...
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All im saying is that if you have a computer engineering degree (at least at the university I attend) you go pretty far in computer science classes and you know what a thread is and something about computer theory and how a processor works. Do you really have a computer engineering degree? from a real university?
 
Yeah I call BS. Regardless of whether this gent is familiar with the current market Dual Core offerings, being a computer engineer he should still know the anatomy of the clock cycle, how it is abstracted into higher level layers, and ultimately threads utilized in software.

There are multithreaded games starting to crop up. The SMP patch for Quake 4 made a sizable difference for me, and things are only going to progress from here on out. In fact, I am suprise how long multiple CPUs have been kept out of the mainstream up until this point (in Wintel boxes, I know Apple has been playing this card for a while now).
 
zutme said:
All im saying is that if you have a computer engineering degree (at least at the university I attend) you go pretty far in computer science classes and you know what a thread is and something about computer theory and how a processor works. Do you really have a computer engineering degree? from a real university?
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Why are you asking me? LOL!! i'm not the one that goes to the OPs university...
 
TechHead said:
Alright guys, just help the OP out. No need to discuss his credentials here..
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He created the issue by putting it in his subject for no apparent reason.
 
beatdown said:
My question:

Is a dual core processor always faster than a single core?
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no.
For games?
Click to expand...
not always
Correct me if i'm wrong but only 1 processor can be executing one task at a time therefore in games and such a dual core would not be as beneficial?
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as benefitical as 'what'? without knowing that, it is hard to make a statement.
Obviously they are nice for doing multiple things at once but I am concerned about their performance on solo applications....
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If your computer runs exactly one taks with one thread, there will be no benefit from a multi-core processor.
Most desktop PCs, i.e. such that run WinXP, are likely to run more than one process at all times. The benefit of a dual core depends a lot on the amount of CPU time that two processes want at the same time. If there is no contention, the only benefit of a dual core system would be that the scheduler may run dedicated on the second core and will never interrupt the running process, the benefit of this is close to none.
 
wee96 said:
I dont mean any offense, but why did you have to put "computer engineer" in your subject? It immediately makes you look silly when you dont even know about SMP.
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alex heinz asks why he did too
 
J Macker said:
and another proper welcoming for the "n00bie".
it was quite funny, actually. I simply cannot understand why some people just lurk.. :p
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Not sure why you put "slam" as its not what I was doing, I even specifically noted to not take offense by it, its a serious question.
 
Coldmud said:
He just wanted adviSe.
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exactly no need to be a dick to the guy i bealive him our schools computer tech has several degrees iv seen them for a bunch of things softeware hardware things networking...but about 2 weeks ago i asked him for a pc100 stick of ram and he couldnt seem to grasp why having 2 pc133 sticks and 1 pc100 stick was crippeling the system
 
I also have a computer engineering degree. It has nothing at all to do mainstream computer parts and plugging them into a mainboard, overclocking, etc.

It's basically a EE degree with a focus in digital design. Spent the first 2-3 years doing circuit analysis and theory, transmission line theory, studying electronic components.

The last year and a half or so focused on digital circuit designs and embedded applications. Projects that used various microcontrollers at the firmware level. Assembly for Intel 8051 and PIC. And even some Spartan II FPGA's using VHDL.

It's about hardware design, NOT about sticking pre-fabbed hardware into standard ports and installing drivers, etc. Most of the engineers I know don't know their way around a computer worth squat.

But as typical for a forum full kids who think they know everything. They flame people when they are ignorant to another person's point of view.
 
Menelmarar said:
I also have a computer engineering degree. It has nothing at all to do mainstream computer parts and plugging them into a mainboard, overclocking, etc.

It's basically a EE degree with a focus in digital design. Spent the first 2-3 years doing circuit analysis and theory, transmission line theory, studying electronic components.

The last year and a half or so focused on digital circuit designs and embedded applications. Projects that used various microcontrollers at the firmware level. Assembly for Intel 8051 and PIC. And even some Spartan II FPGA's using VHDL.

It's about hardware design, NOT about sticking pre-fabbed hardware into standard ports and installing drivers, etc. Most of the engineers I know don't know their way around a computer worth squat.

But as typical for a forum full kids who think they know everything. They flame people when they are ignorant to another person's point of view.
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VHDL/verilog isn't emphasised in your program???

it's a big deal ehre at my school...

I agree 100% with what you said.. however.. i think the line of reasoning is as follows.. for example.. ask any professor in your school.. i bet when they were in college they all use to build radios.. work on computers.. etc.. for fun.. it seems like todays enigneering youth just doesn't give a rats ass about having a hobby related to the field they are studying...

again... in my opinion i don't really care.. plus.. the OP came to hardforum.. which is a spet in the right direction.. th question he asked is somethign that could havebeen answers in 1 sentence.. done and done.. now he knows.. he learned.. and it's all good.. that's what Hardforum is about.. spreading information.. not bashing people for not knowing stuff.. jesus.. if i wanted that. i'd go visit linux forums...

anyway.. my message to the [H]

don't let your ego get in the way of helping someone..

and to everyone here.. learing stuff like.. hwo to put together computers.. and overclock.. etc.. is WAY easier than the stuff you studying in engineering school....
 
Menelmarar said:
I also have a computer engineering degree. It has nothing at all to do mainstream computer parts and plugging them into a mainboard, overclocking, etc.

It's basically a EE degree with a focus in digital design. Spent the first 2-3 years doing circuit analysis and theory, transmission line theory, studying electronic components.

The last year and a half or so focused on digital circuit designs and embedded applications. Projects that used various microcontrollers at the firmware level. Assembly for Intel 8051 and PIC. And even some Spartan II FPGA's using VHDL.

It's about hardware design, NOT about sticking pre-fabbed hardware into standard ports and installing drivers, etc. Most of the engineers I know don't know their way around a computer worth squat.

But as typical for a forum full kids who think they know everything. They flame people when they are ignorant to another person's point of view.
Click to expand...

Such a dramatic generalization only makes you look bad yourself.
 
Going for a computer engineering degree now. Verilog and Xilinx are huge deals along with fpga programming. Our teacher even discussed dual-cores with us, and our cs teachers talked about threading slightly. Maybe some CE programs are different, but I would hope you would have at least heard about threading by the time you finish. Why go into CE in the first place if you have little interest in learning about the technology out of school? I can't get enough of it. :)

In other words: . . . slam . . .
 
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