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Programmers have already built multithreading into Windows XP, Linux, and the Mac OS X operating systems, so they can throw the power of one CPU at system background tasks and the other CPU at, for instance, a demanding application such as displaying video. On the other hand, many application vendors, including game makers, haven’t revised their applications yet.
“We have multi-threaded software in scalable server applications today, but it is rarer in client applications” for desktop computers, Krewell says. “Adobe has embraced multithreading for content creation software, including Adobe Photoshop; but most other application software companies haven't done so yet.”
Also, this first round of chips -- including AMD’s Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core and Intel's Pentium D -- still produce more heat than designers would like. That forces the dual cores to ratchet themselves down at times and run at less than their potential top clock speeds. So, in fact, gamers and other users of high-intensity applications are often wise to use a PC based on a powerful single-core chip like AMD’s Athlon 64 FX.
A larger wave of multithreaded applications will arrive when Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system ships in fall 2006, IDC's Rau says.
Just as importantly, the next generation of Intel dual-core chips will draw less power -- keeping their cool without compromise. Code-named “Conroe” for desktops, “Merom” for notebooks, and “Woodcrest” for servers, these chips should also debut in fall 2006.
Eight is Enough?
Multicore designs will be the dominant microprocessor trend for this decade and beyond, according to both Intel and AMD. By 2007, both companies plan to offer quad-core microprocessors for consumer desktop PCs. And Intel could introduce eight-core chips as soon as 2008, some analysts predict.
“You have to time the introduction of the hardware with the software,” says Phil Hester, AMD’s chief technology officer. “Going to two cores is a pretty good answer for many apps today.”
As AMD plans its future chips, including quad-core, it must balance chip production costs and software benefits. For instance, a chip with three cores and a large amount of cache memory may deliver more bang for the buck than a four-core chip, Hester says. That’s because many applications, including demanding ones like Adobe Photoshop, make use of cache memory to speed up tasks. "It may make more sense for us to spend on fewer cores and include more cache,” Hester says.
Another possibility that might give users of multicore machines a big performance payback is specialized cores designed to excel at certain tasks, say, graphics, Web browsing, or security tasks. “You might have one core running your XML stream while another does the standard PC work,” Hester says, mentioning that AMD is investigating this kind of design.
Fitting more cores into a microprocessor, however, is just the start of the design challenges that hardware and software companies will face in the era of multithreading. The fastest processor in the world will still wait around if a system’s main memory can’t keep pace with it. And this problem will grow if a chip has hundreds of cores.
Coming tomorrow: We take a closer look at the hardware and software challenges with multiple cores. What hurdles must be overcome before multicore processing can deliver on its promise?
Laurianne McLaughlin is a technology writer based in the Boston area.
Guest (Fabian)
As Phil Hester says, you need the software to run on these multicore machines. Ive recently bought a double core, 64bit processor and installed Windows XP 64bit edition. After a few days I had to remove it and install Linux instead. Windows was so buggy, unstable and lacking of performance that my investment was paying me back. It is crystal clear that Windows will require another 5 to 10 years to reach the same level of multiprocessing capabilities of Linux.
Guest (Jordan)
apropos to the, Suns just-released SPARC T1 is an
eight core sparc processor that
runs cooler than any of the AMD/Intel chips. Available in
a couple sun servers now at
prices starting at $3000 list.
these guys are two years ahead of
Intel--that could prove significant
for sun.
Guest (Jordan)
apropos to the, Suns just-released SPARC T1 is an
eight core sparc processor that
runs cooler than any of the AMD/Intel chips. Available in
a couple sun servers now at
prices starting at $3000 list.
these guys are two years ahead of
Intel--that could prove significant
for sun.
Guest (Tim)
All this talk of what Intel will be doing misses the point that Sun already has done it! Their new Sparc systems just released have 8 cores per CPU and they will double that before Intel has their dual core out.
As for the Intel/AMD rivalry there is no comparison. AMD just kicks Intels ass so royally on every benchmark that you cant say "dual core Intel" in front of knowledgable people without getting laughed at.
They will get their act together eventually but why have your article so heavy with "Intel says" hype when they are so far behind?
Guest (John Scott)
This was a nice article but you forgot the player who has built it all from Micros to Mainframes and beyond. That being none other than Big-Blue IBM. Sometime ago I read an article where they have a 15-core machine (I cant remember its code name.) that operates at 7.5 tera-flops which is the same speed as our brain.
It seems to me if you are going to make a report it should include all the information and not just those that you get a press release. The picture of this Mini-Micro was in a single standard rack in an ISO lab room.
Perhaps if you where to Google it, you would be able to add it to this report as part two.
Adding to the consciousness of mankind’s ever increasing quest to make the sequel "Terminator" a reality I remain, JPS KC-MO.
Guest (horge)
Look at suns 8 Core, 32 thread CPU which is 5 years ahead in the industry in design
Guest (Steffo)
Sadly, Suns systems arent mentioned (T1000 and T2000). You should have a look at these.
Still not sure whether all this stuff is relevant for PC users. PCs have workloads which differ substantially from server workloads. When it comes to microprocessors there is no one size fits all. I would be happy if people realizes, that computers are more than PCs. So any article about multi-cores and CMT must take computers into account and not only talk about PCs.
Guest (Lee)
But PCs are what concern most of us
PCs are what matters to us everyday users...
Guest (Lee)
But PCs are what concern most of us
PCs are what matters to us everyday users...
Guest (Steffo)
Sadly, Suns systems arent mentioned (T1000 and T2000). You should have a look at these.
Still not sure whether all this stuff is relevant for PC users. PCs have workloads which differ substantially from server workloads. When it comes to microprocessors there is no one size fits all. I would be happy if people realizes, that computers are more than PCs. So any article about multi-cores and CMT must take computers into account and not only talk about PCs.
Guest (Carl Chilley)
Good to see predications of multicore processors but the real devil is in the software. Writing multi-threaded apps has never been mainstream and I wonder how much potential re performance will be lost as the apps developers learn to appreciate the real "joy" of mutex?
Guest (Fabian)
As Phil Hester says, you need the software to run on these multicore machines. Ive recently bought a double core, 64bit processor and installed Windows XP 64bit edition. After a few days I had to remove it and install Linux instead. Windows was so buggy, unstable and lacking of performance that my investment was paying me back. It is crystal clear that Windows will require another 5 to 10 years to reach the same level of multiprocessing capabilities of Linux.
Guest (Tim)
All this talk of what Intel will be doing misses the point that Sun already has done it! Their new Sparc systems just released have 8 cores per CPU and they will double that before Intel has their dual core out.
As for the Intel/AMD rivalry there is no comparison. AMD just kicks Intels ass so royally on every benchmark that you cant say "dual core Intel" in front of knowledgable people without getting laughed at.
They will get their act together eventually but why have your article so heavy with "Intel says" hype when they are so far behind?
Guest (John Scott)
This was a nice article but you forgot the player who has built it all from Micros to Mainframes and beyond. That being none other than Big-Blue IBM. Sometime ago I read an article where they have a 15-core machine (I cant remember its code name.) that operates at 7.5 tera-flops which is the same speed as our brain.
It seems to me if you are going to make a report it should include all the information and not just those that you get a press release. The picture of this Mini-Micro was in a single standard rack in an ISO lab room.
Perhaps if you where to Google it, you would be able to add it to this report as part two.
Adding to the consciousness of mankind’s ever increasing quest to make the sequel "Terminator" a reality I remain, JPS KC-MO.
Guest (horge)
Look at suns 8 Core, 32 thread CPU which is 5 years ahead in the industry in design
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Guest (Carl Chilley)
Multicore Processors
Good to see predications of multicore processors but the real devil is in the software. Writing multi-threaded apps has never been mainstream and I wonder how much potential re performance will be lost as the apps developers learn to appreciate the real "joy" of mutex?
Reply