| The fact is that a computer comprises several | | | | with 16-bit CPUs were considered powerful |
| processors however the one regularly used by | | | | while today 64-bits are the norm, a |
| advertisers when they want to draw attention | | | | reflection of how far the IT public sector |
| to the power of a computer commonly relates | | | | experience has developed in a little over |
| to the Central Processing Unit (CPU). | | | | fifteen years. |
| | | | |
| Few individuals will not have heard of Intel | | | | A CPU today would seem like something from |
| or AMD processors while their significance to | | | | an alien world to the computer geeks of |
| the advertising community and thereby the | | | | fifteen years ago, Not only have they become |
| general public at large is comparable to the | | | | much more powerful but in addition their use |
| way motor manufacturers sell their cars. If | | | | of new materials as semiconductors increases |
| in the market for a sports car an individual | | | | efficiency beyond anything thought manageable |
| usually wants as much performance as is | | | | fifteen years ago. The intention of these new |
| available hence manufacturers will sell their | | | | semiconductors is directly aimed at the speed |
| most powerful cars simply by stating the | | | | with which a CPU operates. Making the CPU |
| number of cylinders a particular model | | | | faster is an ongoing challenge that drives |
| possesses. By using just two letters such as | | | | this industry because ultimately all |
| V8 - a message is sent to the public consumer | | | | computers are limited by the capability of |
| who will automatically recognize that this | | | | their CPU and, because IT has become an |
| indicates a potentially powerful engine. The | | | | established ingredient in the daily routine |
| equivalent term to excite the adrenalin rush | | | | people now have to handle we are much more |
| in the computer buyer today is probably a | | | | proficient at using them. |
| "Dual Core Processor". | | | | |
| | | | The knock on effect from the IT development |
| However before describing the merits of dual | | | | of the past fifteen years relates to people |
| core processing or any other electronic | | | | and their improved functionality when |
| component or semiconductors it seems | | | | interacting with computers. The demands made |
| reasonable to first explain why the CPU | | | | on electronic components will continue to |
| attracts so much attention, possibly more | | | | increase as people learn how to add, |
| than any other electronic component lurking | | | | manipulate and subtract using their IT on a |
| within a computer. | | | | daily basis and it seems that no matter how |
| | | | fast electronic components become they will |
| The specification of a CPU is defined by its | | | | never quite be capable of matching the speed |
| speed for example 900 MHz provides an | | | | of the brain whose fingers deftly work a |
| approximation of the number of instructions | | | | keyboard. |
| that a CPU is able to process by the second - | | | | |
| 900 million in this example. In addition the | | | | In addition a fast CPU back in the early |
| data handling capability of a CPU defines its | | | | nineties ran at around 386 MHz, an electronic |
| power: a 64-bit CPU is able to combine, | | | | component that would today freeze being |
| stage-manage or subtract numbers that are | | | | within close proximity of a modern PC game. |
| 64-bits wide. In the early nineties computers | | | | |