subject: Hyper-Threading and Multi-Processing When Choosing A Processor [print this page] Hyper-Threading and Multi-Processing When Choosing A Processor
Gone are the days when personal computing did not have such awesome computing powers as of today. In those days, powerful computing was all about military stuff with huge Mainframes. Mainframes were installed with more than one processor to perform several tasks simultaneously, without waiting for one task to be completed for the second one to start. Nowadays, even PCs have enormous computing powers "mimicking" the ways of Mainframe computing. Get some computer help and learn more about processors.
In the software arena we differentiate a single work into a number of threads (in this case multi-processes) and make the operating system do it one after the other, but not necessarily waiting for the first part of the work (first process) to be completed fully.
Personal computers, instead of using more than one processor, might actually use a processor with more than one core. It would behave like a multi-processor and divide one work into different parts. Then it'll start completing those parts according to priority or as it is suitable. A lot depends on the work as the task itself might not require threading at all, as it is might be too simple.
So we need to know what we will use the processor for. Will we use it for extreme three dimensional games or is it just a fast processor that we want to use to complete single work in quick time? It can also be said here that, the right processor would help you come out of slow computer problem.
A simple processor with a better clock speed might suffice for day to day work. If you are an avid gamer, you will want to have machines with adequate RAM and an external graphics card. People who love high end machines would definitely go for processors with multiple cores and hyper-threading technology. However, before spending your money for any high-end machine, it is better think whether you really need those or not. You may only require high-end machines if you want to run applications that demands higher specifications.
So the bottom line is to ask yourself "what do I need?"
