Processor Fundamentals - Essay Example

PROCESSOR FUNDAMENTALS Desktop PCs are developed and designed with different users in mind. For this discussion, we will focus on the average home user. The average home user can be described as someone who uses the PC for word processing, web surfing, basic gaming and home theater applications. Desktop PCs consists of many different hardware and software components. Having a basic knowledge of these parts is important in selecting which PC is right for someone's specific requirements. The CPU or Central Processing Unit is the brain of the computer and could be the most important part that determines system performance. It interprets and executes instructions and data contained in software programs. Intel is the leading CPU manufacturer in the market today and actually the first one that introduced the microprocessor in the market. It came out with the 8080 in 1974, the 8088 in 1979 followed by 80286, 80386, 80486 and then the Pentium series. There are several different Intel microprocessor product lines today. From the Pentium 4 and Pentium D (dual-core) for the mainstream segment, to the Celeron D for budget and entry-level users, to the Core 2 Extreme and Pentium Extreme for high-end users and enthusiasts. AMD or Advanced Micro Devices is the next leading supplier of microprocessors in the market today. It also offers several desktop processor product lines. The most popular is Athlon 64 that is intended for the mainstream segment. The Sempron is for budget and entry-level users, the Athlon 64 FX for high-end users and gamers, and the new Athlon 64 X2 for more demanding applications. With the wide array of microprocessors currently available in the market, an average home user might be at a lost which one to choose for his particular requirement. In order to aid the selection process, we chose four different desktop PCs with four different microprocessors from Intel and AMD. We made a comparative analysis describing in detail the main features of each processor considering performance, power usage, reliability and longevity. Please refer to the table below as we go on with the discussion. Brand/ Model Lenovo Series 3000 H210-H3533 eMachines ET1161-07 HP Pavilion Elite M9515F Acer Predator Series AG7710-U7791A Recommended Usage Home Home Media Center Gaming Processor Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2220 AMD Athlon X2 4050e AMD Phenom X4 9850 Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition 965 Processor Features 64 bit Dual Core 64 bit Dual Core 64 bit Quad Core Nehalem 64 bit Quad Core Processor Technology 65 nm 65 nm 65 nm 45 nm CPU Speed 2.4 GHz 2.1 GHz 2.5 GHz 3.2 GHz Front Side Bus Speed 800 MHz 2000 MHz Hyper Transports 4000 MHz Hyper Transports N/A *Hyper-Threading Cache per Processor 1MB L2 2 x 512KB L2 4 x 512KB L2/ 2MB L3 4 x 256 L2/ 8MB L3 Thermal Design Power 65 W 45 W 125 W 130 W Cooling Device Heatsink and Fan Heatsink and Fan Heatsink and Fan Heatsink and Fan Average CPU Price $89.99 $77.05 $139.99 $999.99 Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium Windows Vista Home Premium Windows Vista Home Premium Windows Vista Home Premium Memory 3GB DDR2 3GB DDR2 8GB DDR2 12GB DDR3 Hard Drive 320GB SATA 320GB SATA I 750 GB SATA 1TB SATA Optical Drive DVD+/-RW DVD+/-RW Blu-ray & SuperMulti DVD burner SuperMulti DVD burner Graphics Intel GMA 3100 NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GS NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 1GB Desktop List Price $399.99 $379.99 $1,079.99 $2,999.99 Before we do a review of each of the microprocessor used in the four desktop PCs above, let us define some of the parameters used in the comparison. CPU Speed The CPU speed is a measure of how fast instructions and data signals can move in various branches of a CPU's many circuits. The megahertz or MHz, a unit of alternating current (AC) or electromagnetic (EM) wave frequency is used to express microprocessor clock speed. The unit is also used in measuring bandwidths for high-speed digital data signals. Newer processors released are actually in the gigahertz GHz range. 1 MHz is equal to 1,000,000 cycles per second while 1 GHz is equal to 1,000,000,000 cycles per second. . Take note that the faster the CPU speed, the faster the computer will process information. Front Side Bus FSB or Front Side Bus connects the CPU to the main memory (RAM) and other components within the computer. The FSB of a computer can vary in speeds from 66MHz to 800MHz and beyond. Aside from the CPU speed, it is also an important feature to look at when purchasing a new computer. The Intel Celerons for example have FSBs starting at 66Mhz. That for the Pentium IV class is at 800Mhz, while for AMD's Athlon XP class, it tops out at 333Mhz. As in the case of the CPU speed, the faster the FSB, the faster the computer will process information. Hyper-Threading Hyper-threading is Intel's proprietary technology for simultaneous multithreading implementation in their Pentium 4, Atom, and Core i7 CPUs. Hyper-Threading Technology or HTT is used to improve performance of microprocessors by doing parallel computations or doing multiple tasks at once. This approach is considered more cost-effective than multiprocessing, which requires replication of microprocessors. Hyper Transport HyperTransport was developed to replace the front-side bus, in which there is no standard among different types of machine. In order to interconnect proprietary front-side buses to standard buses like the PCI Express and the AGP, adapters may be required. To remedy this, HyperTransport, which is an open specification standard was developed so a compliant device will work with HyperTransport enabled microprocessors. Cache Cache refers to a special high-speed memory mechanism that stores the most frequently used data or instructions that a CPU processes. By keeping as much of this type of information in the faster cache memory of the CPU, it prevents the CPU from having to access directly the slower computer DRAM memory. This way, the CPU speed is not limited by the slower connection between the CPU and memory and other peripheral components. Another issue to look at is the tradeoff between cache latency and hit rate. Larger caches have better hit rates but have longer latency. To resolve this problem, the use of multiple levels of cache was developed (level 1, level 2 and level 3). Thermal Design Power The Thermal Design Power or TDP refers to the maximum amount of power the cooling system in a computer is required to dissipate. The TDP is typically the maximum power that a CPU would draw when running real applications. This is a guarantee that the computer will be able to handle almost all applications without exceeding the CPU's thermal limit. Let us now proceed to the detailed reviews of th e different processors utilized in the selected PC desktops. Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2220 The first microprocessor in the table is the Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2220 used in a Lenovo Series 3000 desktop PC intended for typical home applications. This processor is cheap but very fast for the cost at around $89.99. It can do easily basic tasks like word processing, web browsing and downloading and playback of MP3 music. The CPU runs very cool and its temperature averages at 40C when at idle. This CPU is also guaranteed to be overclockable. AMD Athlon Dual-Core X2 4050e The next on the list is the AMD Athlon Dual-Core X2 4050e microprocessor used in an eMachines ET1161-07 desktop PC intended for home applications. It is based on AMDs dual core 65nm Athlon X2 K8 series. Its advantage over the other models in the series is lower TDP at 45W. This allows cooler operation at similar performance levels. This also results to quieter operation and lesser space needed to displace the heat generated by the CPU. Like the Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2220, this is recommended for simple tasks like word processing, web browsing and can also be used for multimedia playback. This CPU is cheap at a suggested price of $77.05. AMD Phenom X4 9850 The next on the list is the AMD Phenom Quad Core X4 9850 microprocessor used in a HP Pavilion Elite M951F desktop PC. This configuration is also for simple home applications but with the added functionality of being used for home-theater systems. The Phenom X4 is AMD's first quad core processor line. This series suffered a massive setback when a problem was found within the chip's buffer that causes system lockups. This problem was fixed but resulted to poor sales and negative publicity. This CPU though is more cost-effective compared to equivalent Intel processors and offers good performance for given price at around $139.99. The noticeable disadvantages are high TDP and it still utilizes the 65nm processor technology. The Phenom X4 9850 is recommended for multitasking, graphics design, gaming and digital entertainment. This CPU clearly can be used not only for the home but also for business and multimedia productivity. Intel Core i7 The last but not least on the list is the Intel Core i7 microprocessor used in an Acer Predator Series desktop PC. Though this desktop is intended for the home, it has the added functionality of being a workhorse for the serious gamer. The Intel Core i7-965 Extreme is the top of the line model of the Intel microprocessors. It belongs to Intel's seventh architectural generation, the Nehalem family of processors. The i7-965 Extreme features a quad-core chip design with an amazing clock speed of 3.2GHz and 8MB of L3 cache. It also has triple channel DDR3 memory controller that allows for significantly increased memory bandwidth performance. It also employs Hyperthreading technology, which allows the CPU to perform two separate tasks at the same time. The Intel Core i7 965 CPU is recommended for advanced multitasking, graphics and visual design, serious gaming and high-end digital entertainment. This CPU can be used not only for the home but definitely for demanding business and multimedia productivity. Recommendation There's a host of new CPUs arriving on the market, including the ones we used in the discussion above. They offer a variety of performance and power levels, which makes it hard to pick a clear winner among the contenders. Ultimately, choosing the right processor really depends on one's particular needs. Issues to consider include performance, power usage, reliability, longevity and of course the price. Personally, I would choose the Lenovo desktop with the Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2220 because it will be sufficient for my basic home applications like word processing and web surfing. I do occasional gaming and MP3 and MP4 playback which the E2220 could also easily accomplish. This CPU may not be very new and may even be considered old but it's worthwhile to hang into it as long as it can cater to my requirements. References: [1] Patterson, D. A. et. al, "Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach", 3rd ed., Morgan Kauffman, 2003. [2] Case, L., "Intel vs. AMD: The CPU Landscape in 2009", [Online] Available at: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2334131,00.asp Read More