Five or six years ago, few people knew about the introduction of multi-core processors, although these devices were already used in server systems. The configuration with these elements of personal computers began in 2005.
What do multi-core processors provide in terms of improving computer performance?
The principle of increasing the power of the device due to the operation of several cores is to separate the solution of problems. In a generalized form, we can say that any process running in the system has several threads. With the possibility of simultaneous operation of several applications (processes), we are talking about multitasking, which is supported by the Windows operating system.
Multi-core processors can increase the speed of programs, although the principle of multitasking is also implemented on a single-core device. So, one core performs processing of text information, the other - listening to music, while these applications work simultaneously.
If, for example, you take an anti-virus program, then one thread will scan memory and hard drives, and the other will update anti-virus databases. The example is very simplified, but allows you to understand the general concept by which multi-core processors work.
In a computer with a conventional device for the simultaneous operation of programs, a virtual possibility of their execution is created. The operating system is cunning here, it switches the work of the flows alternately, everything happens in a split second and is invisible to the user. It turns out that Windows updated the antivirus a bit, then started scanning, after which it began to update again. The user has the impression that everything happens at the same time.
In the case when a multi-core processor is running, such a switch will not be performed. The operating system clearly sends threads to specific kernels. As a result, it becomes possible to get rid of a decrease in productivity, as in the case of switching between tasks.
Programs are executed simultaneously; as a result, databases are updated and scans will be performed much faster. However, not every application supports this technology and can be optimized in this way. Developers are creating more and more programs that can handle multi-core processors.
Today, the market for such devices is divided between AMD and Intel, which are leading manufacturers. Modern stationary computer, server systems, as well as laptops and smartphones, use multi-core Intel or AMD processors.
Even low-priced devices have at least two cores, although processors with 4, 6, 8 or more elements are also manufactured. However, the full performance of the devices can be obtained only with the balance of the entire system, the parameters of which must correspond to RAM, and hard disk, and video card, and other components of the computer.