Future Computer Processors

the future of processing technology

Processors, or CPUS, are a highly discussed topic among techies. For those who are not sure what to think about all the techspeak, a processor is a piece of hardware inside a computer that processes information. All computers have them, and they are a large part of what determines how fast a computer will run.

In the last ten years, the two major processor manufacturers, AMD and Intel, have made massive gains in processor performance, and at the same time prices for consumers have decreased.

A top of the line processor in the mid-1990s ran at speeds of a few hundred megahertz. Now, top of the line processors come with speeds of three or four gigahertz, and many more expensive computers have multiple processors.

As processors have continued to develop, their whole architecture has changed. Prior to the last year or so, processors were considered 16-bit or 32-bit.

Now, we have 64-bit processors that are emphasized by AMD. In addition to the massive increases in hertz, this drastically increases other parts of the processor’s performance in computing tasks. This is especially noticable in demanding applications, such as video, graphics, and 3d. It also increases the capabilities of other hardware that the computer can run.

These other parts include:

• Memory (RAM)
• Multimedia Devices
• 64-bit Operating Systems (Apple OSX, Linux, Windows Vista)

Currently, Intel is emphasizing Dual Core processors, called Duo Core. These processors act as though there are two processors running on one processor. This has a similar effect to widening a highway. Twice as much information can move on the same processor.

This has important benefits over traditional processors:

• Less heat
• Cheaper operating costs
• Faster performance

However, Dual Core processors are not 64-bit, and 64-bit processors are not Dual Core. What about 64-bit Dual Core processors? Is this what will be next for the processor world? We can only wait and see.