JUNE 2005 MA XIMUMPC 3
PU updates are usually an exercise in
increments: A little extra cache here,
maybe a few new instructions there,
and if you’re lucky, a bus upgrade.
Not this time. Unlike those wee trade-
ups, the dual-core processors on tap
from AMD and Intel mark a wickedly
wonderful transition for PC users—one
with the potential to double CPU perfor-
mance under ideal conditions.
That’s a tasty scenario for anyonewho’s ever nodded off waiting for a Divx
encode to finish before regaining control
of their PC. But should you really expect
a dual-core processor to make your sys-
tem twice as fast? And is your mother-
board ready to run dual core, or will you
have to retire the old broad in favor of a
new one?
There’s no longer any need for edu-
cated guesses or long-winded hype.
Maximum PC bagged the hardwareand ran the numbers with a battery of
cruel—maybe even barbaric—bench-
mark tests. Before making any upgrad-
ing decisions or building a new PC from
scratch, read on for our answers to your
questions about dual-core processors,
take a look at the anatomy of a dual-core
chip, and check out our preview of dual-
core performance. By the time you finish
this story, you’ll know whether two cores
really are better than one.BY GORDON MAH UNG