Intel has just debuted a new lineup of Quad-core processors at this week’s CES and at least one of them isn’t just meant for server applications. The Core 2 Quad marks Intel’s first attempt to spread the technology to platforms beyond those in the back office and the competition is close on their heels with similar offerings. But comments like “My apps aren’t that much faster on my dual core box, let alone a quad core” or “I’ve heard my apps just get slower the more cores that are in my machine”. Both of these statements are valid to varying degrees.
If you’ve recently made a recent computer purchase for personal or business use you may be wondering why you don’t see more performance out of your machine. Perhaps you’ve read some blogs in this space that touch upon the reasons as to perhaps why this is. Software developers have to rethink their application’s design and “thread” them. This is difficult and sometimes costly. Some applications already sing with multiple processing cores but for the average user it can be hard to put up with underperforming software. Let’s face it: vendors can’t expect customers to put up with limitations for long.
The thing to keep in mind is that the current gap between the chips and software won’t stay as wide as it now is for very long. Companies are aware of their customer’s desires and innovate or someone eats their lunch. So while it is true we are currently experiencing a software lag with respect to multi-core, there could shortly follow a period of increased competition and as such consumers will be the winners. Look for vendors to rush products to market with shiny new features and thread awareness in an effort to garner new customers.
It is very true that there is a gap (OK, a large gap) between what today’s processors are capable of and what the software asks of them. After recently wrenching the performance crown away from its main competitor Intel is trying to stay in lead with product releases. Nowadays this means more cores. Most purchasers of the new quad core lineup will be advanced multimedia content producers and gamers that demand every ounce of performance they can get. Intel is working hard with software vendors to close the gap and offer more and more applications that are thread aware.
During
this “gap” time, scan the horizon for thread aware alternative products that
suit your needs for new software. For
new software purchases demand thread awareness. Ditch the older applications that perform slowly as well as those that
refuse to produce thread aware versions. Becoming a prosumer that is aware of product features will always net
you get the best value.
Jason Shigley
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