Buying a Computer Processor – Pentium D Vs Core 2 Duo

By Jeffrey Frasco

New technologies are always becoming old ones with the passage of time and the development of improved versions. This holds true for computer components, particularly central processing units or CPUs. Next generation CPUs always follow a downward path from fame. With the release of a new line of CPUs, the old “next generation” CPUs become standard CPUs and are eventually rendered obsolete.

One important development in CPU technology is the upgrade from 32-bit processing to 64-bit processing. A 64-bit processor was made possible with the release of the dual core and multi-core processors. Intel’s Pentium D dual core processor and its big brother, the Core 2 Duo dual core processor, were released just one year apart that many are unable to tell the difference between the two.

The Pentium D and Core 2 Duo are actually very similar to each other. Both are dual core 64-bit processors capable of 64-bit processing. In addition, both use Intel’s LGA 775 pin layout. The fact that two CPUs are both dual core processors does not mean that they are the same, however. So what is the difference between Intel’s Pentium D and Core 2 Duo processors?

In terms of release dates, Pentium D was released earlier — in 2005 — than Core 2 Duo which came a year later in 2006. Pentium D initially came out as a 90nm chip and evolved into a 65nm chip. The Core 2 Duo, on the other hand, started out as a 65nm chip and was upgraded into a 45nm chip in 2007. Theoretically, a lower nanometer chip is more efficient and runs cooler and faster than a chip with a higher nm.

While both CPUs use two processing cores which give them the operating power of two combined single-core CPUs, the Pentium D and Core 2 Duo do not have the same number of chips. Pentium D uses two processing cores on two separate dies or chips. The two Pentium D cores therefore have their own cache. This architecture allows Pentium D to run multiple programs simultaneously without an adverse effect on processor speed. On the contrary, Core 2 Duo uses two processing cores on the same die. As such, if one core needed more resources, it no longer had to wait for the other core to activate and handle the extra load like in the case of the Pentium D processor.

The Front Side Bus (FSB) speeds of the Pentium D and Core 2 Duo also vary. Pentium D can have FSB speeds of 800Mhz or 1,066Mhz. Core 2 Duo processors are faster. They start out with an 1,066Mhz FSB speed while the 45nm chips can run at an FSB speed of 1,333Mhz. Higher FSB speeds are more advantageous. They enhance the communication between the CPU and computer RAM.

For the average computer user, these differences do not count much. But for those with greater computing needs, the Core 2 Duo processor is a finer CPU to own than the Pentium D.

Article written by Jeffrey Frasco. For More Information on Computer Components take a look at Computer Knowledge For You.