The Hindu Business Line : Quad core processors set to hit market soon

Remember the last time you browsed through newspaper advertisements to decide on the personal computer you planned to buy. After all the hard work, here you are now saddled with another PC that you wish could probably handle faster processing capabilities.

In all probability, if you had purchased your first computer in India around 1997-98, you would now be scouting for your third or even may be fourth PC. Changing digital lifestyles and demand for gaming applications are forcing people to scale up.

A PC user, hungry for more processing power with enhanced capabilities, has now access to dual core processors from Intel and AMD. But even before your transition to a new family of processors, quad core processors are set to hit the marketplace.

Well, technology fast outpacing device life is the case with not just PCs, mobile phones but also most electronics goods. Experts say there is no place for second in technology sector.

Providing an insight into the coming wave of quad core processors, the Managing Director of Advanced Micro Devices India, Mr Ajay Marathe, said that the evolution of microprocessor architecture has played a fundamental role in increasing the capabilities and usefulness of computers.

"AMD's first quad core processors, made on 64-nanometer technology, are slated for 2007 launch. These processors will have same thermal profile as current day dual core processors, thereby ensuring lower cost of ownership. Current workloads will see an immediate benefit with quad-core. Chipmakers are concentrating on building low-power transistors and ways to improve performance of power-sensitive technology," he explains tracing some technology trends.

In technology, as always, hardware innovation precedes software development. The 64-bit computing is no exception to this rule. Its power is available to enterprise decision makers as also home users. These new processors provide reduced cost of ownership, a more flexible IT environment and improved performance per watt.

Fast transition

Tracing the transition from single core, that is one brain per processor, to dual core and later to quad core, Mr Marathe said dual core processors offer dramatic improvements over single core versions for all multi-threaded applications. Workstations and servers have been utilising the benefits for faster processing.

Sharing insights into how the digital lifestyle could change PC usage, Mr Marathe said the increase in PC penetration and requirements for faster machines will see a growing demand for multi-core processors. These multi-core processors will play a central role in driving important advancements in PC security and virtualisation (that is ability to share loads on processors) technologies that are being developed to provide greater protection, resource utilisation and value for commercial computing market.

AMD earlier this year announced merger moves with ATI, a graphics processor provider. According to Mr Marathe, this is a transaction of growth, innovation and choice. AMD expects to build the ultimate integrated platforms and products for computing and consumer electronics.