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Difference between L2 Cache and Intel Smart Cache

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 14 of 16

Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 use Intel Smart Cache while older processors have been using L2 Cache. I have failed to find anything special in terms of feature of this smart cache. Intel belives that this Smart Cache is smarter than L2 cache but I believe that it is more of a marketing team terminology and is hardly any better than the conventional L2 cache. Please do let me know if you know something better than that about Smart Cache, please do let me know.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table

Difference between FSB and DMI

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 13 of 16

Front Side Bus
Front Side Bus

Front Side Bus

FSB is a BUS technology that is used in Core 2 Quad/Duo processor technologies and earlier. FSB allows the processor to communicate with other components of the computer including Memory, PCIe, Video as well as IO devices like USB, Hard disk, Network etc. Everything that goes in and out of the processor goes through FSB. See the diagram below to see a typical Core 2 Duo processor and FSB communication channels.

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DMI – Direct Media Inteface

Core i7 running on DMI
DMI Technology

DMI bus technology is used in Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. The basic difference in architecture is, that the processor communicates over a different channel with RAM, a different channel with PCIe and a third channel DMI to communicate with all other components of the computer. This increases the performance significantly. See diagram below for a typical Core i7 architecture.

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This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table

Difference between Core 2 Technology vs Core i Technology

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 12 of 16

Intel Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Duo technology have some more differences as compared to Intel’s Core i3, i5 and i7 technologies. Core 2 technology supports L2 cache while Core iX processors run Intel Smart Cache technology. Similarly, architectural change in bus architecture is also a difference. Core 2 processors use FSB (Front Side Bus) while Core i processors use Intel Smart Cache.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table

Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 11 of 16

Am I getting redundant here? Not really. Intel Core i5 is a quad core processor that can run four processes at a time, while each process can run only one thread. While Intel Core i7 can run four processes and eight threads at the same time on its four cores. So you can say that Core i5 has uni-threaded four cores, while Core i7 is a quad core processor with each core running hyper threading technology.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table

Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 10 of 16

Intel Core i3 is a dual core processor while Core i5 is a quad core processor. While Core i3 can run total of 4 threads and 2 processes at a time, Core i5 can run 4 threads and 4 processes at a time. Intel Core i3 is necessary a next version of Core 2 Duo while Core i5 is the next version of Core 2 Quad.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table

Intel Turbo Boost Technolog

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 9 of 16

Intel Turbo boost technology is a smart way of over clocking the processors. Gamers and enthusiasts around the globe have been using tricks to overclock their processors to get better speeds. This fact has become so popular that Intel has included Turbo Boost as their native feature. Whenever the processor is over loaded and reached its 100% processing limit, Intel Turbo Boost tehcnology comes into play. It increases the processor’s core frequency by 133 MHz after random and frequent intervals. The processor frequency continues to increase till the upper limit for the processor Turbo is reached. The upper limit is the maximum overclocking frequency that is allowed by Intel. You may end up frying your processor if you dont stop there.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table

Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5

Processor Comparison – Part 8 of 16

Core 2 Quad and Core i5 are both quad core processors, that is, four cores in one processor chip. This necessarily means, they can run four different processes at the same time. Both of them can run four threads at the same time too. Whats the difference then? The difference is somewhere else. The difference is Turbo Boost technology. Core 2 Quad does not have Turbo Boost Technology, while Intel Core 5 has Turbo Boost enabled.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table

Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 7 of 16

As Core 2 Duo technology has been here for some time, Core i3 is targetted to replace Core 2 Duo in the market pretty soon. Both Core 2 Duo and Core i3 are dual core processors and can run two processes at the same time. The main difference between these two is the number of threads. Two cores on Core 2 Duo are single threaded while Core i3 has a dual thread running capability on each core. Hence total number of threads that can run on Core 2 Duo is 2 and 4 threads in total can run on Core i3.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table

Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 6 of 16

Core 2 Duo is a dual core processor and can run two independent processes at the same time. It can run two processes at a time. Hence, total number of parallel threads that can run on Core 2 Duo is 2.

Core 2 Quad is a quad core processor. That means that four different processors are built into one processor chip and can run four different processes at the same time. There can be 4 parallel processes that this processor can execute.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table

Difference Between Thread and Process

Intel Processor Comparison – Part 5 of 16

Every program that runs on your computer is basically a separate Process. Processes are independent running programs on your computer. They have their independent memory, variables, resources and they participate in competing for using the CPU time. Once you boot your PC, it runs several processes at the same time and once you have only one processor (on a single core computer) you will run only one Process at the same time.

One thread may want to run several parallel tasks at the same time. For example a sofware downloading a file may have one thread receiving data from network, another thread saving the downloaded data on the disk and another thread to display the download status on the screen. Threads use the common memory space and variables defined within a process and can talk to other threads within the same process. You can create threads without spending too much of memory or processing power while processes required significant resources to be spent when creating a new process. Last but not least, threads do not participate in the competition for using the CPU, rather whenever the process containing these threads executes, these threads get a chance to execute.

Threads can easily talk to the parent process and other threads within the same process. Processes can only talk to other processes through an external communication channel named IPC (Inter process communication).

Above description will help understanding the difference between the processors under discussion.

This article is part of a series of articles listed below

  1. Intel Processor Comparison – Introduction
  2. Want a faster PC, get more RAM first
  3. Processor Flashback
  4. Hyper Threading Technology
  5. Difference between Thread and Process
  6. Difference between Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad
  7. Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Core i3
  8. Difference Between Core 2 Quad and Core i5
  9. Intel Turbo Boost Technology
  10. Difference Between Core i3 and Core i5
  11. Difference Between Core i5 and Core i7
  12. Differences Between Core 2 and Core i Technologies
  13. Difference Between FSB and DMI
  14. Difference Between Smart Cache and L2 Cache
  15. Processor Comparison Bottom Line
  16. Processor Comparison Table