Don Luca Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Hi everyone, I'd like to ask some questions about Dual Core Processors and more specifically about Pentium D equal or superior to 920 because I think I'll buy a Pentium D 930 next month... 1 - Does OS X effectively recognizes the two cores of these CPU and does it shows in System Monitor two Cores working separately? 2 - Can I decide what core use for a program? (Example: Limewire, Azuresus and other P2P to one core, Camino, iTunes and other apps on the other.) 3 - Pentium D has the Intel Virtualization Technology which is used by Parallels Desktop... but does Parallels on OS X recognize that the processor has this feature and does it support/use it? Thanks in advance! Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superhai Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 1 - Does OS X effectively recognizes the two cores of these CPU and does it shows in System Monitor two Cores working separately? 2 - Can I decide what core use for a program? (Example: Limewire, Azuresus and other P2P to one core, Camino, iTunes and other apps on the other.) On my system the 930 shows up as two Pentium 4's in the CPU system preferences. Also in activity monitor borh shows up, and you can turn on and off the other. It seem like it distributes the load somewhat evenly over each core. It definetely takes advantages of having two cores. I don't use parallels so I can't answer about that. Here are some Cinebench results so you can see the advantage of one vs two cores... CINEBENCH 9.5 **************************************************** Tester : Superhai Processor : Intel MHz : 3000 Number of CPUs : 2 Operating System : OS X 10.4.6 Graphics Card : Radeon X1800GTO Resolution : 1280x1024 Color Depth : **************************************************** Rendering (Single CPU): 254 CB-CPU Rendering (Multiple CPU): 468 CB-CPU Multiprocessor Speedup: 1.84 Shading (CINEMA 4D) : 331 CB-GFX Shading (OpenGL Software Lighting) : 1324 CB-GFX Shading (OpenGL Hardware Lighting) : 2665 CB-GFX OpenGL Speedup: 8.04 **************************************************** Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-134489 Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddicus Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 1 - Does OS X effectively recognizes the two cores of these CPU and does it shows in System Monitor two Cores working separately? 2 - Can I decide what core use for a program? (Example: Limewire, Azuresus and other P2P to one core, Camino, iTunes and other apps on the other.) 3 - Pentium D has the Intel Virtualization Technology which is used by Parallels Desktop... but does Parallels on OS X recognize that the processor has this feature and does it support/use it? Thanks in advance! 1. Yes it recognizes both cores and uses them quite effectively, much of the OS and many (especially high end) applications are multithreaded, so they take full advantage of it. 2. There might be a way to specify which core an app uses if you launched it from the command line, but there really is no need to. OS X uses symmetric multiprocessing, which balances the load between the two cores and maximizes performance. 3. as for VT, I'm not sure, although I would keep looking because there is a chance that the use of VT is tied to the use of EFI in the intel Macs, I don't know this to be so, just saying I'd search for it a bit more. -good luck Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-134523 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Luca Posted June 25, 2006 Author Share Posted June 25, 2006 Thanks for the replies... Actually I absolutely don't know where to search about the Intel VT... Maybe I'll try asking in the chat Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-134752 Share on other sites More sharing options...
palopalo Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 Thanks for the replies... Actually I absolutely don't know where to search about the Intel VT... Maybe I'll try asking in the chat VT is active and used by Parallels. Speed is very, very good. I can't tell the difference between native Win 2000 or in the VM. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-134894 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Luca Posted June 26, 2006 Author Share Posted June 26, 2006 That's very good news!!! I had no point in upgrading my excellent Celeron D 336 to a Pentium D 930 if I cannot use the Intel VT. My dream is to use OSX at light Speed meanwhile have Windows running in background (mainly for playing). The day Parallels will support Direct3D acceleration is the Day the entire world will switch to OSX Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-135133 Share on other sites More sharing options...
palopalo Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 The day Parallels will support Direct3D acceleration is the Day the entire world will switch to OSX That day will never come. If you need to game, boot into Windows. Since 28 years I never spent more than 60 seconds on a computer game. So 3D accel. is not my problem. Parallels integrates nicely and I can do my work (programming, testing). Ah, it reminds me to tell all the dumb PC-Gamers out there: SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPUTERS, GO SWIMMING, FLIRT WITH SOME GIRLS (OR GUYS.), SLEEP, EAT, DO NOTHING OR {censored}, but hey: stop playing computer games. You are loosing precious lifetime. Sorry, that's me. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-135241 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedragon1971 Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 It's funny how times change. 15 years ago, the thing that killed the Amiga as a serious computing platform was the perception that it was "just a game machine". Now it is the lack of games that often keeps the Mac from being considered as a serious computing platform. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-135350 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Luca Posted June 26, 2006 Author Share Posted June 26, 2006 palopalo, don't get me wrong... I'm not one of these guys who plays videogames 12 hours a day. Actually, it's been more than two weeks since I last played a game... I need 3D acceleration only for two games: Trackmania and Counter-Strike (which I want to try in software mode). I think it takes too long to reboot and start windows to play only 15 minutes for a lap in TrackMania and then reboot in OS X... and, believe me, there are thousands of people with the same problem. People who play for at least one hour it's no problem rebooting... but for me that I study at university 12 hours a day and want to take a break at lunch time and play with my friends it's a great pain in the ass wasting 10 (or more) minutes rebooting. I believe many of you are now laughing at my "10 minutes", but that's it, that's me. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-135361 Share on other sites More sharing options...
palopalo Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I believe many of you are now laughing at my "10 minutes", but that's it, that's me. Ahhh, now I am feeling better! Don Luca, you are my man. 10 minutes are OK for me. (Haha). But seriously: It is technically impossible to offer full 3D Hardware acceleration in Parallels. Parallels can not "talk" directly to hardware, meaning it's impossible to use the 3D routines of windows games. Parallels is virtualizing all hardware: Processor, USB, etc...and the graphics card, too. We might see some significant speed boost in the 2D area, though. Cheers Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-136010 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Luca Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 Actually, it is possible that in the next "step" of virtualization we'll have the option to choose either to virtualize the devices or talk directly to them. If you take a look at the "to-be-done" list of parallels you'll find the Direct3D thing... Waiting and hoping!! Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-136609 Share on other sites More sharing options...
U.C. Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Check out the crossover office alpha. Q3 runs very well. Man only if i had QE/CI Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-136628 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Luca Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 ..I prefer to wait for the beta stage of the program (and for the demonoid release ). BTW, if I'm not wrong, crossoffice doesn't have hardware acceleration, only software just like Parallels... EDIT: I've just noticed we're going off-topic. Since my doubts are resolved, I think we can close this thread and maybe transfer our discussion somewhere more appropriate. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-136938 Share on other sites More sharing options...
zefred Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Hi All ! I ha a Pentium 4 530J processor, and it shows up as two prcs in windows, and only one in mac os 10.4.7 Does this mean that mac OS doesn't see it as dual core ? Or does it mean that mac os just report the two cores ? How can I know that , and eventually find a way to have mac os run both cores? THaaaaaaaaaaank Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-147351 Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliveirapaulo Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Hi ALL... 3. YES!!! VT (specifically VT-x) support is activated under Parallels Desktop. My Win XP installation is running VERY fast for a virtual machine. The XP boot time is around 12 seconds (configured for using 256 MB RAM). Under "virtualized" XP, I can run (without problems) videos, audio and networked software (yes, internet is fully functional). Better yet, some USB devices are supported (i.e.: my USB Memory Stick Reader, from Sandisk). My machine is an Acer TravelMate 4202WLMi (Intel Centrino Duo 1.66 GHz). Cheers Paulo Oliveira Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-147596 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwprod12 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 a Pentium 4 530 isnt a dual core processor (I'm pretty sure anyways). Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-147600 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superhai Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 P4 530 i showing up as two processors in windows because of hyperthreading. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/20376-couple-of-questions-about-dual-core-processors/#findComment-147662 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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