Understanding CPU speeds

[rivethead]

2.6GHz is 2.6GHz no matter how many cores right?

But the more cores you have, the more applications/processes that can be done simultaneously?

Sorry, my first build was 2.5 years ago on a socket 939 mobo. I'm shopping for new build components and whoa......have things changed in the CPU realm.

TIA for any clarity you can offer.

 

[Idontcare]

You are correct on both your questions.

A new twist to the latest iteration of CPU's though is that we have this uncore (not CPU core area on the die) which generally contains the IMC and the L3$ which operate at their own clockspeed.

At stock settings for both i7 and Phenom/PhenomII the uncore regions of the chips are clocked lower than the CPU cores.

So a CPU may be labeled "2.66GHz" but the uncore parts of the CPU may only be running at 1.8GHz or some such.

Not that it matters too much, but just something to be aware of.

 

[rivethead]

Idontcare - thanks for caring!

I needed confirmation of what I thought was right. Didn't know about the uncore twist. That good to know as well!