Single-core
A single-core processor is a microprocessor with a single core on its die.[1] It performs the fetch-decode-execute cycle once per clock-cycle, as it only runs on one thread. A computer using a single core CPU is generally slower than a multi-core system.
Single core processors used to be widespread in desktop computers, but as applications demanded more processing power, the slower speed of single core systems became a detriment to performance. Windows supported single-core processors up until the release of Windows 11, where a dual-core processor is required. [2]
Single core processors are still in use in some niche circumstances. Some older legacy systems like those running antiquated operating systems (e.g. Windows 98) cannot gain any benefit from multi-core processors. Single core processors are also used in hobbyist computers like the Raspberry Pi and Single-board microcontrollers. The production of single-core desktop processors ended in 2013 with the Celeron G470. [3]
Development
The first single core processor was the Intel 4004 which was commercially released on November 15, 1971 by Intel. [4] Since then many improvements have been made to single core processors going from the 740kHz of the Intel 4004 to the 2GHz Celeron G470. [5]
Advantages
- Single core processors draw less power than larger, multi-core processors.
- Single core processors can be made a lot more cheaply than multi core systems, meaning they can be used in embedded systems.
Disadvantages
- Single core processors are generally outperformed by multi-core processors.
- Single core processors are more likely to bottleneck with faster peripheral components, as these components have to wait for the CPU to finish its cycle. [6]
- Single core processors lack parallelisation, meaning only one application can run at once. This reduces performance as other processes have to wait for processor time, leading to process starvation. [7]
Increasing parallel trend
- Single-core – one processor on a die. Since about 2012, even most smartphones CPUs marketed are no longer single-core; Microcontrollers are still single-core, while there are exceptions. [8]
- Multi-core – a 'few' processors on a die, e.g. 2, 4, 8.
- Many-core – a 'large number' of processors on a die, e.g. 10s, 100s, 1000s. Some specialist ASICs/Accelerators and GPUs fall into this category.
References
- ^ "Single-core definition". Your Dictionary. LoveToKnow. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
- ^ "Windows 11 Minimum Requirements". Find Windows 11 specs, features and computer requirements. Microsoft. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
- ^ "The last single core CPU..." Andy's Computers. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
- ^ "Intel's First Microprocessor". The Story of the Intel 4004. Intel. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
- ^ "Intel Celerton Processor G470 Datasheet". Intel Celeron Processor G470. Intel. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
- ^ "How To Properly Balance Your Components". What is Bottlenecking?. Intel. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
- ^ Johnson, Ogundairo; Dinyo, Omosehinmi. "Comparative Analysis of Single-Core and Multi-Core Systems" (PDF). aircconline. International Journal of Computer Science & Information Technology. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
- ^ Yiu, Joseph; Johnson, Ian. "Multi-core microcontroller design with Cortex-M processors and CoreSight SoC" (PDF). ARM Community. arm.com. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
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