32
19
Now this might sound like too many previous questions, but I am really confused about these terms. I was trying to understand how "dual core" is different from "Core 2 Duo", and I came across some answers. For example, this answer states:
Core 2 Duo has two cores inside a single physical package
and
dual core is 2 cpu in a package 2 cpu's in a die = 2 cpu's made together 2 cpu's in package = 2 cpu's on small board or linked in some way
Now, is a core different from a CPU? What I understand is there is something that does all the heavy computation, decision making, math and other stuff (aka "processing") is called a CPU. Now what is a Core? And what is a processor when somebody says he has got a Core 2 Duo? And in this context what is a Package and what is a Die?
I still don't understand the difference between Core 2 Duo and Dual Core. And can somebody explain hyper-threading (symmetric multi-threading) too if they are super generous?
1
First we have the die which is a physical thing http://i.stack.imgur.com/fC86A.png. The die is a semiconductor loaded with transistors interconnected by metal parts.
For the die to be useful, we need to package it http://i.stack.imgur.com/EGByj.png (combine it with an interface and heatspreader) and the end result is a processor package http://i.stack.imgur.com/1EHKx.png [images from http://goo.gl/N4luL http://goo.gl/SMK50 ]