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Hyper-Threading

Hyper-Threading

Intel trademark term for multi-threading in in the Pentium 4 micro-architecture. Hyper-Threading enables the processor to execute multiple threads in parallel on the same processor. Hyper-Threading allows different threads to execute in parallel provided the two threads do not require access to the same execution resource on the CPU at the same time.

Hyper-threading can give a significant performance boost to some applications. It is not the same as having physically separate CPUs and performance will not be as good as a dual-CPU arrangement.

To take advantage of Hyper-Threading you must be running on an operating system that can take advantage of it (such as Windows XP, Windows 2003 or an appropriate Unix/Linux build) and running with a motherboard and processor that support it.

Hyper-Threading has been reported to be incompatible with some applications. Hyper-Threading can often be disabled in the BIOS.

Hyper-Threading is commonly abbreviated to HT. The technology is also known more generically as SMT (Simultaneous Multithreading Technology).

Relevant links:

www.intel.com/products/ht/hyperthreading_more.htm - overview of hyper-threading from Intel.
http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/htu/ - Hyper-Threading Test Utility, to test systems for compatibility with Hyper-Threading.

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