Difference between Core and Process

[iSkylla]

When it says the CPU is under the 90nm process, what does that mean in terms of the CPU. Because I have seen an unlidded CPU, and I guarentee the core that is present under the cap is 90nm lol.

 

[enlightenedby42]

90 nm process (or 130, or 65 or any of the others) is a reference to the size of the transistors in the chip. The smaller they are, the more they can naturally fit onto a CPU. Also, this affects the electrical and thermal properties (usually positively unless we're talking Prescott here

) as well.

For reference, an average human hair is around 80000 nm.

 

[iSkylla]

Don't you mean the PressHott CPU? :-P

They should call the chips

NEW AMD Venice with 90nm Transistors!!!!!!

 

[Obi_Kwiet]

Prescots should have been called Venus core chips.

 

[TheDoucheMan]

When it says the CPU is under the 90nm process, what does that mean in terms of the CPU. Because I have seen an unlidded CPU, and I guarentee the core that is present under the cap is 90nm lol.

Its not necessarily the size of the transistors. 90nm is the smallest resolution that can be printed on the silicon. The enhanced resolution allows smaller transistors.

And a core is a logic processor, everything that was built into a cpu (before single core and amd's onboard memory controller.)