DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

Some Silly Questions

10 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/some-silly-questions.121492/

krishnandu.sarkar
krishnandu.sarkar Original post #1
Oct 3, 2009 at 12:08 PM
1. Intel Pentium D @ 3.0Ghz
a. Is this the clock speed for each core?? Or its the summation of speed for both the cores??

b. If yes does this theory apply for C2D, Quad Core and other range of AMD and Intel Processors??


2. Is thr any DMA mode for SATA DVD Drive?? If yes how to enable it?? Does SATA DVD Drives r treated as IDE Drive??


3. +12v1 : 15A
+12v2 : 16A

Does this mean I hav 31A in +12v channel?? And I can use high end graphics card?? Or the process of calculation of this type of two +12v rails r different??
amitash
amitash #2
Oct 3, 2009 at 3:27 PM
for 1.a and b, answer is yes, really unsure about 2 and 3
krishnandu.sarkar
Oct 3, 2009 at 7:13 PM
wow..!! sum1 replied atleast..!! Thnx Amitash...
krishnandu.sarkar
Oct 3, 2009 at 8:08 PM
Hey ny more reply???? sum1 plz reply......
vaibhav_jain
Oct 4, 2009 at 1:24 AM
answer for third question?

yes you are right it is 31A for 12V channel but you can`t use it for high end card. i think you can use these 12v rails with two low end cards in sli or crossfire combination, also remember use cards which requires less power from the 12V channels according to their capacity(i.e. 12V).
-----------------------------------------
Posted again:
-----------------------------------------
answer for third question?

yes you are right it is 31A for 12V channel but you can`t use it for high end card. i think you can use these 12v rails with two low end cards in sli or crossfire combination, also remember use cards which requires less power from the 12V channels according to their capacity(i.e. 12V).
vaibhav_jain
Oct 4, 2009 at 1:35 AM
question 1. a. answer!!

in my view it is the sum of speed of all the cores, not for the individual core(i.e. 2.5GHz quad core means having the total speed of 2.5Ghz of all the 4 cores, but the main point here is that this processor has 4 cores which can work individually at the same time, and in past processors there is only single core like P4 3.0GHz, it has only single core to operate therefore quadcore with 2.5Ghz of speed is much more powerfull than P4 with 3.0GHz of speed).
-----------------------------------------
Posted again:
-----------------------------------------
question 1. a. answer!!
:!:
in my view it is the sum of speed of all the cores, not for the individual core(i.e. 2.5GHz quad core means having the total speed of 2.5Ghz of all the 4 cores, but the main point here is that this processor has 4 cores which can work individually at the same time, and in past processors there is only single core like P4 3.0GHz, it has only single core to operate therefore quadcore with 2.5Ghz of speed is much more powerfull than P4 with 3.0GHz of speed).
Krow
Krow #7
Oct 4, 2009 at 8:55 AM
But the performance gains of multi-core CPU's will not translate exactly to 2xSingle core in case of a dual core mainly because apps not being coded for multicore optimisation. All the same, each core has a clock speed of 3.0GHz yes!
krishnandu.sarkar
Oct 4, 2009 at 9:23 AM
Okz thnx..........

And wat about SATA DVD Writer?? Does SATA DVD Writer's hav DMA??
infra_red_dude
Oct 4, 2009 at 10:09 AM
These are actually very good questions, definitely not silly!

1. Intel Pentium D @ 3.0Ghz
a. Is this the clock speed for each core?? Or its the summation of speed for both the cores??
This is the fastest speed at which each stage in the processor pipeline runs. So in layman's term, this is the speed at which each core runs.

b. If yes does this theory apply for C2D, Quad Core and other range of AMD and Intel Processors??
Yes

2. Is thr any DMA mode for SATA DVD Drive?? If yes how to enable it?? Does SATA DVD Drives r treated as IDE Drive??
There is a DMA engine built into the controller. So you don't haf explicit control over the DMA setting for a SATA drive. No wonder it is so fast!
*h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00301688/c00301688.pdf

3. +12v1 : 15A
+12v2 : 16A

Does this mean I hav 31A in +12v channel?? And I can use high end graphics card?? Or the process of calculation of this type of two +12v rails r different??
No, you cannot add the currents from 12v rails if both are not connected to the same sink. In fact, only the high end power supplies are dual rails. Most low-end and mid-range PSUs just split the 12v line to limit the current per line.

Theoretically, the maximum current you can get per line is (Power * efficiency)/Voltage. So lets say you have a 600W PSU, assuming a hypothetical efficiency of 60%, the maximum current on the 12v line is: 600 * 0.60 / 12 = 30A. This is assuming there is no drop in the other 5/3.3v lines.

But this is the peak current and NOT the sustained current in normal operating temperatures. The numbers that you indicate 15/16A are usually the guaranteed currents each line can supply under normal operating conditions.

*forum-en.msi.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=63ae1cc622fe6623ca275ec757c02c4c&topic=77071.0
*forums.vr-zone.com/hardware-arena/82101-how-calculate-actual-max-load-current-12v-rails.html
*www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-radeon-power,2122-6.html
krishnandu.sarkar
Oct 4, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Hey WOW......!! Tats gr8.....!! Very simple describing....!!

Thnx yaar....!!