flerhjerneprosessorer

Flerhjerneprosessorer, or multi-core processors, are integrated circuits that contain two or more independent processing units, or "cores," on a single chip. Each core can execute instructions simultaneously, allowing a computer to perform multiple tasks at once or to complete a single complex task faster. This contrasts with single-core processors, which can only execute one instruction stream at a time.

The development of multi-core processors was driven by the physical limitations of increasing the clock speed of single-core processors. As clock speeds rose, power consumption and heat generation became significant challenges. By integrating multiple cores, manufacturers could increase overall processing power without drastically increasing clock speed, leading to more efficient and cooler-running systems.

Multi-core processors are ubiquitous in modern computing, found in everything from smartphones and laptops to servers and supercomputers. Software applications can be designed to take advantage of multiple cores through parallel processing, where different parts of a task are assigned to different cores. This can lead to substantial performance improvements for demanding applications such as video editing, scientific simulations, and complex gaming. The operating system also plays a crucial role in managing and distributing tasks across the available cores.