Single-core

A single-core processor is a microprocessor with a single core on its die.[1] It performs the fetch-decode-execute cycle once per clock-cycle, as it only runs on one thread. A computer using a single core CPU is generally slower than a multi-core system.

Single core processors used to be widespread in desktop computers, but as applications demanded more processing power, the slower speed of single core systems became a detriment to performance. Windows supported single-core processor up until the release of Windows 11, where a dual-core processor is required. [2]

Single core processors are still in use in some niche circumstances. Some older legacy systems like those running antiquated operating systems (e.g. Windows 98) cannot gain any benefit from multi-core processors. Single core processors also used in hobbyist computers like the Raspberry Pi and Single-board microcontrollers. The production of single-core desktop processors ended in 2013 with the Celeron G470. [3]

Development

The first single core processor was the Intel 4004 which was commercially released on November 15, 1971 by Intel. [4] Since then many improvmements have been made to single core processors going from the 740kHz of the Intel 4004 to the 2GHz Celeron G470. [5]

Advantages
  • Single core processors draw less power than larger, multi-core processors.
  • Single core processors can be made a lot more cheaply than multi core systems, meaning they can be used in embedded systems.

Disadvantages
  • Single core processors are generally outpeformed by multi-core processors.
  • Single core processors are more likely to bottleneck with faster peripheral components, as these components have to wait for the CPU to finish its cycle. [6]
  • Single core processors lack parallelisation, meaning only one application can run at once. This reduces performance as other processes have to wait for processor time, leading to process starvation. [7]

Increasing parallel trend
  • Single-core – one processor on a die. Since about 2012, even most smartphones CPUs marketed are no longer single-core; Microcontrollers are still single-core, while there are exceptions. [8]
  • Multi-core – a 'few' processors on a die, e.g. 2, 4, 8.
  • Many-core – a 'large number' of processors on a die, e.g. 10s, 100s, 1000s. Some specialist ASICs/Accelerators and GPUs fall into this category.

References
  1. "Single-core definition". Your Dictionary. LoveToKnow. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  2. "Windows 11 Minimum Requirements". Find Windows 11 specs, features and computer requirements. Microsoft. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  3. "The last single core CPU..." Andy's Computers. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  4. "Intel's First Microprocessor". The Story of the Intel 4004. Intel. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  5. "Intel Celerton Processor G470 Datasheet". Intel Celeron Processor G470. Intel. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  6. "How To Properly Balance Your Components". What is Bottlenecking?. Intel. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  7. Johnson, Ogundairo; Dinyo, Omosehinmi. "Comparative Analysis of Single-Core and Multi-Core Systems" (PDF). aircconline. International Journal of Computer Science & Information Technology. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  8. Yiu, Joseph; Johnson, Ian. "Multi-core microcontroller design with Cortex-M processors and CoreSight SoC" (PDF). ARM Community. arm.com. Retrieved 17 March 2022.


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