How does Core 2 Duo works?

Question

Hello there,
This may be a silly question and probably not the write forum to post this issues.
But since my MBP comes with the built-in Core 2 Duo - I hope it will be all right to seek for help here.
I have tried many other search regarding this matter - But I just can't seems to find answer for it. Most of them comes with technical name and informations which I don't really understand the terms they used. I have even tried to seeked help from people around my neigbourhood - Nobody seems to really know too.
My question were, what does Core 2 Duo really do? I know it's a faster processor(?). But how does it actually works? I asked this question because - it seems that only one of my core 2 duo is working very hard. Always the second one. The first one will always stays on 5% (if not mistaken) forever eventhough the second one reached up to 100% and struggling. Why is that? Wasn't it suppose to divide their work load automatically?
I don't even remember now where did I get that reading before already.
Have tried 'System Profiler', but I can't seems to find it anyway now.
Please guide me if possible.
Is there anywhere I can monitor my Core 2 Duo in action status?
And how can I have the first core to show me some sign of it is doing it's part too.
Or maybe I just got the whole Core 2 Duo idea wrongly?
Please advise.
Thank you.
Best Regards,
Jon Gan

Answer 1

Hello All,
Oopss, Didn't know it only allows one 'Helpful' star at a time. Sorry guys.
Anyway, I found all your suggestion helpful.
I understand now that the Core 2 Duo are somehow smart/intelligence enough to divide work load among themself and cannot or best not to have it done manually by user. However, it just the matter of if the software/application are compatible to it or not. Or otherwise, the application running are available to such features or not as for Core 2 Duo to have it divided its work load.
But still, is there anyway we can know which software? Or when Core 2 Duo does it magic?
I understand we should be able to see it from the CPU usage from Activity Monitor.app or otherwise, IStat Pro widgets. But, I just don't really know how to study the graphs there.
What I usually gets from Activity Monitor or IStat Pro are as follow:
User:
System:
Nice:
Idle:
and lastly the graph - which I really have no idea what are all those stand for.
Care to run me through roughly if possible? Thanks.
Sorry for the inconveniences.
So in the end, I was hoping to find (if there's any) by any chances there's a software that can read the 2 cores reading in - perhaps percentage wise? or a easier understanding format which you can recommend?
For example: In Windows XP, there's a software called *Everest Home Edition* which I can read the 2 cores in percentage format. This allows me to easily monitor the cores in action while at the same time I was working on my computer. Although, I didn't really find anything yet cause I would rather just stick to Mac OS X Tiger. However, what surprise me from my testing towards the 2 cores during than period of time was that - One core always stays on 0% while the second core reaches up to 100%. They doesn't seems to divide their work flow. This is the first time I owned a Core 2 Duo processor - so with that exprerience, I really have no idea what does Core 2 Duo really do if one core is not helping the second core with it's work load. (beside being faster like everyone else said). heh heh heh Silly me right? heh heh heh
So back to Mac. I guess now, the best choice to monitor it is by using the Activity Monitor(?).
Under the CPU tab, there's a CPU Usage graph that splits into two - is that the 2 cores? The one on top is core #1 and the one of the bottom is core #2? Please guide.
Thank you in advance.
Best Regards,
Jon Gan