What is “WoW”? “WoW” stands for “Windows-on-Windows” is the compatibility/emulation layer that allows the execution of different architecture applications on the same version of Windows. Originally (in the days of Windows NT) it allowed running 16-bit x86 legacy applications on 32-bit x86 Windows NT. Today, with 64-bit Windows, it allows … Read more…
What is “WoW”? “WoW” stands for “Windows-on-Windows” is the compatibility/emulation layer that allows the execution of different architecture applications on the same version of Windows. Originally (in the days of Windows NT) it allowed running 16-bit x86 legacy applications on 32-bit x86 Windows NT. Today, with 64-bit Windows, it allows … Read more…
What is “Zen3” (Ryzen 5000)? AMD’s Zen3 (“Vermeer”) is the 3rd generation ZEN core – aka the new 5000-series of CPUs from AMD, that introduces further refinements of the ZEN(2) core and layout. An APU version (with integrated graphics) is also available. The CPU/APUs remain socket AM4 compatible on desktop … Read more…
What is “Alchemist”? Is is the 2nd generation Intel discrete (DG2) graphics – based on the Xe arch that originally powered the integrated graphics of mobile (Xe-LP) processors from Gen 10 (“TigerLake” TGL) onwards. Intel did launch a limited desktop DG1 product as well as a limited server/workstation Xe-HP compute … Read more…
What is “AlderLake”? It is the “next-generation” (12th) Core architecture – replacing the short-lived “RocketLake” (RKL) that finally replaced the many, many “Skylake” (SKL) derivative architectures (6th-10th). It is the 1st mainstream “hybrid” arch – i.e. combining big/P(erformant) “Core” cores with LITTLE/E(fficient) “Atom” cores in a single package. While in … Read more…
What is “Surface Pro X”? It is Microsoft’s Arm64 range of Surface tablets – rather than the standard Intel x86 Surface Pro range (e.g. 3, 6, 8, etc.). After the disastrous Windows RT ARM tablets, Microsoft is trying again – this time with full 64-bit Arm64 Windows 10/11, good memory … Read more…
What is “Qualcomm’s Snapdragon”? It is a family of ARM processors/SoCs – analogous to the Intel’s “Core” in the x86 world. It now spans 8 series going back years and is used for everything from laptops, tablets, phones and even smart-watches! Unlike other ARM SoC manufacturers (Samsung, Huawei, MediaTek, etc.), … Read more…
What is “Raspberry Pi 4B”? It is the 4th generation of the Raspberry Pi series of single-board computers (SBC) that can be consider to have single-handedly restarted the enthusiast computer revolution of the 1980s. Selling millions of units per year, it is the best selling UK computer and used far … Read more…
What is “Raspberry Pi 3B(+)”? It is the 3th generation of the Raspberry Pi series of single-board computers (SBC) that can be consider to have single-handedly restarted the enthusiast computer revolution of the 1980s. Selling millions of units per year, it is the best selling UK computer and used far … Read more…
What is this “AlderLake-E”? After considering whether the recently released AlderLake (ADL) would have been better with 10 big/P(erformance) Cores and AVX512 rather than hybrid – someone asked why not the other way round? Why not just use LITTLE/E(fficient) Atom cores and no big/P cores? Note that Intel had such … Read more…
What is this “AlderLake-X”? ADL has now been launched – with AVX512 disabled: but, for the moment, it is possible to enable AVX512 on some boards; at least until the next microcode update. Some users have managed to benchmark ADL with AVX512 enabled (only big/P Cores enabled, LITTLE/E Atom cores … Read more…
What is “AlderLake”? It is the “next-generation” (12th) Core architecture – replacing the short-lived “RocketLake” (RKL) that finally replaced the many, many “Skylake” (SKL) derivative architectures (6th-10th). It is the 1st mainstream “hybrid” arch – i.e. combining big/P(erformant) “Core” cores with LITTLE/E(fficient) “Atom” cores in a single package. While in … Read more…
What is “AlderLake”? It is the “next-generation” (12th) Core architecture – replacing the short-lived “RocketLake” (RKL) that finally replaced the many, many “Skylake” (SKL) derivative architectures (6th-10th). It is the 1st mainstream “hybrid” arch – i.e. combining big/P(erformant) “Core” cores with LITTLE/E(fficient) “Atom” cores in a single package. While in … Read more…
What is “RocketLake”? It is the desktop/workstation version of the true “next generation” Core (gen 10+) architecture – finally replacing the ageing “Skylake (SKL)” arch and its many derivatives that are still with us (“CometLake (CML)”, etc.). It is a combination of the “IceLake (ICL)” CPU cores launched about a … Read more…
