How multiple cores work.

[sleapeasy]

I understand how clock speed and FSB work, but what i dont understand is the individual clock speed of each core.

For instance, On an E5400 Intel Chip, it is dual core at 2.7GHZ. Does that mean each core is 2.7 GHz, or is each core like 2 or something and together it can push 2.7? Sorry for my ignorange, i was just wondering. Thanks

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Yes, a dual/quad core has multiple cores that each run at UP TO the specified speed
I.E. an Amd 955 quad has four cores each capable of running at 3.2GHz
Moto

 

[hunter315]

If you have a quad core running at 3.2GHz each core works at 3.2GHz on a single task, the CPU as a whole does NOT work at 12.8GHz, it is still only running at a frequency of 3.2GHz it just has the potential to get 4 different things done in the same amount of time, so its throughput can be higher, but its frequency is the same.