HyperTransport and hyperthreading are two completely different technologies that are used for two completely different purposes. However, a lot of users still get confused about it and mix them up.
In This Article
- Hyperthreading technology refers to an emulated dual core concept that expedites data processing with multiple threads or virtual cores but HyperTransport is a type of Front Side Bus or FSB on board.
- HyperTransport technology is a concept created by AMD while hyperthreading technology belongs to Intel.
- Both these technologies are good and help things to be done faster but in a completely different way and hyperthreading will be more helpful for users doing a lot of multitasking.
- HyperTransport bus links the memory controller integrated in the CPU and the RAM or PCI bank of the computer system which eliminates the need for the Northbridge to communicate.
- Hyperthreading adds more threads to the CPU allowing it to run in parallel and produce the data processing results more quickly.
HyperTransport vs Hyperthreading – The 6 Differences
HyperTransport is a technology developed by AMD or Advanced Micro Devices Inc but hyperthreading is a technology developed by Intel and is the marketing name for Simultaneous Multithreading or SMT.
HyperTransport simply signifies a link or a serial bus with high speed while hyperthreading is a technology that allows a Central Processing Unit or CPU to perform like multiple processors.
HyperTransport technology allows getting the necessary data much faster to the CPU of the computer for processing purposes.
The Hyperthreading technology, on the other hand, simply ensures that the instructions get through the CPU more efficiently.
4. Multitasking Support
The hyperthreading technology in the processors allows them to do multiple tasks at the same time and therefore helps quite a lot in multitasking.
With HyperTransport technology, on the other hand, this is not the case. It is just an interconnection that carries the necessary data quickly and has nothing to do with multitasking.
5. Active Participation
HyperTransport technology does not allow the system to take part in the processing of data actively. Its service and functions are limited to carrying data to and from quickly.
On the other hand, the hyperthreading technology affects the overall performance of the CPU as well as the computer system on the whole with its active participation in data processing.
HyperTransport technology is transparent to the system and can be used by any and every program, app and software of a computer system.
On the other hand, hyperthreading technology is invisible to the platform and creates an illusion of presence of a higher number of processors to the operating system.
It is useful only when you run more CPU intensive tasks at the same time and even while video editing and gaming.
Which is More Useful – HyperTransport or Hyperthreading?
Typically, both hyperthreading and HyperTransport have a direct effect on the overall performance of the computer system and therefore both are equally useful.
Ideally, these two are complementary technologies and certainly not competing ones.
Moreover, it is not possible to compare these two technologies directly and therefore it can be safely said that both these technologies are very helpful to the respective platforms.
Nevertheless, hyperthreading is only useful if the CPU has multiple cores in the system. It will increase the number of threads and therefore allow it to run more of them at once.
This technology of Intel allows the CPU to do two things at a time by creating virtual processors within a processor which will speed things up and help the users in multitasking.
Therefore, the CPU will always have additional processors on standby as and when required to process any data or instruction quickly.
It uses the additional registers of the CPU for that. These are actually the chips inside the system that help in managing data and instructions but are not used all the time.
It helps in improving resource management without needing any additional comp