Inside Intel Core Microarchitecture
128-Bit Internal Datapath
Contents
Another new feature found on Core microarchitecture is a true 128-bit internal datapath. On previous CPUs, the internal datapath was of 64 bits only. This was a problem for SSE instructions, since SSE registers, called XMM, are 128-bit long. So, when executing an instruction that manipulated a 128-bit data, this operation had to be broke down into two 64-bit operations.
The new 128-bit datapath makes Core microarchitecture faster to process SSE instructions that manipulate 128-bit data.
Intel is calling this new feature “Advanced Digital Media Boost”.
