Dual-Chip Motherboards Information

A motherboard that features support for two CPUs is called a "dual chip" motherboard.

Dual-chip motherboards are used to increase multitasking and stability within a computer system. In this context, "chip" is another word for CPU, or central processing unit.

Dual Chip

The term "dual chip" refers to a motherboard's ability to accept two central processor units (CPUs). This is a form of multiprocessor (MP) motherboard, which adds computing power to process more information simultaneously. This is not the same thing as a multi-core processor, which is simply a single CPU chip with multiple cores.

Utility

Dual-chip motherboards are most commonly used with a server or a workstation. Workstations use complex programs like AutoCAD that require a large degree of multitasking, and having two CPUs helps with that tremendously. The implementation in servers is to add computing power, as well as stability. In case one of the CPUs fails, the other can still operate until the failure is replaced.

Requirements

Both CPUs need to run on the same voltage, and in most cases they need to be the same model of processor as well.

Resources

• Directron: Multi-Processor Motherboards