COMPTIA A+ Practice Exam

What feature describes a processor with more than one instruction pipeline?

1. Multicore

2. Hyper-threading

3. Superscalar

4. Virtualization

The correct answer is: Superscalar

The correct answer is that a processor with more than one instruction pipeline is described as superscalar. A superscalar architecture allows multiple instructions to be issued and executed simultaneously in a single cycle, improving the overall processing efficiency and performance of the CPU. By having multiple pipelines, the processor can handle more than one instruction at a time, enabling better utilization of its resources and ultimately leading to faster execution of programs. In comparison, multicore processors have multiple cores that can each perform tasks independently but do not specifically refer to multiple pipelines within a single core. Hyper-threading, on the other hand, is a technology that allows a single physical core to present itself as two logical cores, enabling it to handle multiple threads but not necessarily multiple instruction pipelines. Virtualization pertains to the creation of virtual versions of resources, including servers, storage devices, and network resources, which is different from the concept of instruction pipelines in a processor.