What is better multi-core or higher frequency? What does the number of processor cores affect? Multi-core processor 2 4 processor cores what does it mean
Pavel_A 05/24/2012 - 12:08
Hi all.
You need a portable computer with a large display to work in Excel, and sometimes watch a movie. Main big screen and low price.
Stopped at 17 inches.
Based on the price, I settled on the HP Pavilion. There are options with different processors.
Which processor is better?
Intel Core i3 2350M Processor 2.3GHz
or
AMD Quad-Core A6-3420M Accelerated Processor with AMD Radeon HD 6520G discrete-class graphics
And which is better, HP or ASUS (I like ASUS better and it has more hard drive, but it is more expensive and is very choking).
Goldheart2 05/24/2012 - 01:07
Intel Core i3 2350M Processor 2.3GHz is better.
Pavel_A 05/24/2012 - 01:41
Goldheart2How long?
Intel Core i3 2350M Processor 2.3GHz is better
He has 2 cores of 2.3 each, and he has 4 cores of 1.5 each. In total, the second one is more powerful?
Dr.Acula 05/24/2012 - 02:43
Pavel_A
How long?
http://www.notebookcheck.net/M...ist.2436.0.html
According to tests, Intel is better. And processor performance depends not only on the number of cores and frequency. Will you believe me if I tell you that a processor with one core and a frequency of 1650 MHz, when performing some tasks, can work much faster than some Intel for 20 thousand?
HP or Asus - depends on the specific model.
Goldheart2 05/24/2012 - 03:03
He has 2 cores of 2.3 each, and he has 4 cores of 1.5 each. In total, the second one is more powerful?
It doesn’t work, Intel’s performance per gigahertz is much higher, so even with two cores it does the A6-3420M, in rendering the difference is about 14 percent, but this is a well-paralleled task, but if you take the majority of standard applications where one thread is involved, less often two , here the i3 2350M will simply tear up the 3420M. And in the case of your Excel, we are talking about one thread. The graphics of the 3420M are more powerful, but the 2350M has an advantage in terms of video playback in the form of a powerful ASIC decoder.
c00xer 05/24/2012 - 07:12
Goldheart2This is what you need to pay attention to. On task. BTW, some games (like WorldofTanks) are still single-threaded. What a shame it is to see 25% load on a 4-core stone.
but if you take the majority of standard applications where one thread is involved, less often two
Pavel_Crio 05/27/2012 - 21:24
Yes, Intel is better.
Goldheart2 05/28/2012 - 08:14
P.S. But you don’t need to talk about Excel)) Install Excel 2007/2010, it’s in the settings (Excel Options - Advanced):Enable multi-threaded computing?
- use all processors of this computer(it shows 4, I have an Intel Quad)
- manually (you can select 1,2 .. depending on the cores)
The first computer processors with multiple cores appeared on the consumer market back in the mid-2000s, but many users still do not quite understand what multi-core processors are and how to understand their characteristics.
Video format of the article “The whole truth about multi-core processors”
A simple explanation of the question “what is a processor”
The microprocessor is one of the main devices in a computer. This dry official name is often shortened to simply “processor”). The processor is a microcircuit with an area comparable to a matchbox. If you like, the processor is like the engine in a car. The most important part, but not the only one. The car also has wheels, a body, and a player with headlights. But it is the processor (like a car engine) that determines the power of the “machine”.
Many people call a processor a system unit - a “box” inside which all the PC components are located, but this is fundamentally wrong. System unit- this is the computer case along with all its component parts - hard drive, RAM and many other parts.
Processor Function - Compute. It doesn't matter which ones exactly. The fact is that all computer work is based solely on arithmetic calculations. Addition, multiplication, subtraction and other algebra - all this is done by a microcircuit called a “processor”. And the results of such calculations are displayed on the screen in the form of a game, a Word file, or just a desktop.
The main part of the computer that performs calculations is what is a processor.
What is a processor core and multi-core
From the beginning of processor centuries, these microcircuits were single-core. The core is, in fact, the processor itself. Its main and main part. Processors also have other parts - say, “legs”-contacts, microscopic “electrical wiring” - but it is the block that is responsible for calculations that is called processor core. When processors became very small, engineers decided to combine several cores inside one processor “case”.
If you imagine a processor as an apartment, then the core is a large room in such an apartment. A one-room apartment is one processor core (a large room-hall), a kitchen, a bathroom, a corridor... A two-room apartment is like two processor cores along with other rooms. There are three-, four-, and even 12-room apartments. The same is the case with processors: inside one “apartment” crystal there can be several “room” cores.
Multi-core- This is the division of one processor into several identical functional blocks. The number of blocks is the number of cores inside one processor.
Types of multi-core processors
There is a misconception: “the more cores a processor has, the better.” This is exactly how marketers, who are paid to create this kind of misconception, try to present the matter. Their task is to sell cheap processors, moreover, at higher prices and in huge quantities. But in fact, the number of cores is far from the main characteristic of processors.
Let's return to the analogy of processors and apartments. A two-room apartment is more expensive, more comfortable and more prestigious than a one-room apartment. But only if these apartments are located in the same area, equipped in the same way, and their renovation is similar. There are weak quad-core (or even 6-core) processors that are significantly weaker than dual-core ones. But it’s hard to believe in this: of course, the magic of large numbers 4 or 6 against “some” two. However, this is exactly what happens very, very often. It seems like the same four-room apartment, but in a ruined state, without renovation, in a completely remote area - and even at the price of a luxurious two-room apartment in the very center.
How many cores are there inside a processor?
For personal computers and laptops, single-core processors have not been produced properly for several years, and it is very rare to find them on sale. The number of cores starts from two. Four cores - as a rule, these are more expensive processors, but there is a return from them. There are also 6-core processors, which are incredibly expensive and much less useful in practical terms. Few tasks can achieve a performance boost on these monstrous crystals.
There was an experiment by AMD to create 3-core processors, but this is already in the past. It turned out quite well, but their time has passed.
By the way, AMD also produces multi-core processors, but, as a rule, they are significantly weaker than competitors from Intel. True, their price is much lower. You just need to know that 4 cores from AMD will almost always turn out to be noticeably weaker than the same 4 cores from Intel.
Now you know that processors come with 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12 cores. Single-core and 12-core processors are very rare. Triple-core processors are a thing of the past. Six-core processors are either very expensive (Intel) or not so strong (AMD) that you pay more for the number. 2 and 4 cores are the most common and practical devices, from the weakest to the most powerful.
Multi-core processor frequency
One of the characteristics of computer processors is their frequency. Those same megahertz (and more often gigahertz). Frequency is an important characteristic, but far from the only one. Yes, perhaps not the most important one. For example, a 2-gigahertz dual-core processor is a more powerful offering than its 3-gigahertz single-core sibling.
It is completely wrong to assume that the frequency of a processor is equal to the frequency of its cores multiplied by the number of cores. To put it simply, a 2-core processor with a core frequency of 2 GHz has a total frequency in no case equal to 4 gigahertz! Even the concept of “common frequency” does not exist. In this case, CPU frequency equal exactly 2 GHz. No multiplication, addition or other operations.
And again we will “turn” processors into apartments. If the height of the ceilings in each room is 3 meters, then the total height of the apartment will remain the same - the same three meters, and not a centimeter higher. No matter how many rooms there are in such an apartment, the height of these rooms does not change. Also clock speed of processor cores. It does not add up and does not multiply.
Virtual multi-core, or Hyper-Threading
There are also virtual processor cores. Hyper-Threading technology in Intel processors makes the computer “think” that there are actually 4 cores inside a dual-core processor. Very similar to how the one and only HDD divided into several logical- local drives C, D, E and so on.
HyperThreading is a very useful technology for a number of tasks.. Sometimes it happens that the processor core is only half used, and the remaining transistors in its composition are idle. Engineers came up with a way to make these “idlers” work too, by dividing each physical processor core into two “virtual” parts. It’s as if a fairly large room was divided into two by a partition.
Does this make any practical sense? trick with virtual cores? Most often - yes, although it all depends on the specific tasks. It seems that there are more rooms (and most importantly, they are used more rationally), but the area of the room has not changed. In offices, such partitions are incredibly useful, and in some residential apartments too. In other cases, there is no point at all in partitioning the room (dividing the processor core into two virtual ones).
Note that the most expensive and productive class processorsCorei7 is mandatory equippedHyperThreading. They have 4 physical cores and 8 virtual ones. It turns out that 8 computational threads work simultaneously on one processor. Less expensive, but also powerful processors Intel class Corei5 consist of four cores, but Hyper Threading does not work there. It turns out that Core i5 work with 4 threads of calculations.
Processors Corei3- typical “average”, both in price and performance. They have two cores and no hint of Hyper-Threading. In total it turns out that Corei3 only two computational threads. The same applies to frankly budget crystals Pentium andCeleron. Two cores, no hyper-threading = two threads.
Does a computer need many cores? How many cores does a processor need?
All modern processors powerful enough for normal tasks. Browsing the Internet, correspondence on social networks and e-mail, office tasks Word-PowerPoint-Excel: weak Atom, budget Celeron and Pentium are suitable for this work, not to mention the more powerful Core i3. Two cores are more than enough for normal work. Processor with big amount cores will not bring a significant increase in speed.
For games you should pay attention to processorsCorei3 ori5. Rather, gaming performance will depend not on the processor, but on the video card. Rarely will a game require the full power of a Core i7. Therefore, it is believed that games require no more than four processor cores, and more often two cores are suitable.
For serious work such as special engineering programs, video encoding and other resource-intensive tasks Really productive equipment is required. Often, not only physical, but also virtual processor cores are used here. The more computing threads, the better. And it doesn’t matter how much such a processor costs: for professionals, the price is not so important.
Are there any benefits to multi-core processors?
Absolutely yes. The computer simultaneously deals with several tasks - at least Windows work(by the way, these are hundreds of different tasks) and, at the same moment, playing the movie. Playing music and browsing the Internet. Job text editor and music turned on. Two processor cores - and these are, in fact, two processors - will cope with different tasks faster than one. Two cores will make this a little faster. Four is even faster than two.
In the first years of the existence of multi-core technology, not all programs were able to work even with two processor cores. By 2014, the vast majority of applications understand and can take advantage of multiple cores. The speed of processing tasks on a dual-core processor rarely doubles, but there is almost always a performance increase.
Therefore, the deep-rooted myth that programs cannot use multiple cores is outdated information. Once upon a time this was indeed the case, today the situation has improved dramatically. The benefits of multiple cores are undeniable, that's a fact.
When the processor has fewer cores, it’s better
You should not buy a processor using the incorrect formula “the more cores, the better.” This is wrong. Firstly, 4, 6 and 8-core processors are significantly more expensive than their dual-core counterparts. A significant increase in price is not always justified from a performance point of view. For example, if an 8-core processor turns out to be only 10% faster than a CPU with fewer cores, but is 2 times more expensive, then it will be difficult to justify such a purchase.
Secondly, the more cores a processor has, the more voracious it is in terms of energy consumption. There is no point in buying a much more expensive laptop with a 4-core (8-thread) Core i7 if this laptop will only process text files, browse the Internet, and so on. There will be no difference with the dual-core (4 threads) Core i5, and the classic Core i3 with only two computing threads will not be inferior to its more eminent “colleague”. And such a powerful laptop will last much less on battery power than the economical and undemanding Core i3.
Multi-core processors in mobile phones and tablets
The fashion for multiple computing cores inside one processor also applies to mobile devices. Smartphones and tablets with a large number of cores almost never use the full capabilities of their microprocessors. Dual-core mobile computers sometimes actually work a little faster, but 4, and even more so 8 cores are frankly overkill. The battery is consumed absolutely ungodly, and powerful computing devices simply sit idle. Conclusion - multi-core processors in phones, smartphones and tablets are just a tribute to marketing, and not an urgent need. Computers are more demanding devices than phones. They really need two processor cores. Four won't hurt. 6 and 8 are overkill for normal tasks and even games.
How to choose a multi-core processor and not make a mistake?
The practical part of today's article is relevant for 2014. It is unlikely that anything will change significantly in the coming years. We will only talk about processors manufactured by Intel. Yes, AMD offers good solutions, but they are less popular and more difficult to understand.
Note that the table is based on processors from 2012-2014. Older samples have different characteristics. We also did not mention rare CPU options, for example, the single-core Celeron (there are such even today, but this is an atypical option that is almost not represented on the market). You should not choose processors solely by the number of cores inside them - there are others, more important characteristics. The table will only make it easier to select a multi-core processor, but specific model(and there are dozens of them in each class) should be purchased only after carefully familiarizing yourself with their parameters: frequency, heat dissipation, generation, cache size and other characteristics.
| CPU | Number of Cores | Computational threads | Typical Applications |
| Atom | 1-2 | 1-4 | Low-power computers and netbooks. The goal of Atom processors is to minimize power consumption. Their productivity is minimal. |
| Celeron | 2 | 2 | The cheapest processors for desktops and laptops. The performance is sufficient for office tasks, but these are not gaming CPUs at all. |
| Pentium | 2 | 2 | Intel processors are just as inexpensive and low-performance as Celeron. An excellent choice for office computers. Pentiums are equipped with a slightly larger cache, and, sometimes, slightly increased performance compared to Celeron |
| Core i3 | 2 | 4 | Two fairly powerful cores, each of which is divided into two virtual “processors” (Hyper-Threading). These are already quite powerful CPUs at not too high prices. A good choice for home or power office computer without special demands on performance. |
| Core i5 | 4 | 4 | Full-fledged 4-core Core i5 processors are quite expensive. Their performance is lacking only in the most demanding tasks. |
| Core i7 | 4-6 | 8-12 | The most powerful, but especially expensive Intel processors. As a rule, they are rarely faster than Core i5, and only in some programs. There are simply no alternatives to them. |
A brief summary of the article “The whole truth about multi-core processors.” Instead of a note
- CPU core- his component. In fact, an independent processor inside the case. Dual-core processor - two processors inside one.
- Multi-core comparable to the number of rooms inside the apartment. Two-room apartments are better than one-room apartments, but only with other characteristics being equal (location of the apartment, condition, area, ceiling height).
- The statement that the more cores a processor has, the better it is- a marketing ploy, a completely wrong rule. After all, an apartment is chosen not only by the number of rooms, but also by its location, renovation and other parameters. The same applies to multiple cores inside the processor.
- Exists "virtual" multi-core— Hyper-Threading technology. Thanks to this technology, each “physical” core is divided into two “virtual” ones. It turns out that a 2-core processor with Hyper-Threading has only two real cores, but these processors simultaneously process 4 computational threads. This is a really useful feature, but a 4-thread processor cannot be considered a quad-core processor.
- For Intel desktop processors: Celeron - 2 cores and 2 threads. Pentium - 2 cores, 2 threads. Core i3 - 2 cores, 4 threads. Core i5 - 4 cores, 4 threads. Core i7 - 4 cores, 8 threads. Intel laptop (mobile) CPUs have a different number of cores/threads.
- For mobile computers Energy efficiency (in practice, battery life) is often more important than the number of cores.
The number of laptop processor cores affects demand. Many buyers pay close attention to this characteristic, guided by the principle “the more cores, the faster and more productive the laptop.” But this formula is not always true.
According to experts at the Foxtrot online store, a powerful multi-core processor reveals its full potential only when working with heavy 3D games and resource-intensive engineering/design programs. In other cases, the user does not feel a significant increase in speed, since the processor works only at half capacity.
Quad-core processor performance
The most productive laptop for gaming is one equipped with a processor with 4 cores. But there is also competition among 4-core processors: some CPU models cope with their tasks much faster than others.
The difference in performance is explained not only by the number of cores, but also by other characteristics of the processor - clock frequency, technical process, number of threads, cache memory size and system bus frequency.
Visual differences between processors with the same number of cores are demonstrated using special tests (benchmarks), the results of which are presented in the form of points. Maximum amount Intel Core i7 and Core i5 processors score points. AMD family processors receive half as many points.
The superiority of Intel products is partly explained by the use of proprietary Hyper-Threading technology, which conditionally divides each physical core into two virtual ones. As a result, a 4-core laptop, which has a processor with 4/8 architecture, processes 8 data streams in parallel, which has a positive effect on its speed.
Tip: when choosing gaming laptop give preference to models with Core processors i7 or i5, supporting Hyper-Threading technology.
When 4 cores are not needed
The number of processor cores affects the cost of a laptop. Is it worth overpaying for the huge potential of the CPU if this power is not in demand?
A 4-core processor will function at half capacity if:
- the user works with simple applications and games that are not designed for parallel computing;
- The laptop is used to perform simple tasks - working with office applications, surfing the Internet, communicating on social networks.
Laptop with 2-core Intel processor or AMD has a number of advantages over a more powerful laptop:
- longer autonomy due to modest power consumption;
- lower cost of laptop;
- work with 4 threads (Intel Core models with Hyper-Threading technology).
By the way: laptop performance depends not only on the processor. A significant role is given to the video card and random access memory(volume of at least 4 GB).
QX | 22 July 2015, 14:45
Not only the frequency, the technical process too. Modern 2-core processors at 3 GHz cannot be compared with the first 2-core processors, also at 3 GHz. The frequency is the same, but the old ones are just terrible brakes compared to the new ones. As a result, the modern 2-core i3 is much better than the 4-core Quad Q6600. Even the newer Pentium G is better than the old Quad.
QX | 11 July 2015, 12:18
Here the difference in frequency is not great, 3.5 versus 3 GHz. That's why 4 cores are interesting. But of course, if the other characteristics also keep up. Many cores are needed for archiving, video encoding, etc. By taking 2 nuclear weapons you can also save a little. Another question is how much you will work on it. Well, it would be better if you named both models specifically. And so, I would advise you to have a more powerful and fresher Core i3.
MaKos007 | March 30, 2015, 16:00
Here I will be spreading my thoughts across the tree. Therefore, I’ll say right away that your choice is a dual-core processor with a higher frequency. If the theory is not interesting, then you don’t need to read further.
The processor frequency is, in fact, the number of operations it performs per unit of time. Thus, the higher the frequency, the more actions are performed per second, for example.
What about the number of cores... If there is more than one core, the processor can process more than one task. It's like conveyor belts. One conveyor belt works quickly, but two parallel belts on which operations take place produce twice as much output. So, in theory, dual-core solutions will work twice as fast as a single-core solution.
This is a theory, but as with conveyors, these two threads need to be loaded with something. at the same time, load correctly so that each belt works with full efficiency. In the case of processors, this depends on the architecture of programs and games that use this multi-core. If an application can divide tasks into several threads (read - use a multi-core processor), then multi-core can provide a significant increase in the speed of command execution. But if it can’t, or the tasks are such that it’s impossible to divide, then it doesn’t matter at all whether there are many cores in the CPU or not.
In fact, the question of the optimal number of cores is complex. What is also important here is the architecture of the cores themselves and the connections between them. Thus, the first multi-core processors had a significantly less functional design than modern ones. In addition, it should be taken into account that modern Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems (I am not considering *nix systems here and their support for multi-core processors is a separate and very interesting topic) have become very good at parallelizing many tasks. Thus, multi-core helps not to slow down the main processes (applications and games used by the user) due to background tasks. Thus, antivirus protection and the firewall will not slow down (more precisely, they will slow down to a lesser extent) running game or work in Photoshop.
For which programs is multi-core important? After spending some time on the Internet, you can find out that it speeds up the conversion of video and audio; rendering 3D models, signal encryption, etc. You don't need 4 cores to work in Photoshop and video editing. It is quite enough, as I already said, two, but with a higher performance of each of them.
teleport | April 21, 2013, 01:30
A simple calculation of performance shows: for a 2-core the total performance is 2 x 3.5 = 7, for a 4-core - 4 x 3 = 12. So a 4-core is almost 2 times more powerful. In addition, it is probably more modern, and therefore more economical and productive. And if only one core is used, it heats up less, since the frequency of one core is slightly lower, but this is significant for heating.
For video editing, the processor is most likely not critical; the resources of the video card or a special video editing card are mainly used. But the processor also takes part in this, and if a 2-core processor allocates one core for this task, then the remaining tasks (different antivirus programs) will fight for the remaining core, which will lead to terrible stupidity. In short, multi-core is better.
yang | 11 April 2013, 20:22
In this case, a dual-core processor will be more efficient and economical in all respects.
Hi all! Sometimes a game or program does not work at full capacity because... Not all cores are responsible for performance. In this article we will look at how to use all the cores of your processor.
But don't expect a magic wand, because... If a game or program does not support multi-cores, then nothing can be done unless you rewrite the application again.
How to run all processor cores?
So, there will be several ways. That's why I'm showing first.
Go to start - run or win + r keys
Select your maximum number of processors.
By the way, you can find out the number of processor cores. But these are virtual cores, not physical ones. There may be fewer physical ones.
- Go to the task manager - ctrl+shift+esc.
- Or ctrl+alt+del and task manager.
- Or click right click on the control panel and select task manager.
Go to the processes tab. Find the game and right-click on the process. By the way, the game must be running. You can collapse it either Win+D or alt+tab.
Select set match.
Select all and click ok.
To see whether all cores are working or not, go to the performance tab in the task manager.
There will be a diagram in all tabs.
If not, then click again to set the correspondence, leave only CPU 0, click ok. Close the task manager, open it again, repeat everything, the same thing, select all processors and click ok.
In laptops, power saving is sometimes configured in such a way that the settings do not allow all cores to be used.
- Win7 - Go to the control panel, go to power options - Change plan settings - change Extra options power - processor power management - minimum processor state.
- Win8, 10 - Or: Settings - System - Power and Sleep - Advanced Power Settings - Configure Power Plan - Change Advanced Power Settings - Processor Power Management - Minimum Processor Status
For full use, it should be 100%.
How to check how many cores are running?
We launch it and see the number of active cores.
Do not confuse this parameter with the number of virtual processors, which is displayed to the right.
What does the number of processor cores affect?
Many people confuse the concept of number of cores and processor frequency. If we compare this with a person, then the brain is a processor, neurons are nuclei. Cores do not work in all games and applications. If, for example, a game runs 2 processes, one draws a forest and the other a city, and the game is multi-core, then you only need 2 cores to load this picture. And if the game has more processes, then all cores are used.
And it may be the other way around: a game or application can be written in such a way that only one core can perform one action, and in this situation the processor with the higher frequency and the most well-built architecture will win (usually for this reason).
Therefore, roughly speaking, the number of processor cores affects performance and speed.