3 ms·
One of the biggest mistakes users have is a mental model of SMT that imagines the existence of one "real core" and one inferior one. The threads are coequal in
by jeffbee 2y ago
One of the biggest mistakes users have is a mental model of SMT that imagines the existence of one "real core" and one inferior one. The threads are coequal in all observable respects.
- MBCook 2y agoI suspect that’s a result of the performance. While both threads are capable of the same tasks, you don’t get the 2x performance you would with a “real” second thread, really a second core. So conceptually it’s a little more like having 1.25 single threaded cores, or whatever the ratio is for your application, if you only care about performance in the end.
- LoganDark 2y agoI mean, Intel's new CPUs certainly have both real cores ("P-cores") and inferior cores ("E-cores"). I suspect the reason they introduced E-cores is primarily thermal- and die-space-related, not actually power usage or performance. I always make sure to buy the chips without E-cores because they are better.
- jeffbee 2y agoThat's weird, I buy the one with the most e-cores. They're great for batch processes. For example the 14900K builds the Linux kernel faster than the Ryzen 9 7950X, even though it only has 8 "real cores" versus 16.
- anticensor 2y agoUntil it degrades...
- michaelt 2y agoIf you're compressing a video or a similar highly optimised compute-hungry task, your computer's fans are roaring like jet engines, and task manager says you're at 50% CPU utilisation - I can see how people formed that opinion.