What do more CPU cores bring? Effect simply explained
You will come across the number of CPU cores at the latest when buying a computer. But what do more CPU cores bring and does it make sense to choose a processor with more cores? Here we explain what the CPU cores are for and whether more CPU cores are always better.
What do more CPU cores bring?
Is a CPU with a higher clock speed or multiple cores worthwhile? Not always...
- This is why there are several cores: Processors with multiple cores have been introduced because increasing the computing power by increasing the clock rate brought with it great technical problems. It is also cheaper to implement multiple cores in one chip than to have multiple processors on the board. You will notice this quickly: a processor with multiple cores is usually cheaper than two processors with fewer cores.
- What do multiple cores bring? The basic load of the system is distributed across all cores. Your PC or notebook is less often completely overloaded and does not freeze as often. Processors with multiple cores increase the clock frequency and the performance of the PC. In practice, the increase in performance depends heavily on the program being executed and the operating system used. The principle only works if you are working with software that is multi-thread capable, i.e. particularly demanding.
- For example, the Intel Core i5-4570S has a total of 4 physical CPU cores and delivers a clock rate up to 3.6 GHz. The Intel Core i3-7350K has only 2 physical cores and has a clock frequency of 4.2 GHz. The calculation 4 (cores) ⋅ 3.6 GHz = 14.4 GHz does not work: In our test, the i5-4570S is significantly worse and less powerful than the i3-7350K. Nevertheless, you should always buy CPUs that have at least 2 cores or more. Whether you buy a CPU with many cores or a high clock rate depends on the later use.
- By the way, you can only compare processors from the same manufacturer and the same type. An older CPU with eight cores can therefore also be worse than a new CPU with four cores from another manufacturer.
In the next practical tip, we will show you how to convert binary and hexadecimal numbers.