You may have heard the term CPU (Central Processing Unit) or processor, which is the main component responsible for carrying out program instructions on the computer. The CPU has multiple cores or cores, that is, independent processing units that can work in parallel to execute various tasks. The more cores a CPU has, the more tasks it can execute simultaneously, thus improving computer performance.
However, is it true that a greater number of cores always means better performance? What if we compare two quad-core CPUs with one eight-core CPU on the same motherboard? Which is faster and why?
This article will answer these questions by providing detailed explanations and relevant examples.
What are Quad-Core CPUs and Eight-Core CPUs?
Before we discuss the comparison between two quad-core CPUs and one eight-core CPU, we need to understand what quad-core CPUs and eight-core CPUs are first. A quad-core CPU is a CPU that has four cores, while an eight-core CPU is a CPU that has eight cores. A core is an independent processing unit that can execute program instructions in parallel.
Cores also have a frequency or clock speed, which is the number of cycles that a core can perform in one second. Clock frequency is usually measured in units of GHz (gigahertz) or MHz (megahertz).
An example of a quad-core CPU is the Intel Core i7-7700K, which has four cores with a clock frequency of 4.2 GHz. An example of an eight-core CPU is the AMD Ryzen 7 1800X, which has eight cores with a clock frequency of 3.6 GHz. Both of these CPUs use the same socket, which is LGA 1151, which means they can be installed on the same motherboard.
Factors Affecting CPU Performance
To compare performance between two quad-core CPUs and one eight-core CPU, we need to know what factors affect CPU performance. In addition to the number of cores and clock frequency, several other factors also play a role, such as:
- Cache: Cache is memory integrated with the CPU, which serves to store data and instructions that are often used by the core. Cache has a smaller capacity than main memory (RAM), but has a higher speed. Caches are usually divided into several levels, namely L1, L2, and L3. The higher the cache level, the greater the capacity, but the lower the speed. Caching can improve CPU performance by reducing access time to main memory.
- Hyper-Threading: Hyper-Threading is a technology that allows one core to run two threads or execution pipelines simultaneously. A thread is a part of a program that can run in parallel with another thread. With Hyper-Threading, the CPU can increase the number of threads that can be run simultaneously, thereby improving CPU performance. However, Hyper-Threading does not mean that cores can do twice as much work, because cores still have to share resources, such as cache and bus. Hyper-Threading is also ineffective for applications that require a lot of arithmetic computation because cores cannot share arithmetic units with other threads.
- Turbo Boost: Turbo Boost is a technology that allows the CPU to increase the core clock frequency automatically when the CPU is under high load. Turbo Boost can improve CPU performance by providing higher speeds for cores that require more power. However, Turbo Boost also has limitations, such as temperature, power, and current. If any of these limits are reached, Turbo Boost lowers the core’s clock frequency to maintain CPU stability and efficiency.