What would you need a 12 core processor For? Computer processors have made some astounding evolutionary leaps lately. Today, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to enhancing the quality and functionality of their PCs. There are wide ranges of CPUs available on the market. There are CPUs out there with 10 to 12 cores, and there are CPUs out there that go up to 5Ghz. There are even processors on the market that have high end graphics processors built into them.
If you are asking yourself, ‘How many CPU cores do I need?’ or ‘What would you need a 12 core processor for?’, then you are right where you need to be. We understand that it can be a bit confusing if you aren’t too familiar with all the terminology and what a CPU core actually does.
When it comes down to it, the average person does not need a 12 core processor (yet). If you are a gamer, video editor, or simply someone who demands the highest performance possible from their PC, then a 12 core processor would be great for you. But don’t expect everything that you do to be able to take advantage of all those threads.
What Is A CPU Core?
A CPU core is the main math-processing section of a CPU. A CPU core is responsible for crunching the numbers that makes everything in a computer work. A CPU core is a sub-section of an overall processor, so there are some differences in the terminologies that are worth pointing out.
In the early days of computers, each CPU had a single core. This allowed the CPU to work on one task at a time. As technology has improved, more and more cores have been added to processors. Each of these cores can focus on its own task.
So, if you have a 12 core processor, then that processor can work on 12 tasks at the same time. The more cores that you have, the better that your PC will be able to accomplish what you ask of it.
How Many CPU Cores Do You Need?
The number of cores that you need depends on how you use your PC. Most users will be fine with choosing a processor that has between 4 and 8 cores. This provides enough processing power to carry out office tasks, internet browsing, light gaming, and simple video editing.
Power users will want a CPU with closer to 8 or more cores to keep up with their performance demands. Experts recommend that video editors, gamers, engineers, and data analysts choose processors with at least 8 cores.
Ultimately, the more cores you have, the better your PC will perform. So you may want to purchase a processor with even more than 6 cores if you want to maximize your performance. Additionally, buying extra cores now is a great way to future-proof your system.
Do I Need 12 Cores For Gaming?
No, 12 cores is a bit of overkill for the demands of current-gen games. Buy a processor with 8 cores, and you’ll be able to play virtually any title that you want on high settings so long as you have the right graphics card.
Processors with less than 8 cores can still play many games. They may just need to do so with lowered graphics settings in some cases. Additionally, anything below 8 cores would likely need to be replaced soon if you want to be able to continue playing the latest gaming releases.
However, if you do decide to purchase a 12 core processor, then you’ll be well-prepared for the future. You won’t have to worry about upgrading again for quite some time.
Do Any Games Use 8 Cores?
Yes, there are many games that are built to run on an 8 core processor. Some of the most popular gaming development engines use 8 cores out of the box. This is a list that includes:
- Unreal Engine 4
- Frostbite 3
- CryEngine 3
- Nitrous Engine (Civilization game engine)
Any game that’s made with one of these engines will be optimized to run on an 8 core processor. But that doesn’t mean you need an 8 core process to play the game.
Instead, it just means that you’ll get the best performance if your processor has at least 8 cores in it. But if it doesn’t, don’t worry. There aren’t any games in existence right now that you need to have 8 cores to play.
Is 2 Cores Enough For Gaming?
Generally speaking, no, 2 cores isn’t enough for gaming nowadays. You can play some non-demanding games with a dual-core setup. Titles like Minecraft and Fortnite should work for you. But they won’t run very well.
This is because dual-core processors tend to bottleneck a system’s graphics card. Thankfully, quad-core processors are very inexpensive now. There’s really no need to go with a dual-core processor today if you’re buying a new machine.
But if you want to get the most out of your gaming sessions, then shoot for a processor that has at least 6 cores that have SMT (2 threads per core) or an 8-core non-hyperthreaded processor (which is pretty rare). This number of cores will allow you to play pretty much anything that you want with solid performance.
What’s More Important Cores Or GHz?
Both cores and clock speed (GHz) are essential to your PC’s performance. It’s impossible to call one better than the other because each does something equally important.
Cores allow your computer to work on multiple tasks at the same time. So if you have more cores, then your PC will be able to work with more applications.
But clock speed determines how quickly those applications run. So if you have a high clock speed, then the applications that your cores allow you to use will run very quickly. You shouldn’t prioritize one of these things over the other. Lean too heavily in either direction and your system’s performance will suffer.
For example, if you have a lot of cores but little GHz, you will be able to run many applications but not very quickly. Conversely, if you have a lot of GHz but few cores, you will be able to run applications quickly but only a few at a time.
Is Dual-core Good In 2021?
No, dual-core processors should be avoided in 2021 and beyond. That’s because there are simply better options available at very low prices.
Dual-core processors are an especially poor fit for gaming. They shouldn’t be used because they limit the performance of modern graphics cards. If money is tight, try saving up a bit more and investing in either an Intel Core i5 or an AMD Ryzen 3 processor. Each will allow you to play the games that you want without suffering from limited graphics.
How Many CPU Cores Do I Have?
If you’re not sure how many CPU cores you have, finding out is easy enough. To do so on a Windows PC, you need to open up your task manager. You can do that by searching for it on the bar at the bottom of your screen. Or, you can press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
Once you’ve done that, select the performance tab. This will display the number of cores and logical processors that your PC has.
Related Questions
Which Is better Cores Or Threads?
Each of these is valuable. Cores increase the amount of work that you’re able to get done at a time. Threads are a virtual component that manages the tasks you do to make them more efficient.
How Many Cores Can A CPU Have?
Technology is constantly pushing the limits of how many cores can be present in a single CPU. Currently, the maximum number of cores that a CPU can have is 64. The lowest number is two. But the vast majority of commercially available CPUs have between four and eight cores.
Conclusion
The short answer is: You don’t. The average person does not need a 12 core processor just yet, but that will certainly change soon. If you are a gamer, video editor, or PC enthusiast, then a 12 core processor would be great for you. And while you may not be able to fully take advantage of all those threads today, it will certainly provide your machine with some level of future-proofing.
We hope this article helped you pick the best processor for your needs. Thank you for reading!