three things you should know

The processor is the brain of any PC, and it is undoubtedly one of its most important components, since it is responsible for performing all general tasks starting from a multi-purpose approachwhich means that without it none of the other components that make up a computer could function.

When you open a folder, the processor is the one that takes care of. perform the mathematical operations necessary to complete that commandand sends the result that the graphics card needs to reflect the change on the monitor.

If you run a game, the processor takes care of all the basic tasks necessary for it to load all the logic, instructions and other elements of it, and transmits to the graphics card the information it needs to carry out its work, establishing a dependency relationship that explains why the performance of a graphics card can be seriously affected, for better or worse, by the power of the processor.

Over time, processors have maintained their basic function, although there has been an important evolution that has allowed us to achieve very important advances which, in the end, have not only translated into higher performance, but have also greatly improved the versatility and efficiency of these chips when dealing with different workloads.

We can say that, in essence, a current processor works in the same way as one from the 1980s, but it is also correct to say that it copes with the workloads in a very different way. It is a very interesting topic that even today still generates some doubts, and that is why we have decided to give shape to this guide, in which we are going to tell you three things you should know about how a current processor works.

1.-Processor and favorite cores.

One of the most important leaps forward in the processor industry was the development of multicore chips. This marked the end of the GHz race, and ushered in the era of multithreaded processingalthough in this regard it should be noted that Intel was ahead of more single-core processors with its HyperThreading technology, which allowed a core to work with both a process and a thread.

AMD Athlon X2 and Pentium D processors were the first to implement dual-core configurations, and today we can find in the general consumer market processors configured with up to 24 cores and 32 threads. When we talk about cores we are referring to physical units that can handle a processwhile threads refer to the combined total of processes and threads that a processor can handle.

A multicore processor has a given number of cores, but not all of its cores are equal. This reality gives rise to what we know as favorite cores, which are those that are slightly better than the others.and that can offer superior performance. These cores are usually the ones that reach a higher working speed without stability problems, and their correct utilization is key for a processor to develop its full potential.

For all the above reasons, it is necessary for the operating system to be able to. identify those favorite kernelsIf you do not do so, you will be wasting the most important resource that the CPU has. A correct use of the favorite cores can make a significant difference in performance. especially in tasks running on two or four threads.

2.-Dynamic adaptation to the workload.

Another very interesting evolution that has been experienced in the world of processors has been the dynamic adaptation of these to each workload, and in the broadest sense of the word. Let us take as an example the Intel Core i9-13900K, which is a processor that has two different core blocks, one high-performance and one high-efficiency.

High-efficiency cores are designed to offer good performance with reduced power consumption, while high-performance cores offer maximum power but with higher power consumption. Well, the former are used in specific workloads that do not require as much power.and also in those that have been in the backgroundwhile high-performance cores are used for demanding tasks that do require a high level of performance, which are running in the foreground.

It is also important to note that not all workloads need the same number of cores and threads.and they are not distributed in the same way either. So, for example, a basic task that could be assigned to only two cores, while when running a game it is normal for it to parallelize on all processor cores, but if we have a processor with eight cores or more it will only really saturate two or four cores, and leave the rest with a load level of less than 30%.

What I have explained to you above brings us to the concept of active cores, which in the end determine the actual processor load. A processor can work at 10% of its capacity, 50% or 100% depending on the use we are making of the equipment because, in the end, is designed to adapt to each task we are performing.

The same applies to the working frequencies, which will be higher or lower depending on the demands of each task, and will also depend on the workload, processor temperature and consumption. Most of today’s processors have a base operating speed and a maximum operating speedwhich is the speed they can reach when the turbo mode is triggered.

However, the maximum frequencies depend on the number of active cores and threads. When we only have one or two active cores is when the maximum peak speed is registered, as long as the working temperatures and power supply allow it, and this maximum peak is reduced as the processor cores and threads are saturated, that is, as the processor usage increases, until it stabilizes at a specific level. Therefore, when you see that a processor can work at a maximum of 5.7 GHz, for example, be clear that this speed is only possible with one active core, or in some cases with two active cores.

3.-Consumption and operating temperatures.

We have already seen that a processor has a number of favorite cores, which are the ones that offer the highest performance, and also that is capable of adapting to each particular task depending on the number of cores you need, and tuning the working speed to maximize performance wherever possible.

All of that has a major impact on two big keys of any processor, power consumption and operating temperatures. It is very easy to understand, a processor working at only 10% or 15% load will have much lower power consumption and operating temperatures than one working at 80% or 100% load.

Therefore, you should not rely on the base power consumption listed by Intel and AMD in their processors, since in the end the real values will be much higher, and the cooling solutions that we will need will also have to be more powerful. Let’s go with a concrete example, and we return to the Core i9-13900K, a processor that, according to Intel, has a TDP of 125 watts, but in its PL2 mode, that is, under a more realistic use and with turbo mode enabled, it shoots up to 251 watts.

As we can see, the difference is huge, and this implies that the operating temperatures and cooling requirements will also be much higher. In my tests, this processor reached a peak of 98 degrees with a workload of 100%, while in games, with a workload that did not usually exceed 30%, it recorded. averages of 73 degrees. If we talk about consumption we have a similar story, as the Intel Core i9-13900K consumes 165 watts in games, 52 watts in Cinebench R23 working in single-thread and reaches 309 watts in the multithreaded test.

Those huge variations are a consequence of what I have told you, how the processor adapts in real time to each workload to offer the maximum possible performance. I have given Intel as an example, but the same is true for AMD. The Ryzen 9 7950X has an average power consumption on the Windows 11 desktop of 34 watts, figure which rises to a average of 122 watts in gamesand that shoots up to 225 watts in the Cinebench R23 multithreaded test. Temperatures also fluctuate as power consumption increases, going from 68 degrees in gaming to 95 degrees under full load.

You should be clear from everything we have told you at this point that the consumption value that matters in a processor is not the PL1, and neither is the base TDP, but the maximum value when turbo mode comes into play, which is usually identified as PL2 in the case of Intel or PPT in the case of AMD. The difference between one and the other can be as much as double, or maybe even more, and this can play a trick on you if you have a very limited power supply or a cooling system that is too tight on performance.

If you have doubts about the maximum consumption of a processor. ask before you buy and be well informedbecause if you don’t you could end up with an unpleasant surprise. I speak with knowledge of cause, since I have come across more than one case in which I have been asked for help with a new PC that was giving stability problems, and in the end it turned out that the power supply was not enough for that configuration because they did not take into account the high consumption of the processor.

As a reference, and so that you have a rough idea to serve as a starting point, as a general rule if we are going to mount a high-end processor is advisable to accompany it with a power supply. that exceeds the minimum recommended value for the graphics card by 100 watts..

For example, if we plan to buy a GeForce RTX 4080 and pair it with a Core i9-13900K, the ideal would not be a 750 watt power supply, but an 800 watt power supply.because the actual power consumption of the equipment will be around 710 watts under load, but it will have higher peaks and could increase if peripherals, network cards or RGB LED lighting systems are connected.

Continuing with the previous example, if we change the Intel Core i9-13900K by a Ryzen 5 7600X. the consumption would be reduced to about 610 watts, and in this case we would have enough with the 750 watts power supply, in fact we could mount a 700 watts one without any problem. The difference in consumption that we have achieved only with the change of processor is very large, as we can see.