To get the most out of your gaming desktop PC or gaming laptop, it's important to make sure your CPU is up to the challenge.

While CPUs are durable and can last for years if properly cared for, PC technology is constantly evolving. New gaming CPUs use faster clock speeds, larger cache sizes, and higher thread counts, allowing for improved performance when paired with compatible modern hardware.

 

Gaming is one area that benefits from this evolution. The CPU substantially impacts many aspects of the latest games, after all.

Ultimately, finding the best gaming processor for your PC depends on what you hope to get out of your gaming experience and how you use the system. And on that subject, one of the most important debates is the question of how core clock vs boost clock affects performance.

 

 

 

What is a processor core? And what is a thread?

Before we get down to business, it's important to define what a core is and what a thread is. Because we hear these technical jargon very often, but sometimes we don't really know what the difference is or why we should care.

 

On the one hand, when we talk about a processor core, we're referring to the integrated chip that has the ability to perform the mathematical operations to process data. It's a physical unit with a visual presence in the CPU, and when a processor has several cores (multicore), it can perform several tasks in parallel. In theory, each core could only be responsible for executing one task at a time. This is where the concept of thread comes into play.

 

When we talk about threads, we're referring to the ability of a core to divide its processing power into several parts, which allows multiple tasks to be executed simultaneously. This is what's known as multithreading, a way of executing tasks that allows a core to divide its available execution time between several tasks. Threads are virtual, meaning they don't physically exist inside the CPU.

 

To make it easier for you to understand, let's take this information to the gaming world. For example, "Assassin's Creed: Odyssey" can split the workload between different cores and threads, making one core process the game's physics (such as character movements), while another core handles enemy AI. At the same time, each core can have multiple threads that can divide these tasks into smaller subprocesses. This way of processing data provides smoother and faster overall performance.

 

How many cores are used for gaming?

Now that we've covered the basic definitions of cores and threads, let's get down to business. It's time to talk about games. As a good PC gamer, I know how important it is for a game to run smoothly. This is not possible if you don't have a good processor, especially when we're talking about next-gen games.

 

Currently, the most graphically demanding games on the market, such as Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Horizon 5 or Red Dead Redemption 2, require multi-core processors. Even in their minimum configurations, processors with at least 2 or 4 cores and threads are recommended. When we talk about higher resolutions, the number of threads and cores shoots up, reaching 8 cores and 16 threads.

 

But if we take a look at games with lower graphic quality, such as Fortnite or League of Legends, we’ll see that it’s also necessary to have a CPU with several cores and threads if we want to have a fluid and lag-free gaming experience. This is because these games, although not as graphically demanding, require high processor performance to handle many elements on the screen, large game areas or multiple players online.

 

In short, current games, even in games like Minecraft, use multiple processor cores and threads to provide an optimal gaming experience. This includes not only graphics processing, which is normally handled by the graphics card, but also game physics, AI, sound, and input/output command management, among others. This is a vital point to remember when discussing the matter of core count vs clock speed.

 

 

 

How many cores should a gaming PC have?

Given what we've seen, it's easy to answer this question. A gaming PC needs at least a multi-core processor, at least 2. However, the general recommendation for an optimal gaming experience is a 4-core, 8-thread processor. But a processor doesn't live on cores alone.

 

Do I need an 8-core, 16-thread processor?

Your head may invite you to opt for an all-round processor with the highest number of cores and threads possible, usually 8/16. But is it really necessary? Well, as always, it depends. You've already seen that many games require 8-core, 16-thread processors, especially if you aspire to play at maximum-demanding resolutions such as 4K.

However, if you're only going to play at 1080p or 1440p, a 4-core, 8-thread processor will be more than enough in most cases. Remember that to be able to play in 4K you will need not only a powerful processor, but also a high-end graphics card and a monitor that supports that resolution.

 

But there are more assumptions. Imagine that while you play, you are going to do other tasks such as streaming or recording your gameplay. In that case, a processor with more cores and threads is mandatory, since otherwise, it will be difficult to maintain a good gaming experience. If you are going to use the PC for other tasks that demand high performance, such as video editing, 3D modeling or AI work, then an 8-core and 16-thread processor would be good for you.

Before buying any processor, take a look at all this and check what the recommended requirements are for the games you want to play or programs you are going to use. And never forget to consider the matter of CPU clock speed vs cores.

 

What is clock speed?

The clock speed or CPU clock speed of a device indicates how many processing cycles per second a CPU can execute taking into account all of its processing units (commonly called cores). Clock speed, also known as processor speed or CPU speed, is measured in gigahertz (GHz), where each gigahertz is equivalent to no less than one billion cycles per second. CPU speed was originally indicated in hertz (Hz) and kilohertz (kHz), but the development of technology has surpassed these units.

 

In simple terms, CPU core speed indicates how quickly data can be processed and is one of the key performance indicators of an electronic device, be it a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, smartwatch... Basically, any device that runs on an integrated circuit.

 

When we talk about CPU core clock, the rule of less is more does not apply, so it is better to look for more GHz and a higher number of cores. Although it is not the only determining factor of an electronic device's performance, a higher core clock performance is crucial if you want to run demanding tasks such as gaming or video editing. In terms of the number of cores, an integrated circuit with multiple processing units has the advantage of being able to perform several tasks (also called instructions) at the same time.

 

 

 

 

Today an integrated circuit can contain cores with different speeds thanks to ARM's big.LITTLE technology; the advantage is that tasks are assigned to different cores depending on how demanding they are, thus optimizing system usage and avoiding overheating.

For example, sending emails does not require much processing power, so instead of assigning this task to the high-speed core, the system will delegate these instructions to cores that produce less heat than the units with the highest speeds. In addition, even a single-core integrated circuit can operate at different clock speeds: namely "base" and "turbo"

 

Which one is better for gaming? Clock speed vs number of cores?

Generally speaking, on the issue of GPU core clock vs boost clock, the higher the clock speed per core, the better. When choosing a new CPU, look for the highest clock speeds possible within your budget and make sure you have the cores and threads needed for your workloads.