Are Hyperthreaded Cores Seen Differently?

[ashiataka]

In Intel's implementation I thought that the purpose of hyperthreading was that if you have a processor with x cores the OS would see the processor as having 2x cores. But it's clear from the community, and whilst watching WTask Manager whilst playing games, that only x cores are utilized at a time.

So I'm just wondering if the hyperthreaded cores are somehow seen differently, and if so why games choose to ignore them.

I remember having to go into the config settings of GRID and manually add additional cores to get it to use them. Is it possible to do that with other games?

Thank you.

 

[rds1220]

Hyperthreaded "cores" are seen as virtual cores not real cores. So a computer with Windows 7 and I3 Windows will see it as two real cores and two virtual cores.

 

[FALC0N]

The idea is to allow the core to work on a second thread when it's primary workload has stalled. If the main workload keeps the core busy, it makes sense that there would be little activity on the hyperthreaded "virtual core".

 

[ashiataka]

Okay, I thought the OS saw them as equal cores. Thank you .

 

[ashiataka]

Best answer selected by ashiataka.

 

[FALC0N]

Okay, I thought the OS saw them as equal cores. Thank you .

Your welcome.

Windows 2000 and earlier did see them equally. And it wasn't a good thing. Every OS since is hyper threading aware.