Does multi threading an i7 help with gaming?

[cythx]

I know some games use 3 cores, I haven't heard of any that use 4. So do any games benefit from multi threading? If some do, is it rare? I'm going to turn it off if the majority of gaming I do won't benefit from it.

 

[13withinfinity]

I know some games use 3 cores, I haven't heard of any that use 4. So do any games benefit from multi threading? If some do, is it rare? I'm going to turn it off if the majority of gaming I do won't benefit from it.

Wouldn't... that defeat the purpose of owning an i7..?

 

[warmon6]

I know some games use 3 cores, I haven't heard of any that use 4. So do any games benefit from multi threading? If some do, is it rare? I'm going to turn it off if the majority of gaming I do won't benefit from it.

Most games (post 2005) are made to use only dual cores. There only a handful of them the can use 4+ threads (FSX and Assassin Creed 2 for example).

Are they rare? ATM they are. Although that will sooner or later, that will change. It's only a matter of time.

Wouldn't... that defeat the purpose of owning an i7..?

Hmm.... Not really. The primary reason why someone would have a core i7 is for rendering, video editing, ect. If you just gaming, a core i5 750 will perform just the same and it a lot cheaper.

 

[mindless728]

BF:BC2 my quad hits 85% usage

 

[Kewlx25]

hyper-threading, not multi-threading.

multi-threaded games currently usually can only take advantage of 2-4 hardware threads. For the most part, a 4 core hyper-threaded CPU isn't going to help much, but the actual penalty for HT is typically slim to none and more likely to benefit than not.

 

[warmon6]

hyper-threading, not multi-threading.

multi-threaded games currently usually can only take advantage of 2-4 hardware threads. For the most part, a 4 core hyper-threaded CPU isn't going to help much, but the actual penalty for HT is typically slim to none and more likely to benefit than not.

Hyper threading is multi threading. Just a different version of it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simultaneous_multithreading

 

[Kewlx25]

multi-threading: independent execution units

hyper-threading: semi-shared resources which typically causes an overall improvement by better utilization of un-used units under heavy loads.

 

[Haserath]

I know some games use 3 cores, I haven't heard of any that use 4. So do any games benefit from multi threading? If some do, is it rare? I'm going to turn it off if the majority of gaming I do won't benefit from it.

I don't know of any game that uses more then 4 threads. Many RTS games use 4 cores but i think that is the max so far. You could turn Hyperthreading off for now then later when games use more threads you could turn it back on.

 

[Kewlx25]

but really, turning off HT to gain 2%-3% performance *sometimes* and lose up to 50%+ performance... just not worth even messing with it.