Ask an Engineer - CPU - More Cores or More Clock Speed?

Every month we answer your tech questions in “Ask an Engineer.” If you have a question you’d like answered, write us at bergeronl@alliancetechnologies.net. If your question is selected you’ll be answered in our newsletter!

Which is better in a CPU, more processor cores or a faster clock speed?

Many of our clients wonder about this question, so I’m glad you asked. There is no simple answer. Currently, most software is not written to utilize processors with multiple cores, so clock speed matters more: the higher the better. However, the more sophisticated operating systems will move single-threaded software to lower utilized cores in order to improve multitasking. Future-proofing is also an issue – more and more software is being written to support multiple cores.

So, if you use your computer for only a few applications at a time, a dual core processor with a high clock speed is probably best. However, if you’re a committed multi-tasker who runs many programs all at once, a four core processor would be a better solution for you. Beyond that, if you’re buying a machine you’d like to be as future-proofed as possible, buy as many cores and the highest clock speed you can afford.