What % of the CPU is used in gaming?

[CPUarchitect]

Average CPU usage doesn't tell the whole story. You could have an application which uses only 40% of a quad-core on average, but which is notably slower on a dual-core with the same micro-architecture...

That's because the CPU usage can vary a lot, even from one millisecond to the next. In fact each (virtual) core is either running a thread or not running a thread: 100% or 0%. It's only because this activity is averaged over time and between cores that you get other percentages.

So upgrading can be worthwhile even if the CPU appears underutilized. It's like a car engine: You're not constantly flooring it, but it's good to have the extra horsepower for short periods of time. It makes things smoother and more responsive.

 

[know of fence]

That's because the CPU usage can vary a lot, even from one millisecond to the next. In fact each (virtual) core is either running a thread or not running a thread: 100% or 0%. It's only because this activity is averaged over time and between cores that you get other percentages.

Disregarding "Turbo Boost" for now, does this mean that a CPU will always run at the highest frequency available during a game, and never throttle the clock down even if it is averaging 20% use, if so than OC would be over-kill (rare or no benefit but full noise and heat), it would be like driving a car in third gear: ready to burn rubber, but the motor sure does howl.

I ask because constantly low CPU-usage from video playback with SpeedStep or Cool'n'Quiet activated will still put the processor in about half the CPU clock, without intermittently going back and forth too much. Hence modern features like these must have some form of usage prediction built in, to smartly average out the ups and downs.

Has anyone noticed the CPU clock changing during games by any chance. The task manager can't show this obviously.

 

[RavenSEAL]

My 1090T chills @ 60-70% on all cores when playing BF3 on Semi Ultra/2xAA.

That's about all I've bothered to pay attention to as far as CPU usage goes in gaming.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Heros of Might and Magic 6 (a turn based strategy) will use about 70-80% of my six core 4.03GHz PhII. That's the closest to 100% I've seen on my system.

 

[CPUarchitect]

Disregarding "Turbo Boost" for now, does this mean that a CPU will always run at the highest frequency available during a game, and never throttle the clock down even if it is averaging 20% use, if so than OC would be over-kill (rare or no benefit but full noise and heat), it would be like driving a car in third gear: ready to burn rubber, but the motor sure does howl.

Running at full frequency doesn't mean full heat production. When the operating system has nothing else ready to run, it schedules an 'idle' thread. It contains instructions specifically intended to minimize transistor switching activity. A transistor which doesn't switch only consumes some leakage power. Distributing the clock signal still takes considerable power though, due to the constant switching and large capacitance. Anyway, running the idle thread still produces much less heat than performing actual calculations and memory operations.

And indeed after a while (which is only milliseconds) the core can be downclocked or enter various power states.

 

[soccerballtux]

Get SSD omsteod up quad cpoore n I kneo you cn opay 1080p



I would say............................

Games take anywhere up to 70 perfent or soo on a quad core...... use fraps an you will see how fast it is..

hahahahaa

 

[know of fence]

Running at full frequency doesn't mean full heat production. When the operating system has nothing else ready to run, it schedules an 'idle' thread. It contains instructions specifically intended to minimize transistor switching activity. A transistor which doesn't switch only consumes some leakage power. Distributing the clock signal still takes considerable power though, due to the constant switching and large capacitance. Anyway, running the idle thread still produces much less heat than performing actual calculations and memory operations.

Thank you for that correction, not full heat then, still at full clock and voltage, we are at about two thirds of maximum power consumed, while the idle or close to idle P-state would be about one third. Numbers loosely based on 1-threaded consumption which some sites measure.