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Setting: Multicore-CPU is running an application which is only using one thread.

Assumption: In regards to clockspeed, 2-Core and 4-Core would need the same time to run and both would have the same TDP. (Same Generation and same manufacturer)

Would the Quadcore

  1. "produce" less heat?
  2. Cooling be more efficient?
Example 1: CPU usage per core with a quadcore (exemplary): 
core:    c0 |  c1 |  c2 |  c3
cycle0: 100%    0%    0%    0%
cycle1:   0%  100%    0%    0%
cycle2:   0%    0%  100%    0%
cycle3:   0%    0%    0%  100%
cycle4: 100%    0%    0%    0%
cycle5:   0%  100%    0%    0%
cycle6:   0%    0%  100%    0%
cycle7:   0%    0%    0%  100%

Example 2: CPU usage per core with a dualcore (exemplary): 
core:    c0 |  c1 
cycle0: 100%    0% 
cycle1:   0%  100% 
cycle2: 100%    0% 
cycle3:   0%  100% 
cycle4: 100%    0% 
cycle5:   0%  100% 
cycle6: 100%    0% 
cycle7:   0%  100%

My thought: Quadcore would have more unused "surface area" which would still be cooled.

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  • If we are talking about the same generation of Intel/AMD processor the chances are the processor itself is actually the same size. Which means the thermals will be nearly identical. Are you actually having a thermal problem?
    – Ramhound
    Jul 3, 2020 at 13:55
  • Mainly to satisfy my curiosity. Question is inspired because I'm advising a friend who wants to buy a notebook. Question is if 6 cores are enough or better chose 8-Core. (ryzen 4500u or 4700u). Ofc running multiple applications in parallel is more relevant. But I was woundering what difference would it make if a demanding application would only use one thread. Benchmarks* say maybe +4%, but nothing about temperature/cooling (*=notebookcheck.net/…)
    – Chris F
    Jul 3, 2020 at 14:03
  • Devices are designed to adequately cool the processor. Unless you are comparing the exact same laptop, where the only difference is the processor, you cannot really compare their thermals. This is the reason benchmarks typically are only done on desktops, where a processor can be switched out, so everything else is identical.
    – Ramhound
    Jul 3, 2020 at 14:09

1 Answer 1

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Usually processors from the same manufacturer and generation are from the same silicon.

Depending on the number of processor cores that are working properly they will sell it as a 4 core, 6 core or 8 core CPU.

According to your example above, the 2 core processor would be a 4 core processor with 2 cores unfunctional or disabled. Therefore the 2 cores are covering the same surface area under the heatspreader as 2 cores would under the heatspreader of the 4 core cpu.

Spreading the load on 4 cores could therefore theoretically lead to a more even spread of heat over the heatspreader although I'm not sure how big this effect would be.

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