Hi all! Sometimes a game or program does not work at full capacity, because. Not all cores are responsible for performance. In this article, we'll see how to use all the cores of your processor.
But don't expect a magic wand. if the game or program does not support multi-core, then there is nothing to be done, unless the application is rewritten.
How to run all cpu cores?
So, there will be several ways. By this I show the first.
Go to start - run or keys win + r
Choose your maximum number of processors.
- We go to the task manager - ctrl + shift + esc.
- Or ctrl+alt+del and task manager.
- Or click right click in the control panel and select task manager.
Go to the processes tab. Find the game and right-click on the process. By the way, the game should be running. You can collapse it either Win + D or alt + tab.
Choose to match.
Select all and press ok.
To see if all the cores are working or not, then in the task manager we go to the performance tab.
In all tabs there will be a diagram.
If not, then click again to set the correspondence, leaving only CPU 0, click ok. We close the task manager, open it again, repeat the same thing, select all the processors and press ok.
In laptops, power saving is sometimes configured in such a way that the settings do not allow using all the cores.
- Win7 - Go to the control panel, go to power - Change plan settings - change Extra options Power - Processor power management - Minimum processor state.
- Win8, 10 - Or: Settings - System - Power and sleep - Advanced power settings - Set power plan - Change advanced power settings - Processor power management - Minimum processor state
For full use, it must be 100%.
How to check how many cores are running?
We start and see the number of active cores.
Do not confuse this parameter with the number of virtual processors, which are displayed to the right.
What affects the number of processor cores?
Many people confuse the concept of the number of cores and the frequency of the processor. If we compare this with a person, then the brain is a processor, neurons are nuclei. Cores do not work in all games and applications. If, for example, 2 processes are running in the game, one draws the forest, and the other city and the game is multi-core, then only 2 cores are needed to load this picture. And if there are more processes in the game, then all the cores are involved.
And it may be the other way around, a game or application can be written in such a way that only one core can perform one action, and in this situation the processor with the higher frequency and the most well-combined architecture will win (this is usually why).
Despite the fact that in the store the buyer can see the characteristics of the purchased product, in practice there are cases when dishonest sellers deceive gullible users. One of these frauds is the indication of the wrong quantity. Thus, you can greatly inflate the price and sell outdated goods at a higher cost. To avoid such a deception, you need to understand how to find out how many cores are on a laptop.
Without software
Many modern laptops are sold without a pre-installed operating system. So programmatically checking the necessary information will not work. How to find out how many cores are on a laptop in this situation?
- First, these are mini stickers. Any official manufacturer computer technology glues the laptop with special stickers that confirm the licensing of the equipment (few people know, but without them, even a broken PC may not be taken to the service). Check out this sticker. For example, an "Intel Inside CORE I5" sticker would indicate a quad-core processor.
- sticker with technical specifications. Another "external sign". Similar to the previous case, the manufacturer puts a sticker on the laptop, which will indicate the RAM, HDD, video card and specific processor model.
- Another way to find out how many cores are on a laptop without turning it on is to ask the seller for technical documentation on specific model. Everything will be listed there. In conscientious stores you will not be denied.
Windows
In work
Another way to find out how many cores are on a laptop also uses the built-in Windows tools. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and launch Task Manager. You can also do this by right-clicking on the bottom panel (with the "Start" button).
After that, go to the "Performance" tab. You will see a screen with a download schedule random access memory, and at the top of the window you can see several graphs with processor load. Each of them corresponds to a separate core. Actually, this will also answer the question: "How to find out how many cores a laptop has?" Even in a state of complete inactivity, each graph should show at least one percent load.
Until relatively recently, computer users were not even aware of the existence of multi-core processors. To date, their popularity has greatly increased and they are actively distributed in the market. What does multi-core processor how to find out the number of processor cores and what is a core?
Processor and core
A multi-core processor is, as can be understood from the definition, a central processing unit that contains more than one core within a single processor chip. The core is a silicon crystal with logical elements and performs the functions of a central computing device. The core is connected to the rest of the microcircuit by contacts and is protected by a metal plate.
The need for multi-core arose due to the requirements for its greater computing power. , working in parallel, give high performance, since two streams of information are processed simultaneously.
In order to find out the number of processor cores on Windows 7, 8 and 10, through the menu Start need to log in A computer and press tab Properties. Find in the pop-up window. After that, you can copy the name into the search engine string and find its description with technical specifications.
You can also open a window called Task Manager, this is done by pressing three keys alt, ctrl, Delete simultaneously. Finding a tab Performance, which shows the graphs of loading the chip. The number of graphs is the same as the number of cores.
You can also use a program that provides information about the processor. This will allow you to determine the number of cores in the most accurate way. There are a lot of such utilities, one of them is CPU-Z. It is small and provides comprehensive information. You can download CPU-Z for free on the official website.
Speed and efficiency of data processing have always been the main requirements when buying a computer. These parameters depend not only on the processor, but also on the number of cores in it. Many users do not know where to view this information, and there are several ways to do this. For different versions Windows operating system in some cases, this is done differently.
Information about the number of processor cores using Windows tools. Control Panel
The most common way is to find all the necessary information by the name of the processor itself. You can find the model name in the control panel:
- From the Start menu, go to Control Panel.
- We need the "System and Security" section.
- Next, select the "System" subsection.
- A window with basic information about the computer opens, where the name of the processor is indicated.
On the official website of the developer, you can find full specifications this model, among them you will see the number of cores. This method is suitable for any version of Windows, but in addition to the system itself, you will also have to use the Internet.
Information about the number of processor cores using Windows tools. Task Manager
The very handy Task Manager utility not only helps you manage processes and services, but can also provide information about the processor and its performance.
For Windows 7 and earlier:
- For quick access to the utility, a combination of three keys was invented: "Alt" + "Ctrl" + "Delete". Hold them down at the same time.
- You will see the "Task Manager", go to the "Performance" tab.
- Find out which manufacturer your processor is.
The fact is that for AMD processors, the number of cores will be equal to the number of graphics in "Performance". With Intel, the situation is different due to the possible use of Hyper-threading technology, which visually increases the number of cores. So be careful.
For Windows 8 and above:
- As in earlier versions, the "Task Manager" is called with "Alt" + "Ctrl" + "Delete".
- The "Performance" tab displays the work of the processor.
You followed the specified path, but instead of the number of cores, there is emptiness? It happens, just expand the window.
If you want to see the number of cores in graphs, like in earlier versions, find "Open Resource Monitor" at the bottom.
Information about the number of processor cores using special software
The operating system cannot always accurately show the number of cores. For these reasons, software developers have developed several useful programs to help you see all the details about your system.
CPU-Z is the most popular of free utilities. You can download it on the official website cpuid.com . Russian version can be found, but it's better not to take risks and download from a trusted source.
How to use the program:
- Start CPU-.
- On the very first tab "CPU" at the bottom there is an item "Cores", which indicates the number of cores.
If you think that the installed processor is weak, then you can replace it with a more powerful one. Many users complain about slow work, “freezes” are often observed. The processor just can't do its job. With the help of the above tools, you will not only be able to satisfy your interest, but also make your computer more efficient.
The central processing unit is the most important component of any computer, which performs various calculations for any of running programs. One processor performs sequential processing of data received from a single program into one thread. The speed at which data will be processed by the processor depends on its power, which is measured by an indicator called clock frequency. AT last years growth in processor power due to an increase in clock frequency has slowed down significantly, but another promising direction has appeared - an increase in the number of cores in a processor chip.
Multi-core allows you to divide the processing of data coming from programs optimized for such processors into several independent threads, which significantly speeds up their processing. If an application is not optimized for multi-core processes, then it can run even slower than on a single-core processor with a higher clock speed.
To find out how many cores a computer processor has in operating systems Windows families follow the steps below. 
This method may give an error on processors. by Intel that support Hyper-threading technology (hyperthreading). In such processors, each physical core can divide data processing into two independent threads, causing the operating system to recognize twice the number of cores. That is, a processor that has four physical cores with support for Hyper-threading technology will be displayed as eight cores.
Therefore, you can more accurately determine the number of cores in a computer using special utilities diagnostics. For example, free CPU-Z. Determination of the number of cores by this program is performed as follows. 
There are other ways to determine the number of processor cores. For example, through the Windows Task Manager or Computer BIOS, but in most cases, those that we have described will suffice.
Contrary to popular belief, the number of cores in a laptop processor or desktop computer does not directly affect performance. The more cores in the processor, the more tasks the computer can simultaneously calculate. At the same time, the very speed of solving problems does not depend on the number of cores, but on the frequency of the processor, architecture, and a number of other factors. In order for the calculation of operations performed on the computer to go to several threads using several cores, the executable program must support this, otherwise only one core will be involved, and only its frequency will affect performance.
A computer user can easily find out the number of cores in an installed processor. This can be done in several ways, and below we will consider the main ones.
Find out the number of cores through the "Task Manager"
The easiest way to determine the number of CPU cores on a Windows computer is to use the Task Manager. You can run the utility by pressing the Ctrl+Alt+del key combination on the keyboard and selecting the appropriate item.
After launching the "Task Manager", go to its advanced view mode by clicking on the "Details" button. After that, switch to the "Performance" tab from the top and click on the CPU in the upper left corner.
In the right part of the utility window, information about the use of the processor, as well as some of its characteristics, will be displayed.
Please note: In the operating room Windows system 7 the number of cores in the "Task Manager" can be determined by the number of diagrams for the central processor. How many diagrams - so many cores.
How to find out the number of cores in a computer through the "Device Manager"
Another built-in utility from Microsoft that allows you to determine the number of cores in the computer's central processing unit is Device Manager. To launch it, right-click on "Start" and select the appropriate item from the drop-down menu.
When the utility opens, find the "Processors" section and expand it. Next, the CPU threading will be shown. It is important to note here that the number of threads does not always match the number of cores. The fact is that some processors support hyper-threading technology, in which one core is divided into two threads. That is, if the processor has four cores, the "Task Manager" will show 8 threads, which can be misleading. Because of this this method not suitable for users who are not well aware of the characteristics of the processor and do not understand whether it supports hyper-threading technology.
Programs for determining the number of processor cores
Various diagnostic utilities from third-party developers allow you to find out almost any characteristics of your computer if you wish, including the ability to determine the number of processor cores. There are many free and paid programs with similar functionality. One of the applications that allows you to find out how many cores a computer has is CPU-Z.
You can download the CPU-Z application for free from the official website of the developers. After downloading the application, install it on your computer and run it. On the CPU tab in the lower right corner of the screen, the number of processor cores will be indicated in the "Cores" column.
View the number of processor cores in system information
Another easy way to find out about the number of cores in a processor is to look at this information in system information.
To access System Information, right-click Start and select System. You can also do this through the "Control Panel" by going to the "System" section.
Information about the processor will be displayed in the "Processor" line. To determine the number of cores, you need to read the name, which will contain this information.
Please note that in operating system Windows 10 also provides another utility that displays system information. To call it, you need to enter "System Information" in the search and open the proposed utility. Having opened it, in the “Processor” item, you can see the number of cores and the number of logical processors of the “stone” used in the computer.
The above are only the most common and simple ways, how to find out how many cores a processor has in a computer.
It largely depends on the number of cores that it includes. Therefore, many users are interested in how to find out the number of processor cores. If you are also interested in this question, then this article should help you.
How to find out the number of cores in a processor using Windows
The easiest way to find out the number of cores in a processor is to look at the processor model and then, look on the Internet, it is equipped. To do this, open the "View basic information about your computer" window. This window can be opened in several ways:
- Open the "Start" menu and go to "". After that, open the "System and Security" section, and then the "System" subsection;
- Right-click on the "My Computer" icon and select "Properties".
- Or just press the Win+Break key combination;
After opening this window, pay attention to.
Enter the title given processor in search engine and go to the official website of the manufacturer.
Thus, you will be taken to the page with. Here you need to find information about the number of cores.
If you have Windows 8 or Windows 10, then you can find out the number of processor cores (key combination CTRL-SHIFT-ESC) on the "Performance" tab.
In Windows 7 and older versions of Windows, information about the number of cores is not displayed in the "Task Manager". Instead, it displays a separate load graph for each core. If you have an AMD processor, then the number of such graphs will be equal to the number of cores.
But, if you have an Intel processor, then the number of graphics cannot be trusted, since the processor may use Hyper-threading technology, which doubles the actual number of cores.
How to find out the number of processor cores using special programs
You can also ask for help special programs to view the characteristics of your computer. In this case, the best CPU-Z program. Run this program on your computer and look at the "Cores" value that is displayed at the bottom of the window in the "CPU" tab.
This value corresponds to the number of cores in your processor.
A small and instructive article for those who want to know "how many core" his processor is. Some in the common people may simply call it "How many cores do I have in my computer" or in system unit.
If we are talking about correctness, then the question should sound like this " how many cores are in my cpu"because these very cores are located precisely in the processor, and he, in turn, is on, and she is in the system unit, but in general, everything in the assembly is a computer. Although some omit these concepts and call them as it was written above (in a block or computer). On the one hand, this is also true. But the question " How many cores in windows", because this is an OS, not hardware. Here, if only we are talking about. But I digress a little, so I return to the very topic of the article.
So, you can find out how many cores you have in your computer using the methods of Windows itself.
Can also be opened in a tab Performance(or Quick action) You will see this picture (if you look under Windows 7):
Pay attention to that. what is highlighted. If there are two "squares", then I have two cores. If 4, then 4 cores in the computer.
On Windows 8, this is easier. It's already written there:
You can also open the Device Manager (RMB on to my computer - Properties):
and choose a section Processors:
Here we also look at their number.
Well, now the nuance this method. The fact is that the nuclei have such a characteristic as " threading". I will not go into details. Because the topic is not about it. So. Very often, Windows confuses this and shows both in the Device Manager and in the Task Manager exactly Threading, and not the number of cores.
A live example is the one in the screenshots above. The laptop has 2 cores, but they are 4-threaded. Therefore, Windows everywhere shows that there are 4 of them.
Yes, this does not happen with all processors, but this fact should be taken into account so as not to be misled.
It is much better to use third-party utilities to find out the number of cores in a computer. There are many similar utilities on the Internet. Their purpose is to display all the characteristics of your computer.
These are programs and utilities such as HWInfo, Everest, Aida, PC Wizard, Speccy, CPU-Z, etc.
I will not paint them all, but I will only show a screenshot of the Speccy () program, which clearly demonstrates what Windows OS is wrong when it shows how many cores:
We see that the program showed everything quite clearly - 2 cores, 4 threads. Everything immediately became clear.
And finally, I will give another way that Windows itself provides. To do this, go along the path Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Information.
The number of cores in the central processor greatly affects the overall performance of the system, especially in multitasking mode. You can find out their number both using third-party software and standard Windows methods.
Most processors are now 2-4 core, but there are expensive models for gaming computers and data centers with 6 and even 8 cores. Previously, when the central processor had only one core, all performance was in frequency, and working with several programs at the same time could completely “hang” the OS.
You can determine the number of cores, as well as look at the quality of their work, using solutions built into Windows itself, or third party programs(The article will consider the most popular of them).
Method 1: AIDA64
- this is popular program to monitor computer performance and conduct various tests. The software is paid, but there is a test period, which is enough to find out the number of cores in the CPU. The AIDA64 interface is fully translated into Russian.
The instruction looks like this:
Method 2: CPU-Z
CPU-Z free program, which allows you to get all the basic information about computer components. It has a simple interface, which is translated into Russian.
To find out the number of cores using this software, just run it. In the main window, find at the very bottom, on the right side, the item Cores. Opposite it will be written the number of cores.
Method 3: Task Manager
This method is only suitable for Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 users. Follow these steps to find out the number of cores in this way:
Method 4: Device Manager
This method is suitable for everyone Windows versions. When using it, you should remember that for some processors from Intel, information may be displayed incorrectly. The fact is that Intel CPUs use Hyper-threading technology, which divides one processor core into several threads, thereby increasing performance. But at the same time "Device Manager" can see different threads on the same core as multiple separate cores.
The step by step guide looks like this:
It is not difficult to find out the number of cores in the central processor on your own. You can also just look at the specifications in the documentation for your computer / laptop, if you have it at hand. Or "google" the processor model, if you know it.