Glossary
Single-core vs multi-core
Two complementary measures of CPU performance. Single-core predicts UI snappiness and single-threaded apps; multi-core predicts compile, render, and batch workloads.
Modern CPUs ship with 6–24 cores. Two scores capture how that maps to real work:
Single-core
The fastest one thread on the CPU. Drives:
- Web browsing.
- Game logic (most games use 1–4 threads heavily, others lightly).
- App launch and UI responsiveness.
Multi-core
Combined throughput across all cores. Drives:
- Software compilation.
- Video render, photo batch processing.
- 3D ray-traced rendering.
- Compression / decompression.
When each matters
A 24-core Threadripper with 80% the single-core of an Apple M5 will feel slower in everyday use but obliterate the Mac on batch render. Pick the score that matches your bottleneck.
Where this matters
Categories that use single-core vs multi-core
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