I can’t see how multiple cores can be bad. We have GPUs and Supercomputers sporting a lot more than 8-cores. Any limitation seems to be from our OS and apps at this point.
Other things being equal, i.e. assuming that the OS/apps can handle multiple cores properly, it depends on the task. In order to benefit from multiple cores/threads the job needs to be sliced-and-diced, the pieces processed separately, then the results reassembled in a meaningful way. For that to be effective the individual elements need to be minimally interdependent. If they're not then it's ineffective to process them separately.
Multiple cores work well for tasks like 3D rendering or for video processing. Video compression on the other hand also requires continuous analysis of frame-to-frame differences, so subdividing the job isn't as effective.
That's why when we see benchmark results of multi-core Macs the results can be all over the place, depending on the nature of the particular test. For some people a higher clock speed may be better than more cores, for others not.
I think it's inevitable that performance will be hampered and this IMO is primarily due to limited memory bandwidth and latency issues once we move to 8+ cores and there's also the software inefficiencis.
Thankfully Intel has been working dilligently to improve multithreading capabilities in not only their CPU but also their development tools with Intel Thread Building Blocks. They've also helped with memory bandwidth with their Quick Path Interconnects
Apple will continue to push Grand Central Dispatch and my hope is that most developers are onboard with GCD optimized software after 10.7.
Sandy Bridge is going to bring 8-core per socket so we're going to see 16 core 32 thread CPU in 2011. We'd better have the bus bandwidth and software smarts to keep as many cores fed as possible.
Can you ever really win? If you buy something between refreshes, the new one comes out the next week. If you are an early adopter, you have to deal with a bug or two until updates come out.
Anyone who wonders why you need more than 8 cores has never worked with "real" HD footage in a large project in Final Cut. If there is a lot of rendering to be done... even 8 cores can takes hours to render minutes of footage.
I second that. There's nothing like sending a long HD project to Compressor and having to wait 20 hours to two days for all of the rendering to be done. Same with Color.
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I can’t see how multiple cores can be bad. We have GPUs and Supercomputers sporting a lot more than 8-cores. Any limitation seems to be from our OS and apps at this point.
Other things being equal, i.e. assuming that the OS/apps can handle multiple cores properly, it depends on the task. In order to benefit from multiple cores/threads the job needs to be sliced-and-diced, the pieces processed separately, then the results reassembled in a meaningful way. For that to be effective the individual elements need to be minimally interdependent. If they're not then it's ineffective to process them separately.
Multiple cores work well for tasks like 3D rendering or for video processing. Video compression on the other hand also requires continuous analysis of frame-to-frame differences, so subdividing the job isn't as effective.
That's why when we see benchmark results of multi-core Macs the results can be all over the place, depending on the nature of the particular test. For some people a higher clock speed may be better than more cores, for others not.
But will it run Crysis?
Not yet...maybe December 22nd 2012
especially if lightpeak makes its debut.
Mmmmm.... Light Peak.
- Jasen.
I think it's inevitable that performance will be hampered and this IMO is primarily due to limited memory bandwidth and latency issues once we move to 8+ cores and there's also the software inefficiencis.
Thankfully Intel has been working dilligently to improve multithreading capabilities in not only their CPU but also their development tools with Intel Thread Building Blocks. They've also helped with memory bandwidth with their Quick Path Interconnects
Apple will continue to push Grand Central Dispatch and my hope is that most developers are onboard with GCD optimized software after 10.7.
Sandy Bridge is going to bring 8-core per socket so we're going to see 16 core 32 thread CPU in 2011. We'd better have the bus bandwidth and software smarts to keep as many cores fed as possible.
And Larabee will take over the GPGPU market.
Running OS X on these is such a waste of perfectly good hardware.
Well. Just bought a Mac Pro. Should have waited.
Can you ever really win? If you buy something between refreshes, the new one comes out the next week. If you are an early adopter, you have to deal with a bug or two until updates come out.
Woot I will wait till then to replace my old quad G5
Heh, woot, woot,
I'm waiting to replace my (very capable) old dual 2ghz G5.
Not yet...maybe December 22nd 2012
Why would want to play that old game then where we all play us army at home.
and watch it peg 1 CPU, while 11 sit idle.
Not conclusive but certainly interesting reading. And yes, the problem is memory bandwidth.
Anyone who wonders why you need more than 8 cores has never worked with "real" HD footage in a large project in Final Cut. If there is a lot of rendering to be done... even 8 cores can takes hours to render minutes of footage.
I second that. There's nothing like sending a long HD project to Compressor and having to wait 20 hours to two days for all of the rendering to be done. Same with Color.
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And it still won't be able to animate smoothly 2 dashboard widgets with a freaking GTX 285. That's some criminally negligent programming at Apple.
Running OS X on these is such a waste of perfectly good hardware.
What else should you run?
But will it run Crysis?
what can run CRYSIS by the way ??
Quit being a troll AND a jerk. All you're going to do is flood the network for the rest of us.
is that you TS ??
And it still won't be able to animate smoothly 2 dashboard widgets with a freaking GTX 285. That's some criminally negligent programming at Apple.
Running OS X on these is such a waste of perfectly good hardware.
If that animates smoothly on the MacBook Pro I have I guess it should do the same on Mac Pro with GTX 285 graphics.