Mac Pro - Multiprocessing on 4 cores

zab the fabzab the fab
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Hello



Wondering:



• Since OS X will put itself on one processor and a running program on another (when used on a dual processor machine), how about the 4 cores in Mac Pro? If I run 3 programs like e.g. Reason, Digital Performer and FM7 softsynth, will they all take one core individually?



• If Digital Performer supported multiprocessing (still trying to research if it does) will it use 2 cores (multi) or will it use the 3 cores awailable besides the one core where OS X runs ?



Anybody?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    endymionendymion Posts: 375member
    It doesn't quite work that way. It's actually better. If an application uses multiple threads which most do to some extent, each thread can potentially be on a different core depending on the load balancing of the system.
  • Reply 2 of 4
    zab the fabzab the fab Posts: 303member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Endymion


    It doesn't quite work that way. It's actually better. If an application uses multiple threads which most do to some extent, each thread can potentially be on a different core depending on the load balancing of the system.



    ok, so the "threader" distributes the "threads" onto different cores.



    Does this mean that all 4 cores are used to the max at all times? (which ofcause is what I'm really looking to find out)



    Thanks
  • Reply 3 of 4
    davegeedavegee Posts: 2,765member
    All four cores will be used 'equally' (IIRC) based on the number of threads being produced by the Applications you are running.



    So if you have a TRULY single threaded App1 then it will use as much of 'cpu1:core1' as possible (or as needed so it may not hit 100%). Run a App2 (while keeping App1 running) cpu1:core2 will get used (since the single threaded app is basically using all of cpu1:core1) now if App2 happens to be a well written multi-threaded app then App2 will 'equally' make use of cpu1:core2, cpu2:core1 and cpu2:core2 as the threads get issued (spawned) by App2.



    So in a case such as the one above (again IIRC)



    CPU1:CORE1 could be at 99%

    CPU1:CORE2 could be at 30%

    CPU2:CORE1 could be at 30%

    CPU2:CORE2 could be at 30%



    Dave
  • Reply 4 of 4
    zab the fabzab the fab Posts: 303member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DaveGee


    All four cores will be used 'equally' (IIRC) based on the number of threads being produced by the Applications you are running.



    So if you have a TRULY single threaded App1 then it will use as much of 'cpu1:core1' as possible (or as needed so it may not hit 100%). Run a App2 (while keeping App1 running) cpu1:core2 will get used (since the single threaded app is basically using all of cpu1:core1) now if App2 happens to be a well written multi-threaded app then App2 will 'equally' make use of cpu1:core2, cpu2:core1 and cpu2:core2 as the threads get issued (spawned) by App2.



    So in a case such as the one above (again IIRC)



    CPU1:CORE1 could be at 99%

    CPU1:CORE2 could be at 30%

    CPU2:CORE1 could be at 30%

    CPU2:CORE2 could be at 30%



    Dave



    Thanks Dave - makes sense.



    Looks like I'll have a LOT of fun with my new Mac Pro when it arrives, running my music software Great !
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