Hyperthreading

[Haystack]

Does anyone know if TS2015 uses hyperthreading on Intel processors or not? I know some games like it while others seem to run horrible with it. Just curious if anyone has any insight on this.

[peterhayes]

Haystack
I wrote to RSC about HT in TS 2012 days and was told that it did not support HT and I haven't seen any change since then!
The problem with HT on in many sims is doe to the way that they call and process data if HT is on there is a real possibility of thread collisions and hence stuttering and possibly poor frame rates. In some situations HT can cause a significant temperature rise in cpu temps, and can use more power also.
Me, I leave it off!
Regards
pH who used to be called haystack when he was a schoolboy!

[GSkid]

The majority of games don't really take advantage of hyperthreading. It has been a chief complaint lodged against game developers by Microsoft in the last couple years. It is a stated mission of theirs to change that situation with the release of both Windows 10 and DX12.

[Haystack]

Haystack
I wrote to RSC about HT in TS 2012 days and was told that it did not support HT and I haven't seen any change since then!
The problem with HT on in many sims is doe to the way that they call and process data if HT is on there is a real possibility of thread collisions and hence stuttering and possibly poor frame rates. In some situations HT can cause a significant temperature rise in cpu temps, and can use more power also.
Me, I leave it off!
Regards
pH who used to be called haystack when he was a schoolboy!

PH
Thanks for informing me about the possibility of stuttering and poor frame rates along with higher cpu temps with HT. I've also been called haystack for as long as I can remember

The majority of games don't really take advantage of hyperthreading. It has been a chief complaint lodged against game developers by Microsoft in the last couple years. It is a stated mission of theirs to change that situation with the release of both Windows 10 and DX12.

GSkid
With the release of Windows 10 and DX12, do you think HT will become necessary or do you think it'll still be awhile before we see a majority of games take full advantage of HT?

I only ask because I'm thinking about upgrading my cpu/mobo and I'm trying to decide if a i7 is justifiable over a i5.

[GSkid]

With the release of Windows 10 and DX12, do you think HT will become necessary or do you think it'll still be awhile before we see a majority of games take full advantage of HT?

I only ask because I'm thinking about upgrading my cpu/mobo and I'm trying to decide if a i7 is justifiable over a i5.

Well you are talking desktop. I'm guessing you are going 4th gen since most of the 5th gen released so far are mobile chips. According to Intel's website, the dual-core i5-4570T is the only hyperthreaded i5 processor for desktop. The rest of the desktop i5 chips are simply non-HT quad-cores. All i7 processors for desktop are quad core minimum and like all i7 chips desktop or mobile...they have HT.

So which to get? We will leave 6/8 cores and extreme editions out of it unless you want to go big for reasons beyond gaming. Since we are for the most part talking quad-core i5 Vs. quad core i7.... it comes down to money. For about $100-$125 more for the i7 chips.... you get HT, a higher average clock speed and 8MB of cache Vs the i5 with non-HT and 6MB of cache. Clock speeds vary and chips with 10MB of cache and unlocked clocks add a bit more to the price tag.

If you can afford it, I'd go with the i7. Otherwise get the highest clocked (or unlocked) i5 you can find ...with proper cooling of course.

It will still be awhile before HT becomes mainstream big time in games as devs slowly move to Windows 10 & DX12. But with the i7s, you are prepared to take full advantage of it in the future.

[peterhayes]

Gskid
I'm intrigued where you get the info about Windows 10, Microsoft and Hyperthreading?
HT is an INTEL innovation so why are MS bothering (other than to ensure that it works)
AFAIK DirectX12 has nothing to do with HT - so it would be great to see this info. Thanks

I endorse your recommendations re-Intel cpu's, (I would never buy a non-K these days) but I would add buy a good mobo, get good fast RAM (16Gb), a GTX 9xx series card (970 is a good buy), SSD, a decent monitor. IMO the cpu is only as good as the rest of the components.

Regards

pH

[GSkid]

Well peter...

I read it in an article about 2-3 months ago. I can't recall if I found it when googling on hyperthreading in games....on DX12... or just happen to come across it around the time of Microsoft's Win 10/DX12 presentation this last January when tech sites were feverishly writing articles about it.

Now that I go and purposely try to search for it, of course now I can't find it.... which makes me look like a liar. But I swear I read it! I just remember it said something to the effect that Microsoft was coming out (at some presentation or conference) and basically flat out admitting that hyperthreading usage in games during the Windows 7/8 era was pretty much an epic fail with hardly any game support for it. That they aim to help change that with Windows 10.

I seem to recall it said Microsoft was blaming itself for not putting more pressure on devs to use it and for MS not making the tools to use it as easy and efficient as they could have been. Whatever the case, Microsoft gave the clear impression of putting a good chunk of the blame on themselves for the currant situation and they were pledging to help change that in the upcoming Win 10 era.

And yes... DX12 doesn't have much to do with HT, but were both mentioned by MS in the context of the overall progression of gaming performance.

As for HT is an Intel initiative? True...but it also makes sense for a company like Microsoft that makes an OS, tools/compilers and productivity software that will improve in performance with HT technology to promote and encourage it.

Apparently AMD is rumored to be dipping it's toes into the SMT hyperthreading pool themselves...

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/1983 ... r4-support

I say that even if HT gaming doesn't explode in the next couple years, that extra 2MB-4MB of cache and higher clock speeds of an i7 over an i5 will certainly be a nice help to single threaded games. I'm certainly likely to stick to i7 chips from now on. I'm very impressed with the performance of my current one.

AMD had better up their game or they will be permanently relegated to the budget-minded and console niche they currently hold.

[peterhayes]

GSkid
Many thanks for that excellent reply - I will keep an eye out for any news on HT.
I tried Win 10 preview but a HDD crash caused me to go back to Win 7 temporarily.
I did think that TS2015 looked better - but then perhaps I wanted it to?
Thanks also for the Heads up on AMD stuff - interesting reading!
Regards
pH

[GSkid]

I missed this on Anandtech.... called "The DirectX 12 Performance Preview: AMD, NVIDIA, & Star Swarm"

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8962/the- ... ar-swarm/3

See the performance difference DX12 makes over DX11 with the Star Swarm demo. Look at the high GTX 980 fps!! There seems to be a huge jump on the AMD cards. DX11 seems to run really bad on them.