AMD A4-6300, dual-core or single core with smt?

[mikeymikec]

Windows 10 thinks it's a single core with 2 threads. AMD/cpu-world reckons 2C/2T.

I'm inclined to believe Windows as I vaguely recall the whole AMD "let's pretend that integer cores = processor cores" despite those integer cores sharing all kinds of stuff with another 'core' in such an obviously penalising way.

It would also explain the computer's so-so performance despite having 8GB RAM and an SSD at its disposal.

 

[Jimzz]

A6-6300?

 

[Bouowmx]

1 module/2 threads, kind of like SMT.

If there were more than 1 module, say 2M/4T, scheduling would work like a multi-core with SMT: first schedule threads on "first" thread of different cores/modules, then on "second" thread of already occupied cores/modules.

Core 0: Thread 0, 1
Core 1: T2, 3
Order to schedule concurrent threads, brought up one-by-one, may be: T0, 2, 1, 3

 

[NostaSeronx]

I'm inclined to believe Windows as I vaguely recall the whole AMD "let's pretend that integer cores = processor cores" despite those integer cores sharing all kinds of stuff with another 'core' in such an obviously penalising way.

All cores will have a integer component. Two replicated integer pipelines in the context of AMD's CMT are actually two cores. As all other AMD architectures only retain a single integer mid_core, only Bulldozer<->Excavator have two integer mid_cores within their architecture. Thus, Bulldozer through Excavator have two cores, and not one.

Unlike any other AMD architecture, Bulldozer<-> Excavators optimizations for front-end, load/store, FPU point towards two cores within the architecture as well.

 

[mikeymikec]

A6-6300?

Good catch. A4-6300!

 

[Jimzz]

Good catch. A4-6300!

OK that makes sense.

As said its 1 module / 2 threads. I say it falls between 1 core with SMT and 2 true cores. So think of it like 1 really strong CPU or 2 weaker CPUs.
I was never a fan of the 2 thread design of this generation. I kept my last quad core CPU and waited to upgrade to the 8 thread 8320. Its for my HTPC so it has plenty of performance for that.

 

[Abwx]

It s the uarch that say if it s SMT or two cores, and personnaly i never saw a core with SMT that require two L1, two LSUs and so on, for the reason that this is not SMT.

It could be at the FPU level eventually but it s not as the two threads are served by two different... cores...

Before going further, and uselessly, in the debate it should be noticed that the FPU has no control of the cache and LSUs, it is the ALUs that are completing the FP ops, the FPU is just a big box that get part of the micro instructions (the arithmetic commands) from the scheduer, as well as the relevant operands served by the LSUs under management of the ALUs and AGUs.

 

[sinanxrasheed]

Here the AMD A4 6300 is a DUAL CORE CPU.Which has no SMT(Simultaneous Multi-Threading).It is not configured with setting info well.
Want to Squeeze it's full performance?

Buy a Dual Channel RAM with DDR3 - 1600mhz Frequency, with CAS Latency LOWER than 10 (Which is 9 or 8 CAS Latency).