What Are CPU Cores and How Do They Work | CPU Cores Simply Explained

CPU cores are seen as separate CPUs/processors by the computer. They allow programs to run on each individual core in order to get better performance.

What are CPU Cores? The number of Cores on a CPU of course...

When the CPU was first developed it had one CPU core. Every task that the computer ran was handled on that singular CPU core. But as technology developed computer manufacturers brought us multi-core CPUs.

Core Counts Identified:
2 Cores = Dual-Core
4 Cores = Quad-Core
6 Cores = Hexa-Core
8 Cores = Octa-Core

What is the highest core count right now?...
Ryzen will be launching its Threadryper 3990X in 2020 with 64 cores!

So how does it work?
To simplify things:
Each Core is seen by the computer as its own processing unit.
At first, manufactures tried to install multiple CPUs on one motherboard, but that served to be expensive, plus there was the issue of latency.
The CPU is able to split up the work onto an individual Core:
Core 1: Photoshop
Core 2: Premiere Pro
Core 3: Google Chrome
Core 4: Spotify

But what if you have more programs open then cores?
Will your computer explode? No, it won't explode.

When you load a program (Photoshop) a “process” is created. That process is assigned it own:
Memory (RAM) and credentials (i.e. a serial number).
The system will assign that process to a Core. If there are no Cores available it will virtually split the Core into one of the Cores Threads.
I talk more about Threads in another video.
If there are no Cores or Threads available then the process waits its line in the queue until it is called to action.

So more Cores = faster computer, right?
Not necessarily. There are a few reasons why Core count alone is not enough to make for a faster processor. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a processor:
MHz
Threads
Instructions per cycle (IPC)
Watts

All of this and more to come...