what is the point of 12/16 core mainstream cpu's?

[Ashleyyyy]

i'm having a hard time to understand why we need 12 and 16 core chips on the mainstream platform. 

 

what will a regular consumer do on it that needs all of those cores? games use 4 to 6 usually, so i understand 8-core chips for people who don't close all their stuff when launching a game, but who needs 12 or 16 cores as a general consumer? 

 

and to be clear i understand people stream/make youtube video's etc, but i'd argue that at that point you aren't a general consumer anymore. 

[RejZoR]

Games that only use 4-6 cores are long gone now. This myth needs to die already. There are tons off examples where games will use even 16 threads or more.

[FloRolf]

Well maybe you are not a professional streamer or youtuber but you just like to have things working fast? 

I really don't need my 8core either yet I want that 12core badly, lol. 

 

Additionally I expect most applications to be optimized for multicore usage soon which makes more threads more useful even for everyday people. 

[NineEyeRon]

Smiles in 6 cores six threads.

[minibois]

This is the same thing people said when we moved from dual to quad cores and again from quad to hex..

 

We are always in a cycle, where programs will mostly use the amount of cores available and companies will create CPU's with that amount of cores.. etc. One of them has to change up the pattern to progress.

 

As said above, there are many reasons you would want more cores.

Including people making their own servers, recording/streaming, video editing, etc.

Most people will have plenty for many years with a 6c/12t cpu though.

[5x5]

Because if you go by the logic of old games don't use more cores (while new ones use up to 16 threads quite efficiently), then we'll be stuck with another decade of the same rehashed stuff ala core I second gen to core I seventh gen

[Mick Naughty]

Trying to play videos games with current and last gen cards. Can’t do much with 4 core cpus anymore. 

[Mathieu9836]

Many people are recording or streaming their game play these days, and modern games use\will use more threads in the futur. So buying an 8 core now might be a good idea but if you want to keep your PC as is for longer you might need to upgrade sooner. But yeah, we never know whats coming, 6 cores may be still a good option in 5 years, or not....

[Zando_]

Streamers, anyone rendering anything where they need to use the CPU instead of a GPU, people dabbling in machine learning and other compute stuff, those who need to run a bunch of VMs, etc. There's a bunch of reasons that a high core count CPU without the beefier price tag of HEDT is a good thing. 

[Mathieu9836]

And they will probably sell more 3900X and 3950X then they sold Threadrippers because of the price tag and the motherboards price tag

[Fasauceome]

4 hours ago, Twilight said:

and to be clear i understand people stream/make youtube video's etc, but i'd argue that at that point you aren't a general consumer anymore

Ok, so then what? Should those people be forced to get HEDT processors? Those are worse for gaming anyway, so if you game and stream it's gonna suck to have to buy a threadripper and OC the crap out of it just to get decent frames. Bringing super high core counts to AM4 is awesome for people who need both good single threaded and good multi threaded, and don't want to pay out the ass. Threadripper motherboards are expensive as hell and so a B450 board with 12 cores in it is excellent for someone who does some 3D modelling work and so likes battlefield V.

[Mick Naughty]

Steaming is a general consumer. Everyone and their mom streams now. I’d stream on my pc if could even play the game without issues. Don’t have headroom to spare. 

[Mathieu9836]

4 minutes ago, Mick Naughty said:

Steaming is a general consumer. Everyone and their mom streams now. I’d stream on my pc if could even play the game without issues. Don’t have headroom to spare. 

What about capture cards? i never used one but that can be a good option if you have a low to mid end PC and want to stream.

[Mick Naughty]

1 minute ago, Mathieu9836 said:

What about capture cards? i never used one but that can be a good option if you have a low to mid end PC and want to stream.

Assuming you mean using a second pc. I’m already doing that. Wasn’t left with much of a choice.