Processors VS Core

[Cargamer1346YT]

So I Have Been Setting Up A Vm For Me (Windows Vista Ultimate x64 If u Need To Know) And I wanna Know If I Should Give it More cores or processors

You Can See The CPU Info Below I'm Gonna Use It For Using Older games BTW

[Sauron]

Cores. Unless you physically have multiple processors you should always select cores because Windows' scheduler will handle them better.

[Eigenvektor]

I would use number of cores. I assume number of processors simulates a motherboard with more than one CPU (multiple sockets). Vista supports a maximum of two sockets.

 

In terms of performance, e.g. two sockets with 4 cores or one socket with 8 cores shouldn't make much difference. But multi-core CPUs are "the norm" for home computers while multi-socket is less typical.

[Bombastinator]

This is a definition of terms thing.  A processor sort of is a core, when they say core in that case though I think they mean “thread”  This was confused by bulldozer a bit at one point.

 

[Electronics Wizardy]

WIndows home editions have limits for sockets, so if you give it too many sockets, it just won't use them. So gives it cores instead.