Higher thread count or higher clock speed for speeding up program?

[DarinB]

I am looking to upgrade my computer due to a specific program I run.  I currently have it on a Lenovo Thinkpad with an i7-2760QM.  It's not painfully slow, but the program will use 18 threads with 135% CPU frequency.  CPU usage is about 30% when it is calculating.  This is a CPU based program, not GPU.  I have a Quadro GPU, but it is not even budging when the program is calculating, even though the program is set to use the Quadro. 

 

So, is it better to get something with a higher thread count than the 8 I currently have or something with a higher frequency, or both?  I'm looking at a desktop this time, not laptop.   Any suggestions on which way to go on the CPU?    

Thanks

[WereCatf]

6 minutes ago, DarinB said:

or both?

That CPU is both old and a mobile-version, so it's really easy to get both higher clocks and more cores. A Ryzen 5 3600, for example, doesn't break the bank, but clocks higher and has more cores than that CPU of yours.

[boggy77]

what software are we talking about? and what budget for the system?

[DarinB]

7 minutes ago, boggy77 said:

what software are we talking about? and what budget for the system?

It's a cad program, but it doesn't use the GPU for calculations.   I'd like to keep it under $1k for the system.  I don't really run anything else on it.

[Jurrunio]

I'm assuming the "scales to 18 threads" claim isn't made from this system?

 

More single core speed helps all the time, but not always for more cores or threads.

[DarinB]

1 minute ago, Jurrunio said:

I'm assuming the "scales to 18 threads" claim isn't made from this system?

 

More single core speed helps all the time, but not always for more cores or threads.

The 18 threads is from the computer's resource monitor while calculating, not from the program specs.

[Jurrunio]

Just now, DarinB said:

The 18 threads is from the computer's resource monitor while calculating, not from the program specs.

you only have 8 threads here, how did you get the 18 number then?

 

and also you should name the software regardless, Ryzen has multithread performance advantage for the same price but software optimization is a big problem in the CAD business for Ryzen

[boggy77]

if you can afford it, a i7 10700k has both many cores and high frequency.

[DarinB]

The software is Vectric V-carve Pro.  It's a CAD/CAM software for designing and creating toolpaths for CNC routers.

[DarinB]

Would it be more beneficial to get something with more cores/threads or would it matter at all?

[unclewebb]

Your CAD/CAM software might be creating 18 threads but if CPU usage is only 25%, that means there are only 2 threads running concurrently. When some of those other 18 threads become active, one or both of the main threads will become inactive. If all 18 threads were running at the same time, you would be seeing 100% CPU usage but you are not.

Any 4 core CPU can handle this load. If CPU speed is equal, stepping up to a 6 or 8 or 10 core CPU is not going to make this program run any faster. VCarve Pro has not been written to take advantage of more cores. When upgrading to a faster laptop or desktop computer, for this program, fast single core speed is more important than more cores.

[DarinB]

Ok, I got a bit more info on the processing.  I took screen shots of normal (no CAD programs open), and processing (3d model).  It looks like only a few cores are working on it and the thread count didn't go up.   So, I guess something with 20+ threads won't matter?