Single/Dual core cpu?

[QueenApis]

This is my first post so please be patient with me!

I host a modded minecraft server and if my information is correct then minecraft only utilizes one cpu thread.

So by that logic I should get a single/dual core cpu for a server machine correct? Because that would mean that more of the cpu is available for a single core giving more power to that single thread program? I am not at all an expert by any means but I do have experience in building my own pc, programming in C# via unity3D, hosting various video game servers, and troubleshooting hardware/software problems. I really would like some information/recommendation on a cpu that would be good for this.

[minibois]

CPUs (generally) get faster every year, right? Alright.

If you are looking at a single core CPU; you'll be looking for (in technological terms) an old.. OLD piece of tech (dual cores are still being made) which is not comparable in terms of (single core) speed with a new CPU.

 

So no, don't go out of your way to get a single core or dual core CPU per say. Go hunt for single core performance graphs and just pick out a CPU that has the best price to performance in that category. 

I am not familiar with how you host Minecraft servers, but I imagine next to the server program, you'll still be running some sort of OS? That uses some CPU power too.

[LukeSavenije]

From some point of view you're right. But a host system, a hypervisor or other programs also use those cores. Even windows these days run really slow on a single core. Quad core or more is recommended if you have the money. If not, a dual core is technicly enough

[Brooksie359]

Are you trying to ask if having a single core would give it access to more of the cpu resources like cache because it doesn't have to share with ither cores? Most higher core count cpus have more resources so I don't think that logic makes much sense. 

[Gikero]

12 minutes ago, campy said:

 2nd gen i5 will handle it more than adequately.

Can confirm. I have a i5 2500 in my dedicated Minecraft box. Never more than 6 people online, the system isn't stressed. I keep it running for my nieces and nephews.

[QueenApis]

Well the server I am running is quite modded, over 180 mods. So what you're saying is to just find a cpu with the best single core performance but has multiple cores? I do understand that newer cpus have better aspects other than just the clock speed. The OS I would be using would most likely be using ubuntu. What would I search for to find the single core performance?

Also I know I could probably search for this but how do cpu caches work and how do they affect performance?

[minibois]

12 minutes ago, QueenApis said:

Well the server I am running is quite modded, over 180 mods. So what you're saying is to just find a cpu with the best single core performance but has multiple cores? I do understand that newer cpus have better aspects other than just the clock speed. The OS I would be using would most likely be using ubuntu. What would I search for to find the single core performance?

Also I know I could probably search for this but how do cpu caches work and how do they affect performance?

This would be quite a good source for some solid performance numbers on CPU's: https://us.rebusfarm.net/en/tempbench?view=benchmark

Just sort this graph by single core performance (second last column). Just a heads up, there are many duplicate values for each CPU; that is because they include different clocked CPU's as different ones (which actually makes a ton of sense), because they are overclocked to different speeds.

 

Generally Intel CPU's have a better single core performance (while on AMD CPU's you get more cores/threads for similar money), which will likely make it the best choice for you.

Intel CPU's have become quite a bit more expensive over the last couple of weeks and such.

 

Also, I wouldn't bother too much checking the cache of a CPU. It's way better to check practical benchmarks (like the one I linked to you), rather than trying to compare CPU's by looking at numbers alone.

[QueenApis]

On 11/20/2018 at 5:16 PM, Minibois said:

This would be quite a good source for some solid performance numbers on CPU's: https://us.rebusfarm.net/en/tempbench?view=benchmark

Just sort this graph by single core performance (second last column). Just a heads up, there are many duplicate values for each CPU; that is because they include different clocked CPU's as different ones (which actually makes a ton of sense), because they are overclocked to different speeds.

 

Generally Intel CPU's have a better single core performance (while on AMD CPU's you get more cores/threads for similar money), which will likely make it the best choice for you.

Intel CPU's have become quite a bit more expensive over the last couple of weeks and such.

 

Also, I wouldn't bother too much checking the cache of a CPU. It's way better to check practical benchmarks (like the one I linked to you), rather than trying to compare CPU's by looking at numbers alone.

Thank you for this resource! Huge help to me as I didn't quite understand how important Cache is. I kinda figured it was how you explained it but I feel a lot better about what I am purchasing now. Thank you to everyone for all the help!