Intel chip with 2 cores but 4 threads.

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bowlesj3
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Intel chip with 2 cores but 4 threads.

Postby bowlesj3 » 13 Dec 2013

Hi,

I am upgrading the machine I run MC on. I am considering a machine that has an Intel® Core™ i3-4130 Processor (3M Cache, 3.40 GHz). It's specifications are shown at this link.
http://ark.intel.com/products/77480/

It has 2 cores but 4 threads. I am not a power user in that I run only one symbol in one workspace with 8 charts (never go beyond this). I probably have 10 studies in two of the charts and maybe 6 in the others (this could increase). I will be setting up the machine in two partitions (one for XP and one for Win7). I will start running MC next week on the XP partition and over weekends I will test the Win7 partition to see if all my software runs okay. If everything is okay I will start using Win7 for trading during the day (if all goes well I will keep using it). After that I may start using the 64 bit MC since I gather Win7 can make use of this where as XP can not. I will be getting a video card that has 3 outputs for my three monitors. The machine has 8 gig of ram (I realize XP can only use 3 gig but hopefully I will be using XP only for a few weeks).

I have a question. Will MC still be able to use the 4 threads just as well as it does with a pure 4 core machine? If not, considering I am not a full power user and not likely to ever be, would it make much of a difference or should I go for a true 4 core machine.

Thanks,
John

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TJ
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Re: Intel chip with 2 cores but 4 threads.

Postby TJ » 13 Dec 2013

PassMark looks respectable.
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php

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Re: Intel chip with 2 cores but 4 threads.

Postby TJ » 13 Dec 2013

Multithreading will speed up most of the processes.

Except... optimization, which are loaded into real cores, not virtual cores.

bowlesj3
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Re: Intel chip with 2 cores but 4 threads.

Postby bowlesj3 » 13 Dec 2013

Thanks TJ.

Your timing is perfect. I figured it was likely as good as I need and certainly a lot better than what I was using. The machine I was using was a power user machine way back on MC 2.1. Things change pretty quick.

John

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Re: Intel chip with 2 cores but 4 threads.

Postby escamillo » 14 Dec 2013

I asked Henry a year or more ago whether or not MC uses all Threads (e.g. 8threads) or all Cores. At that time, he was clear: MC will be distributed among Cores and NOT Threads. If you have a Quad core and 8 charts open, then each Core will have 2 charts; with a Dual core with 8 charts open, each Core will have 4 charts.

There are some decent deals on factory refurb (with warranty) machines. Recently upgraded a laptop to a Quad Core i7-3630QM and 8GB RAM with a [not fancy but very functional] refurb with warranty Toshiba for $540, which has been very good. At the time I asked Henry about Cores I upgraded desktop to a 6 Core i7-3630k that was factory refurb with warranty and it has also been trouble free.

Sounds like I am suggesting you consider a factory refurb with warranty and more cores.... :- ) And in any case, a Quad Core over a Dual Core.

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Re: Intel chip with 2 cores but 4 threads.

Postby TJ » 14 Dec 2013

I asked Henry a year or more ago whether or not MC uses all Threads (e.g. 8threads) or all Cores. At that time, he was clear: MC will be distributed among Cores and NOT Threads. If you have a Quad core and 8 charts open, then each Core will have 2 charts; with a Dual core with 8 charts open, each Core will have 4 charts.
::
MultiCharts is multi-thread enabled.

However, each chart will only be loaded into a core... ONE core only.
One core can take multiple charts, but one chart will not (and cannot) be distributed into multiple cores.

eg.
If you have a 4 core CPU, and one chart with 1,000 indicators on it... that chart will be assigned to ONE core only, and leaving 3 cores for your computer's other processes.

bowlesj3
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Re: Intel chip with 2 cores but 4 threads.

Postby bowlesj3 » 14 Dec 2013

If you have a Quad core and 8 charts open, then each Core will have 2 charts; with a Dual core with 8 charts open, each Core will have 4 charts.
This was my understanding as well. I use to have a dual core machine so this was what I was getting. "with a Dual core with 8 charts open, each Core will have 4 charts."

I just bought an i5 machine which has true Quad core and my 8 charts will be handled as stated above "If you have a Quad core and 8 charts open, then each Core will have 2 charts".

Due to a screw up with the other machine I was thinking of getting I took it back and bought the I5 which is a gaming machine with a very good video card. I would hate to let it go to waste so I just might start playing games now - LOL. Maybe if I get into some long hold trades I can pass the time that way.


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