VIDEO Should Gamers Disable E-Cores? Core i9-12900K, 41 Game Benchmark

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Should Gamers Disable E-Cores? Insights from Core i9-12900K Benchmarking In a recent video by Hardware Unboxed, a significant question for gamers utilizing Intel's new hybrid architecture was explored: "Should gamers disable e-cores?" The video provides insights based on extensive benchmarks using the Core i9-12900K, which features eight performance (P) cores and eight efficiency (E) cores.

Key Findings from the Video​

1. Understanding Hybrid Architecture: Intel's Alder Lake processors introduce a mix of P and E cores, with P cores dedicated to performance and E cores aimed at efficiency. The debate centers around whether disabling E cores can enhance gaming performance.
2. Testing Methodology: The video presented a benchmark of 41 games tested across three resolutions: 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, using an RX 6900XT GPU and DDR5 memory. The goal was to assess if disabling E cores would yield any noticeable performance boosts in gaming.
3. Performance Metrics:
   • In many games tested, disabling E cores showed a marginal performance increase — about 4% at 1080p in games like Fortnite. However, this benefit diminished in higher resolutions.
   • Notably, some titles like Counter-Strike Global Offensive and Starcraft II performed better with E cores enabled, indicating variability based on individual game architectures.
   []General Consensus: For roughly 90% of the games tested, there was little to no difference in performance regardless of E core status. The average frame rates between E core enabled and disabled configurations typically fell within a 1% margin. []Windows Scheduling: The video discussed Windows 11's ability to handle cores effectively. It suggested that gamers need not worry as the OS is designed to prioritize P cores during gaming. []Process Lasso Recommendation: For users concerned about maximizing gaming performance, the video recommended using a tool like Process Lasso. This software allows gamers to manage core priority without disabling E cores altogether.

   Implications for Windows Users​

   For Windows users, particularly gamers with Intel Alder Lake processors, the findings suggest that disabling E cores may not provide the desired performance increase in the majority of gaming scenarios. The subtle gains observed in specific titles may not justify the potential complexities and performance drops experienced in others. []Optimized Gaming: Instead of disabling E cores, users could benefit from ensuring that their systems are updated and properly configured to take advantage of multi-core performance.
4. Compatibility: As games increasingly optimize for hybrid architectures, relying on software to manage core allocation (like using Process Lasso) could help maintain optimal performance without sacrificing the efficiency benefits that E cores can provide.

   Conclusion​

   Overall, the advice from the benchmarking tests in the Hardware Unboxed video is clear: gamers using Core i9-12900K should generally keep E cores enabled. While some individual games may benefit from disabling them, the typical gaming experience for most titles remains unaffected, making the hybrid core design a suitable choice for maximizing performance across varying demands. For more detailed insights, check out the full video here. This analysis should help inform Windows Forum users about the ongoing discussion regarding E cores and gaming performance, especially amidst a landscape of advancing gaming technologies.