4x hyperthreading?

[almoststew1990]

Just a random thread about hyperthreading. Considering hyperthreading is a virtual thing, is 4x hyperthreading possible? So a dual core having 8 threads and an 8 core having 64 threads...

Moreover, why can't processors divide up their physical cores into virtual cores on the fly? So using no hyperthreading in single core apps but maybe going crazy and having 8x hyperthreading in... Whatever app needs 256 cores lol. Kinda like voltage and blk changes on the fly?

 

[muon]

Cache is still finite and so I don't see how so many threads could result in any benefit.

 

[Frozennova]

Hyperthreading only utilises parts of and core that are currently going unused. It wouldn't physically possible to split a core in the way you are expecting.

It would have already been done if possible.

 

[InfiniteNoise]

I think POWER7/8 is already doing something like this.

4 threads per core if I remember correctly.

 

[Zuban]

power8 does 8 threads per core. It all depends on what resources make up a "core".