I was wondering if it matters or if it helps at all to set processor affinity for pcsx2 (since I have a quad core cpu) to use two specific cores instead of all four. I realize that it really can't use all four cores but when I look into CoreTemp when running pcsx2 normally it says that all four cores are used and that the load is around 30-50% for each core. I tried messing with the processor affinity and got pcsx2 to use 95-100 % of one core with the other 3 running at 5-10%. Is there any advantage (or disadvantage) to doing this?
Some Intel chips will automatically engage a mild overclock if only certain cores are in use. Otherwise, should be no major difference either way.
im sure newer amd chips also do that
Only Thuban and Bulldozer.
Turbo core and Turbo boost to be more precise
anyway the windows will share the load to the another 2 cores making this not useful for PCSX2
Might help a Core2Quad/Pentium-D. Keeping it on same CPU means they can share L2 cache and don't have go over a FSB to talk each other or it might be other way putting them on different CPUs with each thread would get its own L2 cache.
Phenom1 could clock each core differently so you'd get a power savings at least there.
If I set affinity on my CPU, I lose a little FPS. The load going across all cores helps.
Some others do see benefit from setting affinity, though. A big part of it surely depends on your particular processor.
If it helps: it helps.
If it doesn't: don't do it.