hyper-threading bad for games?

I have an intel p4 3.0 ghz processor with HT technology, I heard this could decrease game performance is that true?

 

You'll have decent performing for games with a 3.0ghz pentium 4 processor, irrelavent of the HT tech.

 

ht is for running many programs at a time. it's specially good if you are running a virus scan while playing a game, in the task manager put the virus scan for cpu0 and the game for cpu1. i'll give you great results.

 

but I heard HT makes it so one process cannot use more than 50% of the cpu

 

that is true, but remember that you're computer (which is the same one i have) when it uses 50% it's at 3.00 ghz. and when you use 100% it's 6.00 ghz. and for all i know there are no game needing more than 3.00 ghz. and probably in some time they'll make a game which uses HT technology so it's better to buy a computer with HT.

 

not true.
HyperThreading simulates a second CPU to Windows, Intel created this technology to keep the pipelines of the Pentium IV filled to increase it's performance.
Whilst HT does give you a slight benefit when multi-tasking, it can (and usually will) decrease gaming performance because most games aren't designed to take advantage of the extra CPU.
What you said about 50%, 3Ghz, 100%, 6Ghz is invalid, the CPU will still only run at 3Ghz, irregardless of the fact whether HT is on or off.
For gaming, turn it off, if you multi-task heavily, turn it on.
Most home users don't have any use for the HT technology, yet.

 

When i said it gave 6ghz. it was a way to explain it. ofcourse it won't give 6ghz. but ht gives you 2 logical processors of 3ghz each. if you put two computers to multitask and one is 4ghz w/o ht and a 3ghz with ht the 3ghz computer will beat the crap out of the other one and it's still tunnig at 3ghz. if you don't believe me you can visit (www.hardwareanalysis.com) and search for ht. games only use one cpu thats why it uses 50% of the cpu usage. to get to 100% you need both cpu running at the same time which are two processors at 3ghz.

 

A load of misinformation.
Start looking on sites as Anandtech.com and Hardocp.com.
It's not true that a computer with HT @ 3Ghz will blow the 4Ghz without HT out of the water when multi-tasking.
Also, gaming and cpu usage has to do not only with HT, to get to 100% (which isn't something to aspire tbh) there are lots of things that come into play.
Graphics cards that off-load the CPU, Soundcards that off-load the cpu, ethernetcards that off-load the cpu etc etc.
It seems to me that you think that it's best to have a 100% load when gaming, this isn't true, when you've got say, 50% load under gaming it means you've got room to do other things as well.
To sum it all up, HT isn't that big of a thing it was supposed to become, simply because it, in it's current state, doesn't impact performance in a way that "WOW"s you.
The same goes with the new dual-core processors, both the AMD's and Intels aren't all that much faster, simply because the Windows versions most users use aren't really programmed to take full advantage of that extra core, sure it's faster, but not fast enough to justify the extra money you'd have to spend imo.

 

so the verdict is turn it off for gaming?

 

well since fleppen seems that he knows more than me i would litsen to him. yet i wouldn't turn it down cause it makes multitasking better and you did bought a ht processor and i say use it , but it is you're choice.

 

Also remember you have to turn it off in the bios and it could be annoying turninng it off and on.(if you plan on turning it on when you're not gaming and turning it off while playing.) also you could download fraps to see if fps do improve while gaming and pcmark05 for benchmarking.

 

what he said, you won't notice a really big gain or loss, so if you've got it turned on now it'd be a hassle (unless you're familiar with working in the BIOS) to turn it off because you want that extra 5 fps or so

 

Finally!!!! fleppen agreed with me for once...LOL