Multithread vs. Single Thread

[Assoul]

I noticed that the category for Best Value compares mulithread ratings per $ but does that mean that single thread shouldn't be counted? I was told that single thread ratings are better to measure everyday use vs. multi which seems to be more geared towards software that's optimized for it.

Let me know your thoughts, thanks.

[Simon (PassMark)]

Assuming you mean this page:
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_value_available.html

You can select 'single thread value':

[Assoul]

Assuming you mean this page:
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_value_available.html

You can select 'single thread value':

Thank you for that. Which one is a better metric to use?

[David (PassMark)]

Depends on how you use your computer and the apps you use.
If this was for home use, i would suggest single threaded is the more useful number, but also with a CPU with a minimum core count of 4.
With 6 or 8 core count being better (than 4), but anything over 8 delivering diminishing returns for most usage.

[Economy]

One additional point: the value metric seems to compare CPU performance against the CPU price only, but it does not fully reflect total platform value.

For example, two things can materially affect the real-world value:

1. Whether the CPU includes a stock cooler, because otherwise the cooler adds extra cost.
2. Whether the CPU has integrated graphics, because otherwise a separate GPU may be required, especially for office or business PCs.

Other factors could also matter, although they are much harder to quantify objectively. For example, motherboard cost, DDR4 vs. DDR5 memory cost, power consumption, boxed vs. tray warranty, and regional availability/pricing would all influence the real-world value, but including them would probably require a much more complex model.

So for everyday or business use, I think single-thread value is very useful, but it should ideally be considered together with the total system cost, not only the CPU price.