CPU core parking is a feature that has been a part of Windows since 2008. The name is pretty descriptive – it “parks” some of your cores when they are not being used, just like you park your car when you are not driving it. This has an interesting impact on the overall performance of your PC. So does unparking cores increase FPS?
The answer is that it depends. Core parking has been created to conserve energy. When we usually come across those kinds of features on gaming components we tend to disable them without giving them a second thought. But if your PC is turned on for 8-10 hours every day, then you might think twice before unparking your cores.
Let’s then assume that you do not care about power usage and just want to get the most out of your computer, does unparking cores increase FPS at all? Some people report that they get up to 20% or more FPS from unparking cores, though it is very rare. In most cases unparking your CPU cores will not change anything. This is because Windows has gotten pretty smart about when to unpark your cores. It is always worth trying anyway because you have nothing to lose.
If you wish to learn how to unpark cores as well as find out more information about the impact it has on your system’s performance, keep on reading to find the answers.
Does Unparking Cores Increase FPS?
Gamers have had various experiences with unparking cores. Some say that it increases FPS, others say that it does nothing or even decrease it. Some say that different games react differently to unparking. It is always best to try it for yourself to find out, of course.
Games that depend a lot on your CPU, like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, can get a lot more FPS from core unparking. Some people have claimed that they got up to 10% more FPS from it. And with such a competitive game, you want to have all the advantages that you can get.
If you are running on an older Windows, for example, Windows 7, unparking your CPU cores is a good idea. This is because Windows has improved core unparking quite a bit over the years. Also, if you have older hardware, it is once again a good idea to try unparking your cores. Whatever the case may be, try to benchmark a few games before and after unparking to see the results for yourself. Make sure to write everything down and that you make at least three runs in each benchmark.
But should you bother with unparking your cores if you are running on Windows 10 and have a newer CPU? It is still worth trying at the very least but don’t expect to see any major change. However, even if unparking cores does not increase your FPS, it can still make your games feel better because it will eliminate stutter. Stuttering happens because of the time that it takes for your cores to unpark and start working. So by unparking them permanently you will eliminate that issue.
So, how do you unpark cores? You will have to install a third-party program. Many programs have been created for that sole purpose. You can search for it by typing “disable CPU core parking program” and simply download the first one that pops up in your search engine.
The one from CoderBag works pretty well for that purpose. All you have to do is download it, unzip it, run it, and click on “Unpark all” and then press “Apply”. And just like that, you have unparked your cores. Make sure to closely monitor your in-game performance to check if it did anything. If it did not reduce stutter or increase FPS, you may want to turn it off to conserve electricity.
Conclusion
Does unparking cores increase FPS? Probably not, but it is always worth a shot. If anything, you might reduce the stutter that happens when your cores are unparking. While some people say that core unparking can work wonders, others suggest that you should not bother with core unparking because Windows has gotten good at doing it on its own. It is up to you if you want to experiment with it. Either way, you have nothing to lose.
