Apple : Which of these CPU-cores, is not like the others ? : late-2021_16-inch_10-core_M1-Max-Mac-Book-Pro !
I asked Apple, why my 10-CPU-Core Mac, was seemingly only using the first 2-1/2 cores (according to the readout of an “iStat-Pro” menu-bar indicator), and why it was slow to boot-up, only to be told that only TWO out of the ten-cores, was “full-strength”, and the other eight were “auxiliary” .
Apparently, the “Grand Central technology”, may not be managing its job, -or-, the “auxiliary”-CPUs aren’t as powerful, as one would hope !
It really is about how programs are coded to use one or two cores or to take advantage of the smaller auxiliary cores.
A similar thing happened years ago when the Sony Playstation 3 came out, developers were not taking advantage of the Cell processing out of the gate. A few years later some pretty cool stuff was done near its end of life once developers learned to get the most out of the processor.
I’m sure in the near future, newer apps will take advantage of the M1 and M2 chips.
I was sold a ten-core Silicon_Mac-Book-Pro — I paid a boatload, for it — Apple didn’t mention, that it didn’t have ten full-fledged-cores, or maybe I wasn’t paying attention ?