# cpu 0 to 3 vs 4 to 7

Source: https://forum.modalai.com/topic/4529/cpu-0-to-3-vs-4-to-7
Category: General Questions (https://forum.modalai.com/category/2/general-questions)
Posted: 2025-06-20 06:18:47 UTC by kerct
Replies: 2 · Views: 603

## kerct · 2025-06-20 06:18:47 UTC

I realised that the default behaviour for cpu 0 to 3 on the VOXL2 is to run at a higher frequency (and utilisation) than cpu 4 to 7
![bad06afa-5154-4351-9cbd-34eea09591d4-image.png](https://forum.modalai.com/assets/uploads/files/1750400076533-bad06afa-5154-4351-9cbd-34eea09591d4-image.png) 

This happens even for a compute intensive process
![cc40ccd4-0f44-4a56-825f-8223f68620ac-image.png](https://forum.modalai.com/assets/uploads/files/1750400089826-cc40ccd4-0f44-4a56-825f-8223f68620ac-image.png) 

Would it help to limit my process to cpu 4 to 7 as such?
![c32d257a-75c1-4c07-beca-264752d68d42-4-7.png](https://forum.modalai.com/assets/uploads/files/1750400162528-c32d257a-75c1-4c07-beca-264752d68d42-4-7.png) 

Or should I stick to the default, using all available cores? 
![193e05c6-9bb1-4bfe-a7e8-90f93f574602-image.png](https://forum.modalai.com/assets/uploads/files/1750400306503-193e05c6-9bb1-4bfe-a7e8-90f93f574602-image.png)

## Reply by Moderator (ModalAI staff) · 2025-06-20 14:20:51 UTC

@kerct the higher number cores are larger and more powerful, and they generate more heat. So, the kernel is intelligently biased towards keeping the chip from overheating

## Reply by kerct · 2025-06-23 02:04:22 UTC (in reply to Moderator)

@Moderator oh I see, so to reduce overheating would it be recommended to use the default settings instead of limiting my process to cpu 4 to 7?