Macbook Pro not using all of processing power

Multi-core and multi-thread systems can only run in multi-* mode if the software supports it. If software is not designed to look for an open thread on an open core, the system will run more-or-less single thread.

I have designed mutli-thread processing before, and it has considerably greater "coordination" tasks than single-thread code.

As to specific nature of the software packages you mention, I cannot comment.

Computer have three things which can bottleneck and cause poor performance

CPU is the one everyone leaps on first but is usually the least likely to be the cause of the problem

RAM is more likely. The system will start copying data to disk if it run short of RAM.

Disk is another likely cause. This is especially true if the amount free space falls too low

Since you are seeing low CPU utilizatio, you really should check the other two possible causes

How much free space do you?

Allan

RAM and disk ... very true.

Should not have missed those causes. Thanks for filling in.

25 years in server support, you would not believe how many manager got on my case about CPU problems in their servers. I had to repeat this so many times I can do it in my sleep now.

Allan

The OP is in good hands. I will bow out.

Cheers.

Expanding on the above, with 64-bit systems like Mountain Lion, RAM becomes critical. 4GB is a bare minimum. And will fall short if you add a few hungry apps. What happens then? Unix's fallback for low RAM conditions kicks in: virtual memory. The system tries to simulate what it does not have: extra "RAM" in the shape of a chunk of hard disk space where unneded stuff gets dumped to free real RAM. Now the system starts to lag as it desperately tries to guess which part of stuff in RAM can be moved to the disk and waits till the slow disk operation concludes. Worst case is when space runs out in the drive and all comes crashing down.

So, upgrade and give the big cat at least 8GB RAM. Can go up to 16GB. And always leave AT LEAST 10% of the drive empty.

Lastly, if you want to know what your cores and threads are up to, start up Activity Monitor. Click on the CPU tab at the bottom part of the window. Then double-click on the CPU graph. A new window will pop open, showing the load on each thread the CPU can handle concurrently.

HT1342- Using Activity Monitor to read system memory and determine how much RAM is being used

Pay particular attention to PageOuts and Swap used, as these are direct indications of cumulative simulation of RAM on Disk.

But is it using secondary memory on disk? Here's an example of a non-paging system that is using just its physical RAM. No disk access = much better performance.

Go to crucial.com or macsales.com. They both sell high quality RAM that works with Mac (macs are picky and get twitchy with inproper RAM). Both sites guide you to the right RAM for your system.

I suspected that the problem was going to be RAM

I suggested checking disk space first because it was easier to do. Pick the low hanging fruit first

I am glad you not have a handle on the problem with your MBP

Allan

Corsair FTW!!!!