A device, system, and method are directed towards managing threads in a computer system with one or more processing units, each processing unit having a corresponding hardware resource. Threads are characterized based on their use or requirements for access to the hardware resource. The threads are distributed among the processing units in a configuration that leaves at least one processing unit with threads that have an aggregate zero or low usage of the hardware resource. Power may be reduced or turned off to the instances of the hardware resource that have zero or low usage. Distribution may be based on one or more of a number of specifications or factors, such as user power management specifications, power usage, performance, and other factors.