Achieving power savings and low latency for storage

A data storage system with multi-core processors dynamically enables and disables processor cores in order to manage power consumption while maintaining performance. One or more active processor cores are disabled responsive to determining that the current workload can be serviced with fewer active processor cores than are currently enabled while maintaining performance. One or more inactive processor cores are enabled responsive to determining that the current workload cannot be serviced with the currently active processor cores while maintaining performance. Separate utilization thresholds may be implemented for enabling inactive processor cores and disabling active processor cores to promote stability.