Multicore processor and method of use that configures core functions based on executing instructions

A multiprocessor system having plural heterogeneous processing units schedules instruction sets for execution on a selected of the processing units by matching workload processing characteristics of processing units and the instruction sets. To establish an instruction set's processing characteristics, the homogeneous instruction set is executed on each of the plural processing units with one or more performance metrics tracked at each of the processing units to determine which processing unit most efficiently executes the instruction set. Instruction set workload processing characteristics are stored for reference in scheduling subsequent execution of the instruction set.