Clock speed measures a computer’s basic calculations and operations, with a quartz crystal inside the CPU setting the frequency. While it’s commonly used to refer to CPU performance, it’s not a reliable indicator of overall computer performance. Upgrading components or overclocking can increase speed, but it’s not recommended due to potential damage and voided warranties.
Clock speed is a measure of how quickly a computer completes basic calculations and operations. It is measured as a frequency in hertz (Hz) and most commonly refers to the speed of the computer’s central processing unit (CPU). While computer developers and users may refer to this term in regards to CPU performance, this has fallen out of favor as CPUs have become more complex. The simplest ways to increase the clock speed in a computer include upgrading components and “overclocking” a piece of hardware.
Which measure clock speeds
There is a small quartz crystal inside a CPU that vibrates at a particular oscillation or frequency. This frequency sets the “speed” of processes in the computer and is usually very high; they are typically measured in megahertz (MHz) and gigahertz (GHz). One megahertz is one million cycles per second, while one gigahertz is one billion cycles per second. So a computer with a clock speed of 800 MHz executes 800,000,000 cycles per second, while a 2.4 GHz computer executes 2,400,000,000 cycles per second.
These loops set the speed for all processes within a computer. This ensures that all components and memory work together at a speed that remains harmonious. Different components and processes can also run at a fraction of the primary CPU speed, which allows each element of a computer to run on its own and still run at the CPU’s primary frequency.
Computer clock speed and performance
There is some contention over the use of clock speed as a benchmark for computer performance, and many CPU manufacturers appear to be abandoning its use as a primary performance indicator. The problem stems from the fact that while clock speed serves as a fairly reliable indicator of how a chip manufactured by one company compares to another of its chips, it is a poor indicator of how it might compete against a chipset from a company. other company. Many other elements can also affect computer performance which makes CPU speed even less effective for overall computer benchmarking. The amount of random access memory (RAM) in a computer, the speed of that RAM, and the type of hard drive used in a computer can play a significant role in determining performance.
CPUs in comparison
When comparing one Intel® chip to another, for example, clock speed is a pretty good indicator of the differences between them. All other things being equal, an 800 MHz Pentium® computer performs most processor-based tasks approximately twice as fast as a 400 MHz Pentium® computer. When comparing a Pentium® chip and a AMD®, however, AMD® tends to do most tasks faster than a comparable Pentium®.
For this reason, AMD® has stopped listing clock speeds as the primary method of advertising on their computers, instead associating a number with the computer to show how well it performs compared to a Pentium®. Intel® has also begun to move away from advertised speeds, primarily due to the introduction of laptop-oriented CPUs, which have much lower clock speeds to optimize laptop performance. If only speed were listed, these processors would appear to be inferior to their desktop CPUs.
Improved CPU performance
There are several ways a computer user can increase the speed of their computer. Upgrading an older CPU to a new one, for example, can provide hardware with a higher clock speed or more “cores”. Multi-core processors are essentially two or more CPUs in one, providing increased performance for software programs that can take advantage of multiple cores.
It is also possible to “overclock” a processor. This basically increases the clock speed of a CPU beyond what the manufacturer recommends, allowing the computer to run faster. However, overclocking a CPU is generally not recommended, as it produces additional heat that can damage the processor or other components, and typically voids most computer warranties.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
