CPU Performance

Question 1

How does cache memory improve performance?

Answer 1

• Cache is closer to the CPU than RAM, meaning it can provide data and instructions to the CPU at a faster rate.
• A computer with more cache memory should have a higher performance because repeatedly used instructions can be stored and accessed faster.

Question 2

What is the limitation of cache memory?

Answer 2

• Costly, so most computers only have a small amount.

Question 3

What is clock speed and how is it measured?

Answer 3

• It is the measure of how quickly a CPU can process instructions.
• It is measured in Gigahertz (GHz).
• 3.5Ghz = 3.5 billion cycles per second.

Question 4

How does clock speed improve performance?

Answer 4

• The faster the clock speed, the faster the computer can perform the FDE cycle resulting in better performance because more instructions can be processed each second.

Question 5

How does overclocking affect performance?

Answer 5

• Overclocking is when the computer’s clock speed is increased higher than the recommended rate.
• This will make the computer perform faster, but it can lead to overheating and could damage the machine.

Question 6

How does underclocking affect performance?

Answer 6

• Underclocking is when the computer’s clock speed is decreased lower than the recommended rate.
• This will make the computer perform slower but will increase the lifespan of the machine.

Question 7

What is a core?

Answer 7

• A complete set of CPU components.

Question 8

How does the number of cores improve performance?

Answer 8

• A computer with more cores will have a higher performance because it can process more instructions at once.

Question 9

Limitations of having more cores

Answer 9

• If one core is waiting for another core to finish processing, performance may not increase at all.
• Some software is not written to make use of multiple cores, so it will not run any quicker on a multi-core computer.