Factors that affect processing performance Flashcards
Name the 6 things that affect processing performance.
Clock Speed, Number of Cores, type and size of Cache Memory, Word Length, Address Bus Width, Data Bus Width
How does Clock speed affect processing performance?
- The faster the clock speed the more cycles the CPU executes per second.
- However if the clock speed is too high it can damage the CPU
How does Cache Memory affect processing performance?
Cache memory can be accessed faster than main memory because it sits close to the processor.
How does Word Length affect processing performance?
It improves performance as more bits of data can be handled in a second.
How does Address Bus Width affect processing performance?
-The larger the width of the address bus the more memory locations can be accessed, in one trip
How does Data Bus width affect processing performance?
-The larger the width of the data bus the more data can be carried in one fetch operation so it increases processor speed
How does the number of cores affect processing performance?
- Increasing the number of cores gives the computer more power to process multiple programs simultaneously.
- It can process more instructions per second if multiple programs are running.
In what case may a computer with multiple cores be slower than a computer with one core?
If only one program is being run and the computer with one core runs at a faster rate than the computer with multiple cores then the computer with one core will be able to complete the task quicker.
What is word length?
The number of bits the CPU can process simultaneously