Performance Of The CPU Flashcards
Explain the effects of a high clock speed on the CPU
Increase in Clock speed will increase the number of instructions a single core processor can carry out per second.(Hz)
(This results in more fetch execute cycles being performed.)
Why does cache size affect the cpu performance
Cache is high speed memory inside the processor that stores frequently used instructions.
This allows it to transfer data faster and makes the cpu more efficient.
However cache memory is costly.
How does overclocking and under clocking affect the CPU performance
Increasing the clock speed too high will make the computer performance faster but can lead to overheating and could damage the machine. (Can be prevented by using high performance cooling systems)
Decreasing the clock speed will slower the performance but will increase the lifespan of the machine.
Explain why having a quad-core processor will not always run twice as fast as a dual-core processor
Software may be designed to run 1 core and not multiple. (Dual core can execute two instructions
And a quad core can execute four instructions simultaneously.
A computer with more cores can execute more instructions. If a computer is waiting for another core to finish processing it might not increase performance at all.
This could also be because a dual core may have a faster clock speed or a quad core may have less RAM or less cache.
How does RAM affect CPU performance?
Too little RAM means that the computer will run slowly because the system would need to rely on virtual memory. The more RAM the more programs and applications that can be smoothly run making it faster.
