CPU Performance

• What are the three main factors affecting computer performance?

  Cache memory, clock speed, number of cores
• What is cache memory?

  Temporary storage for frequently accessed data
• How does cache memory improve performance?

  It provides data to the CPU faster than RAM
• What is the effect of having more cache memory?

  Higher performance due to faster access
• What is a limitation of cache memory?

  It is costly, limiting its amount
• What is clock speed?

  Measure of how quickly a CPU processes instructions
• In what unit is clock speed measured?

  Gigahertz (GHz)
• What does a clock speed of 3.5 GHz mean?

  It can perform 3.5 billion cycles per second
• How does clock speed improve performance?

  Faster clock speed allows more instructions processed
• What is the default clock speed mentioned?

  3.5 GHz
• What is overclocking?

  Increasing clock speed above recommended rate
• What is the effect of overclocking on performance?

  It makes the computer perform faster
• What is a risk of overclocking?

  It can lead to overheating and damage
• What is underclocking?

  Decreasing clock speed below recommended rate
• What is the effect of underclocking on performance?

  It makes the computer perform slower
• What is a benefit of underclocking?

  It increases the lifespan of the machine
• What is a core in a CPU?

  A complete set of CPU components
• How does a multi-core CPU differ from a single-core CPU?

  It has more than one set of components
• How does the number of cores improve performance?

  More cores can execute more instructions simultaneously
• How many instructions can a quad-core processor execute?

  Four instructions simultaneously
• What is a limitation of having more cores?

  One core may wait for another to finish
• Why might some software not benefit from multiple cores?

  It is not written to utilize multiple cores
• What are the main factors affecting CPU performance?

  • Cache memory
  • Clock speed
  • Number of cores
• What are the effects of overclocking and underclocking on performance?

  • Overclocking: Increases performance but risks overheating
  • Underclocking: Decreases performance but extends lifespan
• What are the limitations of having more cores in a CPU?

  • One core may wait for another
  • Some software may not utilize multiple cores