CPU Performance Factors

Question 1

What 5 factors affect CPU performance?

Answer 1

Clock
Cores
Cache (internal and external)
Size of RAM
Graphics card (GPU)

Question 2

What does a higher clock speed mean?

Answer 2

The CPU can run faster, meaning more instructions can bed processed every second

Question 3

What is a heat sink?

Answer 3

A heat sink is a device designed to take heat away from the CPU, it includes metal fins to dissipate heat and a fan to drive air across the fins

Question 4

What is overclocking?

Answer 4

Running a CPU faster than it’s normal design speed

Question 5

What is a core within the CPU?

Answer 5

A core is a complete processing unit within the CPU

Question 6

What 2 things does increasing the number of cores allow the computer to do?

Answer 6

Multi-tasking

Parallel Processing

Question 7

What is Multi-tasking?

Answer 7

Is the ability to carry out more than one task at the same time

Question 8

What is Parallel Processing?

Answer 8

Is when a single task (program) is split into two or more parts and each part is processed at the same time

Question 9

What does having a larger cache mean?

Answer 9

It will speed up processing because the CPU can access data and instructions faster than they can from RAM

Question 10

What is RAM?

Answer 10

Is the main memory that is used to store computer programs and data that are currently in use

Question 11

What is Virtual Memory?

Answer 11

Is an area set aside on the hard disk to act as a very slow form of RAM

Question 12

When is Virtual Memory used?

Answer 12

When RAM is full