3.4 Computer SystemsComparison

Performance Factor Comparison

Part of CPU Performance · GCSE GCSE Computer Science revision

This comparison covers Performance Factor Comparison within CPU Performance for GCSE Computer Science. Revise CPU Performance in 3.4 Computer Systems for GCSE Computer Science with 15 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 6 of 8 in this topic. Use this comparison to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Topic position

Section 6 of 8

Practice

15 questions

Recall

12 flashcards

Performance Factor Comparison

Factor How It Helps Limitation Measured In
Clock Speed More FDE cycles per second Heat/power limit (~5 GHz max) GHz (billions/second)
Cores Multiple tasks simultaneously Programs must support multi-threading Number (2, 4, 8, etc.)
Cache Reduces wait time for data Very expensive, limited space on chip MB (megabytes)

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in CPU Performance. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Practice Questions for CPU Performance

What does clock speed measure in a CPU?

  • A. The amount of RAM installed in the computer
  • B. The number of instructions the CPU can process per second
  • C. The size of the CPU cache memory
  • D. The number of processor cores available
1 markfoundation

Describe three factors that affect CPU performance.

3 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

What is clock speed measured in?
GHz (gigahertz) - billions of cycles per second
Three CPU performance factors?
Clock speed, cores, cache

15 questions on CPU Performance — practise free

Instant marking, adaptive difficulty, and 12 spaced repetition flashcards. Free until your GCSEs.

Try PrepWise Free