Factors affecting execution speeds

Factors affecting execution speeds

1. Clock Speed

   • The clock speed is how many instructions can be executed in a second. A typical processor can be rated at 4GHz, which means that it can execute 4,000 million instruction cycles every second.

2. Design of the CPU

   • The design of the CPU circuits has a large impact on performance. For example, Intel designs include i3, i5, i7 processors. The performance of each of these processors at the same clock speed varies, with the i7 being the best and i3 being the slowest.

3. Cache memory

   • The cache memory in a CPU holds queues of instructions and data, ready for processing, to RAM and waiting time involved in fetching them from RAM and to help speed writing to RAM

4. Number of processing cores

   • Multiple cores are able to execute code faster, for example a 4 core CPU can run four core threads at the same time, whereas a 2 core CPU can only run two at a time.

5. Cooling

   • Cooling the CPU is important because if a processor gets too hot, it reduces the speed to generate less heat and so help cool itself down.

6. Motherboard design

   • The design of the motherboard has a significant influence on execution speeds as this c omponent connects the CPU to the RAM, video and backing storage.

7. Amount of RAM

   • An inadequate amount of RAM can have a serious impact on execution speed as current code and data will need to be swapped out to backing storage. The trigger point for this pag ing (used by a PC or laptop to use the backing storage as an overflow areas for RAM, if the RAM fills up) depends upon the operating system and the apps and data open at any one time.

8. Methods if increasing execution speed

   • The most effective method for increasing execution speed is to upgrade the CPU, motherboard, video system and RAM. A better CPU should increase the execution speed.
     • Some users like to over clock their computer system. Over c locking is when the system is set up to run the CPU at a faster speed that it has been rated for.