Processor frequency and its correct understanding. What is the processor clock speed With a clock speed of 1 7

At a time when Cell phones were thick and black and white, processors were single-core, and gigahertz seemed an insurmountable bar (20 years ago), the only characteristic for comparing CPU power was the clock frequency. A decade later, the second important characteristic was the number of cores. Nowadays, a smartphone, less than a centimeter thick, contains more cores, and has a higher clock speed than a simple PC of those years. Let's try to figure out what the processor clock speed affects.

The processor frequency affects the speed at which the processor transistors (and there are hundreds of millions of them inside the chip) switch. It is measured in the number of switchings per second and expressed in millions or billions of hertz (megahertz or gigahertz). One hertz is one switching of processor transistors per second, therefore, one gigahertz is one billion such switchings in the same time. In one switch, to put it simply, the core performs one mathematical operation.

Following the usual logic, we can come to the conclusion that the higher the frequency, the faster the transistors in the cores switch, the faster problems are solved. That is why in the past, when the bulk of processors were essentially improved Intel x86, the architectural differences were minimal, and it was clear that the higher the clock frequency, the faster the calculations. But over time, everything changed.

Is it possible to compare frequencies of different processors?

In the 21st century, developers taught their processors to process not just one instruction per clock, but more. Therefore, processors with the same clock frequency, but based on different architectures, produce different levels of performance. Intel Core i5 2 GHz and Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 2 GHz are different things. Although the second has more cores, it will be weaker in heavy tasks. Therefore, the frequency of different types of cores cannot be compared; it is also important to take into account specific performance (the number of instruction executions per clock cycle).

If we draw an analogy with cars, then the clock frequency is the speed in km/h, and the specific productivity is the load capacity in kg. If a car (ARM processor for a smartphone) and a dump truck (x86 chip for a PC) are driving nearby, then at the same speed the car will transport a couple of hundred kilos at a time, and the truck will carry several tons. If we talk about different types cores specifically for smartphones (Cortex A53, Cortex A72, Qualcomm Kryo) - these are all passenger cars, but with different capacities. Accordingly, here the difference will not be so huge, but still significant.

You can only compare clock speeds of cores on the same architecture. For example, MediaTek MT6750 and Qualcomm Sanapdragon 625 each contain 8 Cortex A53 cores. But MTK has a frequency of up to 1.5 GHz, and Qualcomm has a frequency of 2 GHz. Consequently, the second processor will work approximately 33% faster. But the Qualcomm Snapdragon 652, although it has a frequency of up to 1.8 GHz, is faster than the 625 model, since it uses more powerful Cortex A72 cores.

What does a high processor frequency give in a smartphone?

As we have already found out, the higher the clock frequency, the faster the processor runs. Consequently, the performance of a smartphone with a higher frequency chipset will be higher. If one smartphone processor contains 4 Kryo cores at 2 GHz, and the second contains 4 of the same Kryo cores at 3 GHz, then the second one will be about 1.5 times faster. This will speed up the launch of applications, reduce startup time, allow heavy sites to be processed more quickly in the browser, etc.

However, when choosing a smartphone with high frequencies processor, you should also remember that the higher they are, the greater the energy consumption. Therefore, if the manufacturer increased more gigahertz, but did not optimize the device properly, it may overheat and go into “throttling” (forced reset of frequencies). For example, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 once suffered from such a drawback.

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As you know, the processor clock speed is the number of operations performed per unit of time, in this case, per second.

But this definition is not enough to fully understand what this concept actually means and what significance it has for us, ordinary users.

You can find many articles on this subject on the Internet, but all of them are missing something.

More often than not, this “something” is the very key that can open the door to understanding.

Therefore, we tried to collect all the basic information, as if it were a puzzle, and put it together into a single, holistic picture.

Contents:

Detailed definition

So, clock speed is the number of operations a processor can perform per second. This value is measured in Hertz.

This unit of measurement is named after a famous scientist who conducted experiments aimed at studying periodic, that is, repeating processes.

What does Hertz have to do with operations in a second?

This question arises when reading most articles in people who did not study physics very well at school (maybe through no fault of their own).

The fact is that this unit precisely denotes the frequency, that is, the number of repetitions of these same periodic processes per second.

It allows you to measure not only the number of operations, but also various other indicators. For example, if you make 3 entries per second, then your breathing rate is 3 Hertz.

As for processors, a variety of operations can be performed here, which boil down to calculating certain parameters.

Actually, the number of calculations of these same parameters per second is called .

Simple as that!

In practice, the concept “Hertz” is used extremely rarely; more often we hear about megaHertz, kiloHertz, and so on. Table 1 shows the “decoding” of these values.

Table 1. Designations

The first and last are currently used extremely rarely.

That is, if you hear that it has 4 GHz, then it can perform 4 billion operations every second.

Not at all! This is the average today. Surely, very soon we will hear about models with a frequency of terahertz or even more.

How is it formed

So, in it there are the following devices:

• clock resonator– is an ordinary quartz crystal, enclosed in a special protective container;
• clock generator– a device that converts one type of vibration into another;
• metal cover;
• data bus;
• textolite substrate, to which all other devices are attached.

So, a quartz crystal, that is, a clock resonator, forms oscillations due to the supply of voltage. As a result, oscillations of electric current are formed.

A clock generator is attached to the substrate, which converts electrical vibrations into impulses.

They are transmitted to data buses, and thus the result of the calculations reaches the user.

This is exactly how the clock frequency is obtained.

It is interesting that in relation to this concept there is great amount misconceptions, in particular regarding the connection between nuclei and frequency. Therefore, this is also worth talking about.

How frequency relates to cores

The core is, in fact, the processor. By this we mean the very crystal that forces the entire device to perform certain operations.

That is, if a particular model has two cores, this means that it contains two crystals that are connected to each other using a special bus.

According to a common misconception, the more cores, the higher the frequency. It’s not for nothing that developers are now trying to fit more and more cores into them. But that's not true. If it is 1 GHz, even if it has 10 cores, it will still remain 1 GHz and will not become 10 GHz.

The fact is that each core performs its specific function and takes on part of the total load on the processor.

It happens that due to a large number of cores, the device will work even slower, since the bus that connects them cannot withstand the load due to poor quality. Although this happens extremely rarely.

This can be illustrated by simple example. If 4 people are walking along the road at a speed of 4 km/h, this does not mean that all of them together are walking at a speed of 16 km/h (4*4).

They all move at a speed of 4 km/h.

If you have any questions, ask them in the comments. We will be happy to answer!

Then the clock frequency is the most well-known parameter. Therefore, it is necessary to specifically understand this concept. Also, within the framework of this article, we will discuss understanding the clock speed of multi-core processors, because there are interesting nuances that not everyone knows and takes into account.

For quite a long time, developers relied on increasing the clock frequency, but over time, the “fashion” has changed and most of the developments go towards creating a more advanced architecture, increasing cache memory and developing multi-cores, but no one forgets about the frequency.

What is the processor clock speed?

First you need to understand the definition of “clock frequency”. The clock speed tells us how many calculations the processor can perform per unit time. Accordingly, the higher the frequency, the more operations the processor can perform per unit time. The clock speed of modern processors is generally 1.0-4 GHz. It is determined by multiplying the external or base frequency by a certain coefficient. For example, Intel processor The Core i7 920 uses a bus speed of 133 MHz and a multiplier of 20, resulting in a clock speed of 2660 MHz.

The processor frequency can be increased at home by overclocking the processor. There are special processor models from AMD and Intel, which are aimed at overclocking by the manufacturer itself, for example, the Black Edition from AMD and the K-series line from Intel.

I would like to note that when buying a processor, frequency should not be the decisive factor in your choice, because only part of the processor’s performance depends on it.

Understanding clock speed (multi-core processors)

Now, in almost all market segments there are no longer single-core processors left. Well, it’s logical, because the IT industry does not stand still, but is constantly moving forward by leaps and bounds. Therefore, you need to clearly understand how the frequency is calculated for processors that have two or more cores.

While visiting many computer forums, I noticed that there is a common misconception about understanding (calculating) the frequencies of multi-core processors. I’ll immediately give an example of this incorrect reasoning: “There are 4 nuclear processor with a clock frequency of 3 GHz, so its total clock frequency will be equal to: 4 x 3 GHz = 12 GHz, right?” - No, not so.

I will try to explain why the total processor frequency cannot be understood as: “number of cores X specified frequency."

Let me give you an example: “A pedestrian is walking along the road, his speed is 4 km/h. This is similar to a single-core processor on N GHz. But if 4 pedestrians are walking along the road at a speed of 4 km/h, then this is similar to a 4-core processor on N GHz. In the case of pedestrians, we do not assume that their speed will be 4x4 = 16 km/h, we simply say: "4 pedestrians walk at a speed of 4 km/h". For the same reason, we do not perform any mathematical operations with the frequencies of the processor cores, but simply remember that a 4-core processor is N GHz has four cores, each of which operates at a frequency N GHz".

Processor clock speed - this is the number of oscillations over a certain period of time(in this case - per second). If we talk about a personal computer, then for it this is an indicator of the number of operations that the processor can perform in 1 second. Remember: the higher the clock speed, the higher the performance of the computer.

What varieties are there?

This is interesting! The unit of measurement of frequency is called the “hertz,” and it is named after the legendary German physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, who in 1885 conducted a unique experiment to confirm the correctness of the electromagnetic theory. The scientist proved that light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that travels in the form of special waves.

Experts distinguish 2 types of clock frequencies.

1. External (affects data exchange between the board random access memory and processor).
2. Internal (affects the correctness and speed of operation inside the processor).

Another interesting fact is that until 1992, these two indicators, as a rule, coincided, and only as a result of the introduction of new technologies by specialists from the well-known company Intel, the internal frequency was increased by 2 times compared to the external one. An example of such an achievement was the 80486DX2 processor, unique at that time. The manufacturer presented to the public 2 types of such a processor: one is less powerful (25/50 MHz), the other is with higher performance (33/66 MHz). This invention gave a serious impetus, including to other manufacturers, and they began to actively develop and produce processors with noticeably more power.

It is worth paying attention to this important point: The processor clock speed is not the only criterion for assessing the speed and performance of a computer. You also need to take into account the size of the cache memory and . Some latest generation processors use a special system that is responsible for automatically increasing the clock frequency of the processor cores. So, if you are an active gamer and cannot imagine your life without daily immersion in the fascinating world of complex games, both in plot and graphics, then you need. But for classic office work, a modern PC is also suitable.

How is the clock frequency determined?

As is known, clock oscillations are formed as a result of the action of a quartz crystal located in a special container. This device is called a “clock resonator”. The crystal begins to work only after voltage is applied and an electric current oscillates. Next, these oscillations are fed to a clock generator, as a result of which the electric current oscillations are converted into pulses, and they are already transmitted to the data buses.

Remember that it is the clock generator that is responsible for the required clock cycle of all PC components, including buses, RAM and, of course, the central processor. If the clock generator is working correctly, all components will also function as synchronously and smoothly as possible.
There is also such a thing as a clock period.

The clock period is the minimum unit by which the operating time of a processor is measured.

Increasing frequency by overclocking

When interacting with the RAM board, the processor usually spends more than one clock cycle. This indicator can be increased artificially, that is, as a result of the so-called “", but having chosen this path, you need to know about some restrictions:

• processor starts consume significantly more energy, and the installed and operated power supply may not be able to cope with this point, so it is worth purchasing a more efficient model;
• as a result of “overclocking,” the amount of energy emitted by the crystal increases, that is, both it and other components will heat up faster(only an effective cooling system will help to cope with the consequences of overheating);
• If the volume of supplied electricity increases, problems will certainly arise. electromagnetic interference, in particular, in the operation of data buses (this can lead to a decrease in the amount of data transferred).

How to find out the processor frequency of your computer?

There are four main ways to find out the clock speed and thus determine the performance of a PC:

1. View the documentation provided by the manufacturer along with your computer or laptop. The technical data sheet must indicate the type of processor and its clock frequency. If there is no inscription regarding the clock frequency next to the specified processor model, you can find it out by entering any search engine processor name, laptop model, etc.
2. You can find out the clock frequency by reading the properties of your PC system. What do I need to do? First, go to the “Control Panel”; secondly, go to the “System Properties” section. This section displays computer performance indicators, including clock speed.
3. You can take advantage of the opportunities, which you can access by following some simple rules (for personal computers they are the same, for laptops they are different). The main thing is to press one “magic” button (for example, Del, Esc or F12) before the system starts booting.
4. Install the CPU-Z utility on your computer, which is absolutely free, and its main purpose is to help the user find out everything he needs Contains information about the processor, including its performance and clock speed.

So, you already know what clock speed is personal computer or laptop, what significance these indicators have for the speed of the equipment, you know how to determine the frequency, and we hope that this information will help you become an even more professional and successful PC user.

Historically, the clock frequency of the processor is the main indicator of the speed of a computer, and at one time even an uneducated person who did not know how an optical disk differs from a floppy disk could confidently say that the more gigahertz in a machine, the better, and no one would I didn't argue with him. Today, in the middle of the computer era, this kind of fashion has passed, and developers are trying to move towards creating a more advanced architecture, increasing the amount of cache memory and the number of processor cores, but clock speed is the “queen” of characteristics. In a general sense, this is the number of elementary operations (cycles) that the processor can perform per second of time.

It follows that the higher the processor clock speed, the more basic operations the computer can perform, and, therefore, the faster it works.

The clock speed of advanced processors ranges from two to four gigahertz. It is determined by multiplying the processor bus frequency by a certain factor. For example, the Core i7 uses a x20 multiplier and has a bus frequency of 133 MHz, resulting in a processor clock speed of 2660 MHz.

Modern and cores

Despite the fact that “multi-core” was previously a novelty, today there are practically no single-core processors left on the market. And there is nothing surprising in this, because the computer industry does not stand still.

Therefore, you should clearly understand how the clock speed is calculated for processors with two or more cores.

It is worth saying that there is a common misconception about calculating the frequency for such processors. For example: “I have a dual-core processor with a clock speed of 1.8 GHz, therefore its total frequency will be 2 x 1.8 GHz = 3.6 GHz, correct?” No, that's wrong. Unfortunately, the number of cores does not in any way affect the final clock speed; if your processor was running at a speed of 3 GHz, it will work that way, but with a larger number of cores, its resources will increase, and this, in turn, will greatly increase performance.

We should also not forget that the amount of cache memory is especially important for a modern processor. This is the fastest computer memory, which duplicates working information that requires more fast access at a given moment in time.

Since this is very expensive and labor-intensive to produce, its values ​​are relatively small, but these indicators are enough to increase the performance of the entire system without changing parameters such as clock speed.

Maximum processor clock speed and overclocking

No matter how good your computer is, someday it will become obsolete. But don’t rush to throw it in the trash and run to the nearest electronics store with an open wallet. Most modern processors and video cards provide additional (in addition to the factory) overclocking, and, having good system cooling, you can increase the nominal frequency level by 200-300 GHz. For extreme sports enthusiasts and lovers of big numbers, there is also “overclocking”, which encourages you to squeeze the maximum out of your equipment. Many people involved in such dangerous work can easily overclock a single-core processor to 6-7 GHz, and some even set records at 8.2 GHz.