ITGSS Certified Technology Specialist

Which of the following statements best describes CPU performance?

1. Lowering clock frequency decreases processing speed.

2. For a given architecture, raising clock frequency increases processing speed.

3. Increasing the cache size has no effect on processor speed.

4. The number of cores is the only factor in CPU performance.

The correct answer is: For a given architecture, raising clock frequency increases processing speed.

The statement that raising clock frequency increases processing speed is accurate because the clock frequency defines how many cycles per second a CPU can execute. An increase in clock frequency means that more instructions can be processed in a given time frame, leading to improved performance for tasks that rely on the CPU's ability to complete instructions quickly. This principle underlines the importance of clock speed in determining the overall throughput of the processor, particularly in single-threaded applications, where more cycles translate directly to more executed instructions. Other options often present misunderstandings about CPU performance. For instance, while lowering clock frequency does decrease processing speed, understanding that there are multiple factors involved in performance (such as the efficiency of the architecture and the type of workload) provides a more nuanced view. The assertion that increasing cache size has no effect on processing speed is misleading; a larger cache can reduce memory latency and improve performance for workloads that benefit from high-speed data access. Finally, while having multiple cores can enhance performance for parallel processing tasks, it is not the sole determinant of CPU performance; factors such as clock speed, cache size, and architectural efficiency all contribute significantly as well.