Question about processors

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bruce Lee
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Bruce Lee

Surely the higher the processor's mhz the quicker it will make calculations?
So why do some processors with lower mhz outperform the ones with higher
mhz?
 
Surely the higher the processor's mhz the quicker it will make calculations?
Click to expand...

Only if all else remained equal, like the CPU's design, the
cache size, the connected bus speeds, the memory speed and
timings, etc. As for design, it also depends on what kind
of concessions have be made in the design to allow that CPU
to operate at any given frequency, for example the long
pipeline on a P4, and what kind of work that design is most
efficient at.
So why do some processors with lower mhz outperform the ones with higher
mhz?
Click to expand...

See above, then also consider that software might be
optimized more for one CPU archtecture or instruction
support than others.
 
kony said:
calculations?

Only if all else remained equal, like the CPU's design, the
cache size, the connected bus speeds, the memory speed and
timings, etc. As for design, it also depends on what kind
of concessions have be made in the design to allow that CPU
to operate at any given frequency, for example the long
pipeline on a P4, and what kind of work that design is most
efficient at.


See above, then also consider that software might be
optimized more for one CPU archtecture or instruction
support than others.
Click to expand...

Cheers. So what's quicker an AMD Sempron 3100+ vs an Intel Celeron D 330j
2.66ghz(533) on the same motherboard, same RAM, same socket?
 
I've used Tom's Hardware Guide, tomshardware.com to provide this data.

It appears that the sempron will be marginally quicker. I couldn't
find the exact models, so I used a slightly faster Celeron and slightly
slower Sempron. Here's a link to my results:
http://www23.tomshardware.com/index.html?modelx=33&model1=73&model2=42&chart=17

As a general rule, assume that the 4-digit number following an AMD
processor, 3100 in this case, is roughly the same as an Intel speed in
MHz.
 
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