Overview
Clock speed, or clock rate, indicates how many cycles a CPU can perform in one second. It is typically measured in Gigahertz (GHz), where 1 GHz equals one billion cycles per second.
Significance
While a higher clock speed generally means faster performance, it is not the only factor. The amount of work a CPU can do per cycle (IPC - Instructions Per Cycle) is equally important.
Variations
- Base Clock: The guaranteed minimum speed of the processor.
- Boost/Turbo Clock: The maximum speed a processor can reach for short periods under heavy load.