Grade 11 · Theory
Computer performance
Hardware · about 3 min
The CPU repeats the fetch–decode–execute cycle billions of times a second.No single number defines performance. CPU, RAM, storage and GPU all contribute — the slowest link drags the rest down.
Key points- CPU: clock speed (GHz), number of cores, cache size.
- RAM: capacity and speed determine how much can run smoothly.
- Storage: an SSD makes booting and loading dramatically faster than an HDD.
- GPU matters for games, video editing and AI workloads.
- Software factors: OS bloat, startup programs, malware and fragmentation (HDD) also slow machines.
- Balance beats one big part: a fast CPU with too little RAM still stutters.
- Bottleneck — the component that limits overall performance.
- Multicore — several processing cores executing in parallel.
EXAM TIP
given a slow-PC scenario, identify the likely bottleneck and recommend the specific upgrade.