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When I'm shopping for a desktop computer, I hear two numbers constantly: Clock speed (usually in GHz) and core/thread count. What else is there to CPU performance besides these two numbers? What makes a modern CPU more performant than a CPU from years ago, assuming the same core count and clock speed?

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago
  • IPC
  • Instruction set
  • Levels 1 through 3 cache
  • Performance per watt, usually measured by benchmarking, gives you an idea of efficiency

Generally, you can assume that a newer CPU with a the same thread count as an older CPU will outperform it.

However, you'd have to keep in mind a CPU is a very complex entity comprised of its cores, its cache, its bridges, its controllers and whatever I'm missing. Intel, for instance, would not make any huge changes to architecture every other generational skip. It's what they called tick-tock. The tick would be a new concept, the tock would be a refined version.

But redesigning the entire chip, ie its lithography, the layout of what is positioned where, all the way down the to smallest detail, will have some effect on performance. It's difficult to quantify, hence the need for benchmarking tools like Geekbench.