[ GLOSSARY DEFINITION ]
Performance
Clock Speed
How many cycles a chip executes per second (GHz/MHz); higher usually means faster, within power limits.
Also known as:
Boost Clock
Base Clock
CPU Clock
Max Clock
Turbo frequency
Full Definition & Technical Explanation
Clock speed is the frequency a CPU/GPU core runs at. Base frequency is sustained under normal load; Boost/Turbo frequency is the peak one or a few cores can reach briefly.
Examples: Max clock: 4260 MHz, Turbo frequency: 5.2 GHz. Real speed depends on cores, cache, thermals, and workload.
Related Technical Terms
CPU Cores
Independent processing units in a CPU; more cores handle more tasks at once.
Performance
Overclocking
Running a chip above its factory clocks for extra performance, usually with more power and heat.
Performance
Thermal Throttling
Chips slowing down when hot to stay within thermal limits; higher stability % means less slowdown.
Performance