How do you calculate your computer system speed?

Answer 1

Speed matter when it comes to computing. With new computers costing upward of $1,500, you will naturally want to ensure that you are getting what you paid for. Computer speed can be calculated through a number of different ways, but all of these methods can provide a reasonable approximation of how fast your computer is running. Many of these methods can also let you know how quickly your computer is running when compared to similar models, letting you know whether you found a bargain or a lemon.

steps

1. Locate the basic speed of your computer by right clicking on the "My Computer" icon and selecting the option for 'Properties.' This will list the processor speed and onboard memory amounts of your machine, allowing you to see whether they match up with the promised manufacturer specs. Additionally, if you are running either Windows Vista or Windows 7, the screen will contain a general performance rating, allowing you to ascertain how capable your computer is of running the operating system.

2. Download the run the Sandra test (linked below in Resources) to determine how fast your computer's subsystems are when compared against similar models. You will be able to judge your computer's memory speed, hard drive speed, network speed, processing speed and all other salient characteristics of your machine. It will also allow you to compare your computer's results against the results of similarly equipped computer. The test itself is free to download, making it a bargain when it comes to calculating computer speed.

3. Use the SuperPI program (linked below in Resources) to calculate your overall processing speed compared against the most powerful computers in the world. The SuperPI program will calculate the number PI to 4,294,960,000 decimal digits, which will take most computers a fairly substantial amount of time.

Answer 2

The CPU frequency