How to Calculate CPU Speed

The processor (CPU) clock speed is calculated in hertz (Hz), and it reflects the number of cycles per second the processor performs. The CPU communicates with the computer motherboard at much slower rate, called Front Side Bus (FSB). The ratio between the CPU clock rate and the FSB rate is called a multiplier. Correspondently, CPU speed is calculated as a product of FSB and the multiplier. Such calculations are especially important when you try to raise the CPU clock during hardware overclocking. But practical calculations are challenging because neither FSB nor the CPU multiplier are reported by standard operating system software tools. Fortunately, freeware is available that allows you to retrieve hardware information and monitor the overclocking progress.

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Log in to an administrator account in Windows 7/Vista/XP.

2. Step 2

   Download one of the freely available programs that retrieve hardware/CPU information. (See Resources for the links to two such freeware programs.)

3. Step 3

   Click "Start" in Windows XP/Vista/7 and choose "Computer" to open Windows Explorer. Navigate to the folder where the freeware was saved. Double-click the setup file and follow the onscreen instructions to install the program.

4. Step 4

   Launch the freeware installed in Step 3. It may take up to 30 to 60 seconds for the program to retrieve the system information.

5. Step 5

   Select the tab "CPU" in the program window. Write down numbers reported for "Multiplier" and "Bus Speed."

6. Step 6

   Multiply the bus speed (FSB) by the multiplier to calculate the CPU speed. For example, say you received 333 MHz and 9.5 for the bus speed and multiplier values. CPU speed is 333 MHz x 9.5 = 3163.5 MHz or 3.16 GHz.