2.0Ghz??

[jamesjingyi]

I probably sound like a massive noob but my MacBook Black from 2007 has the same amount of Ghz as the new MacBook Air when it's maxed out.
How come mine is so weak compared to it?

 

[GGJstudios]

I probably sound like a massive noob but my MacBook Black from 2007 has the same amount of Ghz as the new MacBook Air when it's maxed out.
How come mine is so weak compared to it?

It's not just the GHz. It's a completely different processor:
MacBook Air "Core i7" 2.0 13" (Mid-2012) Specs

This model is powered by a 22 nm, 64-bit Intel Mobile Core i7 "Ivy Bridge" (I5-3667U) processor which includes two independent processor "cores" on a single silicon chip. Each core has a dedicated 256k level 2 cache, shares 4 MB of level 3 cache, and has an integrated memory controller (dual channel).

This system also supports "Turbo Boost 2.0" -- which "automatically increases the speed of the active cores" to improve performance when needed (up to 3.2 GHz for this model) -- and "Hyper Threading" -- which allows the system to recognize four "virtual cores" or "threads."

 

[jamesjingyi]

Then what does the 2GHz mean?

 

[dukebound85]

Then what does the 2GHz mean?

the frequency of the cpu

there is more to play in terms od overall performance than just prc speed

 

[GGJstudios]

Then what does the 2GHz mean?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GHz#Computing

 

[jamesjingyi]

Yeah that says about the GHz, but how come the new i7 processor runs at the same GHz as my ancient MacBook?

 

[GGJstudios]

Yeah that says about the GHz, but how come the new i7 processor runs at the same GHz as my ancient MacBook?

A more advanced processor will achieve greater performance at the same clock speed as a less advanced processor. Clock speed is not the only factor in determining processor performance.

 

[imageWIS]

A more advanced processor will achieve greater performance at the same clock speed as a less advanced processor. Clock speed is not the only factor in determining processor performance.

This. Plus the RAM speed / amount and the HD read / write speed are also big factors in overall speed.

 

[robvas]

The new CPU's also have Turbo Boost!

 

[atMac]

You can only compare GHz to GHz when talking about the same CPU family.

IE: Core2 Duo vs Core2 Duo, or SandyBridge vs SandyBridge

What changes is the amount of work that each 1MHz does on the CPU, so while a Core2Duo may run 2.0 GHz like a 2.0GHz IvyBridge then that IvyBridge may be more efficient and make that 2.0 GHz do 2x's more work at the same speed, making it about as fast as a 3.8 - 4.0 GHz Core2Duo.

Does that help explain? It's actually a bit more complicated than that, but you should get the general idea.

 

[richard.mac]

Yeah that says about the GHz, but how come the new i7 processor runs at the same GHz as my ancient MacBook?

He was also asking why it has the same frequency (GHz) as his old MacBook.

The MacBook Airs use an ultra low power CPU to allow it to be cooler in such a small body. Being ultra low power means that it will have a lower frequency, but as robvas said, it also has turboboost to increase the frequency for when the CPU is not using all of its cores and power.

 

[jamesjingyi]

Ok thanks!