When evaluating the performance of a computer, many system parameters are tested. Response times, bandwidth, operating system resource efficiency and critical parameters are just a few of them. Very often, one of the outdated elements can greatly slow down the operation of the entire system.
Response time
Computer response time is the average time it takes for various components in the computer to respond to commands from the central processor. It is influenced by a number of factors, including the speed of the processor, the type of hard drive, and the amount of available RAM. For example, a hard drive with a rotation speed of 7,500 rpm writes and reads information much faster than hard drives with a lower speed.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth also affects the response time of the computer. This metric expresses the amount of data that the system can move from one place to another in a given time. High-bandwidth computers can transfer a 100 megabyte file much faster than low-speed computers. In theory, a 100 megabit hard drive can move 100 megabytes per second. This figure depends on both the speed of the hard drive and the clock speed of the processor and RAM.
Efficiency of using computer resources by the operating system
The more resources available to the operating system, the better and faster it works. A computer performance test compares the machine with other computers of similar configuration to verify that the available capacity is being used effectively. PCs that perform well in this category require much less RAM and CPU to complete a given task. This frees up additional resources for other functions. Often, for testing, various operating systems are installed on a computer in order to find out which one is the best for the optimization task.
Critical parameters
The main goal in evaluating the performance of a computer is to test various components to determine the critical parameters of a given configuration. With the invention of solid state drive technology, some of the problems in this area have been successfully addressed. Hard drives used to be the slowest component of most computer systems. Now processes and RAM can run much faster thanks to the higher speed of reading, writing and storing information on the drive.
Testing with third-party programs
There are several tools that allow desktop owners to self-test their system's performance. PassMark Performance Test and Everest Corporate Edition can test installed hardware and identify issues that affect PC performance. There are several free programs available. For example, HD Tach will help you test the speed of your hard drive and compare it with other users' computers.
