Is this true?

Is it true that a computer is only as fast as the slowest component? Or am I confusing something here?

 

No Aimee it is not true.

A computer is far to complex a machine for this statement to apply. There are many different factors involved in how fast a particular computer accomplishes a particular task.

Some of these are hardware related, which I assume you are talking about, some are software related and some depend upon the task itself. Furthermore some tasks go at a set speed regardless of the computer concerned for example all 56K modems work at - you guessed it 56K.

 

Yes, it does. The slowest component drags down the rest. A super fast processor but slow Frontside bus slows the computer. Fast RAM and a slow processor slows the computer.

And for reference, 56K is only 56K under lab conditions.

 

Well I'd back the P3 750 with W2k (with my tuning) that I'm typing this on, against any quad core Vista crap that I've had in for service.

Speed depends upon may things, to slightly bend what the walrus said.

 

By "component", are you including software? Because you can have the best and fastest machine mechanically, but if you load it down with crappy, resource-hogging software, it's going to make you crazy.

Which is why I'm still running Win2K on my desktop. My laptop blows this machine out of the water for speed even after the recent upgrade, but with the XP crap I haven't managed to root out and get rid of, it looks like an old lady in a '47 Edsel racing Dale Earnhardt in #3.