MIPS

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Definition

Noun: * (Computer Science) A unit for measuring the execution speed of a computer's central processing unit (CPU). It stands for "Millions of Instructions Per Second." It quantifies how many million basic instructions a CPU can execute in one second. It is a measure of raw CPU performance, not the performance of the entire computer system.

Usage
  • MIPS is used as a countable noun, often preceded by a number.
  • It is typically used in technical contexts to compare the processing power of different CPUs or to specify the capabilities of a processor.
Examples
  • The new processor boasts a speed of 2500 MIPS.
  • When comparing the two chips, the higher MIPS rating indicated faster single-threaded performance.
  • Early personal computers operated at speeds measured in single or double-digit MIPS.
Advanced Usage
  • As a benchmark: While MIPS is a simple metric, it is considered an imperfect benchmark because different instructions require different amounts of work. A CPU with a higher MIPS rating may not always perform real-world tasks faster than one with a lower rating if its instructions are less complex or efficient.
  • Contextual Limitation: The definition specifies "not the whole system" because overall computer performance depends on many factors beyond CPU speed, such as memory, storage, and graphics capabilities.
Variants and Related Words
  • MIPS is an acronym. The full form, "Millions of Instructions Per Second," is sometimes written out but is less common.
  • FLOPS (Floating Point Operations Per Second): A related but different unit for measuring a computer's performance, specifically for mathematical calculations involving decimal numbers. Common in scientific computing.
  • IPS (Instructions Per Second): The base unit before scaling to millions.
Synonyms
  • CPU throughput
  • Instruction execution rate
Notes on Meaning
  • The term MIPS can also refer to a specific reduced instruction set computer (RISC) architecture developed by MIPS Technologies, Inc. However, in the context of performance measurement, it almost exclusively refers to the unit "Millions of Instructions Per Second." The correct meaning is usually clear from the context.
Noun
  1. (computer science) a unit for measuring the execution speed of a computer's CPU (but not the whole system)
    • 4 MIPS is 4,000,000 instructions per second