Timing
Frequency
The number of clock cycles per second, measured in Hertz (Hz), determining system speed.
Detailed Explanation
Clock frequency is the primary performance metric—higher frequency means more operations per second. Maximum frequency is limited by the longest combinational path (critical path) between registers. Timing closure ensures all paths meet frequency requirements.
Power consumption scales with frequency (dynamic power proportional to f·C·V²). Voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) trades performance for power savings.