[mattduke]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'Y')ORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a just-published paper in the magazine Science, IBM (NYSE: IBM) researchers demonstrated a radio-frequency graphene transistor with the highest cut-off frequency achieved so far for any graphene device - 100 billion cycles/second (100 GigaHertz).

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mattduke', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'Y')ORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a just-published paper in the magazine Science, IBM (NYSE: IBM) researchers demonstrated a radio-frequency graphene transistor with the highest cut-off frequency achieved so far for any graphene device - 100 billion cycles/second (100 GigaHertz).

[Novus]

It is not even a processor it is just a few atoms vibrating extremely fast. It may become a useful technology at some point but probably not for a long time.

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tanada', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mattduke', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'Y')ORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a just-published paper in the magazine Science, IBM (NYSE: IBM) researchers demonstrated a radio-frequency graphene transistor with the highest cut-off frequency achieved so far for any graphene device - 100 billion cycles/second (100 GigaHertz).

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MD', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tanada', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mattduke', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'Y')ORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a just-published paper in the magazine Science, IBM (NYSE: IBM) researchers demonstrated a radio-frequency graphene transistor with the highest cut-off frequency achieved so far for any graphene device - 100 billion cycles/second (100 GigaHertz).

[Jotapay]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tanada', 'S')o what is the theoretical LIMIT to computer speed? There has to be an upper limit forced on us by the Universe.

[Carlhole]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tanada', 'S')o what is the theoretical LIMIT to computer speed? There has to be an upper limit forced on us by the Universe.

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Carlhole', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tanada', 'S')o what is the theoretical LIMIT to computer speed? There has to be an upper limit forced on us by the Universe.

[dorlomin]

The answer is 42. Everyone knows this.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MD', '
')Brings to mind Isaac Asimov's short story. Don't remember the name but the basic idea is the development of the ultimate super mega computer, tasked to solve the mysteries of the universe. The story ends with the computer coming up with the final answer as entropy winds to it's final universal conclusion many billions of years into the future, proclaiming "let there be light".

A great story...as were most all of Asimov's

[pablonite]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tanada', 'S')o what is the theoretical LIMIT to computer speed? There has to be an upper limit forced on us by the Universe.

[fox]

this process is a wonderful advancement.
the actual CPU speed would be more like 20 GHz.

The real limit is not the hardware but the way the hardware is implemented, and how the software interacts with it.
How well the software is designed to match the way the hardware is designed is the biggest speed bottleneck.There are many good reasons why. This is a very complex subject.
For example most software in the world is designed for 1 core and doesn't scale well into many parallel cores, so adding more cores won't make a noticeable difference.
Another thing is the rest of the system (L1, L2, IO bus, hard drive etc) has to be able to keep the CPU well supplied with input.(instructions and data)
traditionally software design has been 10 to 15 years behind the hardware and this hasn't changed much since the pentium chip in 1995. and even design elements from the 386 from the 1980's is still with us today, hardware and software. the PCI bus was designed in 1993. we still use it today because it serves its purpose still.
Software is expensive to produce and accountants don't like ITC guys spending money on gear. They think we're buying this expensive kit just to have a good gaming rig in mission control.

[kublikhan]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('fox', 'S')oftware is expensive to produce and accountants don't like ITC guys spending money on gear. They think we're buying this expensive kit just to have a good gaming rig in mission control.

[pablonite]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('GASMON', 'W')ill it solve Peak Oil ???

[Bas]

I spoke to a computer genius about this a few nights ago, and he told me that at 100 ghz it will interfere with other electronic equipment in the computer and that you need a kind of shielding for it that doesn't exist yet.

Don't ask me why though, this guy is from singapore and his english isn't all that good and neither are his social skills. He always assumes that I know everything about computerscience and quantum effects no matter how often I tell him that I don't.

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pablonite', 'A') 100 gigahertz transistor means in theory you could build a 100 GHz processor and memory but heat is a limiting factor hence the push for supercooled semiconductors.

[Jotapay]

You need to ask: Why don't I have a 10 GHz CPU right now?

Anyone who has built a few computers would know this.