Gigahertz: meaning, definitions and examples

frequency measurement

Gigahertz (GHz) is a unit of frequency equivalent to one billion hertz. It is commonly used to measure the frequency of electromagnetic waves, such as radio and microwaves, as well as the clock speed of computer processors. In computing, a processor operating at a specific gigahertz value can perform a certain number of cycles per second, influencing its performance. Higher gigahertz values generally indicate faster processing speeds, but other factors contribute to overall performance. This unit is part of the metric system and is denoted by the prefix 'giga', which means billion.

GHz, frequency, megahertz.

Examples of usage

• My computer's processor runs at 3.5 gigahertz.

• The Wi-Fi network operates on a 5 gigahertz frequency.

• Some modern smartphones have processors that exceed 2.0 gigahertz.

• The signal strength improves at the gigahertz level.