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OCR GCSE Computer Science Exam Questions
1.1 Systems Architecture
1.1 question 30
After upgrading RAM, identify further changes to improve performance and explain how they help. (Quality of written communication will be assessed.)
6
MARKS
Mark scheme
Increase clock speed: More FDE cycles per second → faster response.
Add more cores: Run tasks concurrently (software permitting).
Increase cache: More frequently used items close to CPU.
New GPU: Offloads graphics/parallel work.
Change HDD to SSD: Faster reads/writes.
Maintenance: Defragment HDD (if used) to reduce seek time.
Add more cores: Run tasks concurrently (software permitting).
Increase cache: More frequently used items close to CPU.
New GPU: Offloads graphics/parallel work.
Change HDD to SSD: Faster reads/writes.
Maintenance: Defragment HDD (if used) to reduce seek time.
Exam guidance
High (5–6): Several upgrades identified with clear impact; accurate terminology. Mid (3–4): Some upgrades with weaker explanation. Low (1–2): Minimal points or unclear links.
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