why does CPUs/CPU cores seem to be capped at 3 – 4 Ghz since almost a decade?

Question

why does CPUs/CPU cores seem to be capped at 3 – 4 Ghz since almost a decade?

In: 1368

Answer 1

Until about 2006 every time transistors got smaller they also reduced in voltage and current substantially which together are power. This reduction in power allowed higher frequencies to “use” some of those power savings but for the last 15 years the power reduction hasn’t been as good as the area reduction. We can put more transistors in a given space but they use more power and so you see more transistors being used for more cores not higher frequencies.