Open In App

What is MIPS(Million of Instructions Per Second)?

Last Updated : 05 Apr, 2025
Comments
Improve
Suggest changes
Like Article
Like
Report

MIPS is a measure of a processor's speed, representing the number of instructions a CPU can process in one second. It's used to indicate how well a computer performs and how much work it can do. A computer that can process 12,000 MIPS should outperform one that processes 10,000 MIPS.

MIPS-Full-Form

The MIPS estimation has been utilized by computer producers like IBM to degree the "cost of computing." The value of computers is decided in MIPS per dollar. Interests, the esteem of computers in MIPS per dollar has consistently multiplied on a yearly premise for a final couple of decades. MIPS is a simplified metric and doesn't account for other factors that affect real-world performance, such as instruction complexity, I/O speed, or processor architecture.

How to Calculate MIPS

Required inputs for calculating MIPS are the

  •  Number of instructions per second can be performed by a processor 
  •  CPU processor speed (cycles per second), Ex (1 GHz, 2 GHz).
  •  CPI (average clock cycles per instruction).
  •  Execution time. 

Method 1: If Number of Instructions and Execution Time is Given. 

Step 1: Perform the Divide operation between no. of instructions and Execution time and store the value (Let X)  in a variable. 

Step 2: Perform the Divide operation between that variable (X) and 1 million for finding millions of instructions per second. Example:

if a computer completed 2 million instructions in 0.10 seconds .
X = 2 million/0.10 = 20 million.
No of MIPS = X/1 million (as the name tells about it)
No of MIPS=20 million/1 million =20.

Method 2: If the Number of Cycles per Second (CPU) and the Number of Cycles per Instruction (CPI) are Given. 

Step 1: Perform the Divide operation between the number of cycles per second (CPU) and the number of cycles per instruction (CPI) and store the value (X) in a variable. 

Step 2: Perform a Divide operation between that variable and 1 million for finding millions of instructions per second. Example:

If a computer with a CPU of 400 megahertz had a CPI of 2.
IPS(Instructions per second)=Clock Speed/CPI
X = 400×106/2
X =200×106instructions per second
For million instruction per second we divide by one million.
MIPS=200×106/106=200MIPS.

Advantages of MIPS:

  • It is easy to understand and measure
  • It helps in the calculation of CPU processor speed (cycles per second), CPI (average clock cycles per instruction) and Execution time.
  • It handles when the amount of work is large.

Disadvantages of MIPS:

  • It may not reflect real execution, since simple instructions do way better.
  • It is an older, obsolete measure of a computer's speed and power.

What is MIPS and Mflops?

MIPS—“million instructions per second”: not useful due to variations in instruction length, implementation, etc. Mflop/s—“million floating-point operations per second”.

What are the three types of MIPS instructions?

In MIPS there are only 3 ways to format instructions. They are the R-format (register), the I- format (immediate), and the J-format (jump).

Is MIPS RISC or CISC?

The MIPS processor, designed in 1984 by researchers at Stanford University, is a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) processor.


Article Tags :

Similar Reads