How to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10 (2024)

By: Waseem Patwegar | Filed Under: Windows

If you are wondering whether the Processor or CPU on your computer is equipped with Cache Memory, you will find below the steps to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10.

How to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10 (1)

The idea behind providing the Processor with its own Cache Memory is to store the most frequently used information required by the CPU in the Processor Cache.

Since, the most frequently used data is readily available within the Cache, the processor does not have to spend time accessing this information from main memory (RAM) of the computer.

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Compared to the main memory (RAM), the Processor Cache provides faster access to information, resulting in faster processing of programs and data on a computer.

Compared to RAM, Processor Cache Memory is more expensive, which explains the reason for lesser amounts of Processor Cache Memory being used in computers.

Types of Processor Cache Memory Used in Computers

When you check Processor Cache Memory on a computer, you are likely to find the following types of Processor Cache Memories.

  1. L1 cache: This is the primary cache embedded in the processor chip. This type of Cache is fast, but it offers very limited storage capacity.
  2. L2 cache: This secondary cache can either be embedded on the processor chip or made available on its own separate chip with a high-speed bus connecting it to the CPU.
  3. L3 cache: This type of processor cache is designed to serve as a backup for L1 and L2 caches. While L3 Cache is slower compared to L1 and L2 Caches, it is faster than RAM and offers significant boost to the performance of L1, L2 Cache.

While L1 cache is not often made available on computers, you will most likely find Processors of mid and high end computers being equipped with L2 and L3 Cache Memory.

You will find below different methods to check Processor Cache Memory on a Windows 10 computer.

1. Check Processor Cache Memory Size Using Task Manager

The Task Manager in Windows 10 provides detailed information about the Processor installed on your computer, including L1, L2, and L3 Processor Cache sizes.

1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Task Manager.

How to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10 (2)

2. On the Task Manager screen, click on the Performance tab > click on CPU in the left pane. In the right-pane, you will see L1, L2 and L3 Cache sizes listed under “Virtualization” section.

How to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10 (3)

As you can see in the image above, the CPU in this case has very small L1, L2 and L3 Cache size.

2. Check Processor Cache Memory Size Using Command Prompt

Follow the steps below to find Processor Cache Memory size using the command prompt in Windows 10.

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1. Right-click on Start button and click on Command Prompt (Admin) option.

How to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10 (4)

Note: You can also open Command prompt by searching for CMD in Windows 10 search bar.

2. On the Command Prompt screen, type wmic cpu get L2CacheSize, L3CacheSize and press the Enter key on the keyboard of your computer.

How to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10 (5)

3. Once the command is executed, you will find L2, L3 Cache size information displayed on the screen.

3. Check Processor Cache Memory Using Settings

Another way to check Processor Cache Memory is by using the Settings App on your computer.

1. Open Settings and click on the System tab.

How to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10 (6)

2. On the next screen, scroll down and click on About in the left pane. In the right-pane, you will be able to see the Processor Make, Model and Speed.

How to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10 (7)

Once you know the make and model of the processor, you can get information about the processor, including its Cache Memory Size by looking for “Intel Core i5-7200” processor details on Google.

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How to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10 (2024)

FAQs

How to Check Processor Cache Memory in Windows 10? ›

You mean cache memory of processor? You can check it on Task Manager in Windows10. Open Task Manager window > Performance > CPU. Then you can find it in the right panel.

How to check processor cache memory in Windows 10? ›

How to Check How Much Cache Memory is There in Your Computer?
  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.
  2. In Task Manager, click the Performance tab.
  3. Click on CPU in the left pane.
  4. In the right pane, you will see L1, L2, and L3 Cache sizes listed at the bottom.
5 days ago

How do I check my CPU and memory on Windows 10? ›

Right-click the Taskbar and select Task Manager. Select Performance and click Memory. Here you can check RAM speed in Windows 10 and 11, plus other memory hardware specifications. If you want to see which tasks are using the most RAM, open the Processes tab.

How much CPU cache is enough? ›

A good base for the L1 cache is 64 KB per core. You can find this out by dividing the total amount by the number of cores in the CPU. A 256 KB L2 cache per core is perfectly acceptable, but gamers might benefit from 512 KB per core. And anything between 32 and 96 MB of L3 cache is perfectly fine for most purposes.

How can we measure the Performance of cache memory? ›

The performance of cache memory is frequently measured in terms of a quantity called Hit ratio. We can improve Cache performance using higher cache block size, higher associativity, reduce miss rate, reduce miss penalty, and reduce the time to hit in the cache.

How do I check my RAM processor? ›

How to check how much RAM you have on Windows 10
  1. Step 1: Click “Start” ...
  2. Step 2: Find “About Your PC” ...
  3. Step 3: Navigate to “Device Specifications” ...
  4. Step 4: Find out how much RAM you have. ...
  5. Method 1– ctrl, shift, esc. ...
  6. Method 2 – ctrl, alt, del. ...
  7. Method 3 – start, task manager, performance.

What is cache memory in processor? ›

cache memory, supplementary memory system that temporarily stores frequently used instructions and data for quicker processing by the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer. The cache augments, and is an extension of, a computer's main memory.

How to check processor Performance? ›

If you're wondering how to check your clock speed, click the Start menu (or click the Windows key) and type “System Information.” Your CPU's model name and clock speed will be listed under “Processor.”

How to check processor in PC? ›

To check your PC hardware specs, click on the Windows Start button, then click on Settings (the gear icon). In the Settings menu, click on System. Scroll down and click on About. On this screen, you should see specs for your processor, Memory (RAM), and other system info, including Windows version.

How do I track CPU and memory usage? ›

Resource Monitor
  1. Select Start, enter resmon, and then select Resource Monitor from the search results.
  2. In the Resource Monitor window, select the CPU tab. Note. ...
  3. Select the Average CPU column header to sort the list by overall CPU usage.
Dec 26, 2023

What is the maximum cache memory size of a processor? ›

Its size typically ranges from 1MB to 8MB. Each level of cache memory plays a crucial role in improving the performance of a computer system. By storing frequently accessed data and instructions, these caches help to speed up data access times and reduce the workload on the CPU.

Where is the CPU cache located? ›

Cache memory is sometimes called CPU (central processing unit) memory because it is typically integrated directly into the CPU chip or placed on a separate chip that has a separate bus interconnect with the CPU.

How to increase CPU cache size? ›

the L2 cache is built into the CPU itself. The only way to get more is to replace your CPU with one that has more L2 cache.

How is CPU cache measured? ›

The "size" of the cache is the amount of main memory data it can hold. This size can be calculated as the number of bytes stored in each data block times the number of blocks stored in the cache.

What is the best way to measure memory? ›

Psychologists measure memory performance by using production tests (involving recall) or recognition tests (involving the selection of correct from incorrect information, e.g., a multiple-choice test).

How does cache size affect CPU performance? ›

The bigger its cache, the less time a processor has to wait for instructions to be fetched.

Where is the cache memory of a CPU? ›

Cache memory is sometimes called CPU (central processing unit) memory because it is typically integrated directly into the CPU chip or placed on a separate chip that has a separate bus interconnect with the CPU.

Is cache memory located between the CPU and the RAM? ›

Cache memory serves as an intermediary between the CPU and the main memory (RAM) by efficiently storing frequently accessed data and instructions. This storage allows for swift retrieval when needed.

Where is the cache in the CPU? ›

A CPU cache is a hardware cache used by the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer to reduce the average cost (time or energy) to access data from the main memory. A cache is a smaller, faster memory, located closer to a processor core, which stores copies of the data from frequently used main memory locations.

What is the difference between CPU cache memory and RAM? ›

RAM is the main memory of a computer that stores the operating system, applications, and data, while Cache is a small amount of memory that is used to store frequently accessed data and instructions to speed up processing time. Cache memory is faster but has a smaller capacity than RAM, and it is more expensive.

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