title: How to compute the theoretical peak performance of CPU
body: <p>Here is my <code>cat /proc/cpuinfo</code> output:</p>
  
  <pre><code>...
  
  processor           : 15
  vendor_id           : GenuineIntel
  cpu family          : 6
  model               : 26
  model name          : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU           E5520  @ 2.27GHz
  stepping            : 5
  cpu MHz             : 1600.000
  cache size          : 8192 KB
  physical id         : 1
  siblings            : 8
  core id             : 3
  cpu cores           : 4
  apicid              : 23
  fpu                 : yes
  fpu_exception       : yes
  cpuid level         : 11
  wp                  : yes
  flags               : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic ...
  bogomips            : 4533.56
  clflush size        : 64
  cache_alignment     : 64
  address sizes       : 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
  power management    :
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This machine has two CPUs, each with 4 cores with hyperthreading capability, so the total processor number is 16(2 CPU * 4 core * 2 hyperthreading). These processors have same output, to keep clean, I just show the last one's info and omit part of flags in the flags line.</p>
  
  <p>So how do I calculate the peak performance of this machine in terms of GFlops?
  Let me know if more info should be supplied.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks.</p>