How to Achieve High-Precision Time Measurement in C on Windows?

C Time Measurement with High Precision in Windows

Problem:

Seeking a viable method to measure time precisely down to the nanosecond using C in a Windows environment.

Answer:

While aiming for nanosecond precision, it's crucial to acknowledge the limitations and challenges faced in Windows environments.

QueryPerformanceCounter:

This function offers access to the high-resolution performance counter. However, when running on multicore systems, QueryPerformanceCounter yields inconsistent values based on the executing core.

rdtsc:

Unfortunately, rdtsc suffers from the same issue as QueryPerformanceCounter.

timeGetTime:

Although offering only millisecond precision, timeGetTime emerges as the most reliable time source.

Caveats:

Using QueryPerformanceCounter with fixed thread affinity guarantees consistent values but significantly compromises application performance.

Conclusion:

Achieving precise microsecond time measurement in Windows, particularly on multicore systems, remains a formidable challenge. timeGetTime serves as the most dependable option, albeit with coarser precision.

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