Why Does C# DateTime.Now Sometimes Return the Same Value Multiple Times?

Understanding C# DateTime.UtcNow Precision

When aiming for highly accurate time measurements in C#, developers might encounter surprising results using DateTime.UtcNow. Repeated calls can sometimes yield the same value, seemingly compromising precision.

This behavior is rooted in the difference between precision and accuracy in timekeeping. Precision refers to the fineness of the time measurement, while accuracy describes how closely the measurement matches the true time.

DateTime.Now prioritizes precision over accuracy. Although modern CPUs offer very fine-grained timing capabilities, the lack of absolute accuracy at the microsecond level makes such high-precision readings unreliable. DateTime.Now provides a consistent precision within a few milliseconds—sufficient for common tasks such as displaying the current time or calculating time differences.

For applications requiring precise time measurements, the Stopwatch class is the recommended tool. While DateTime.Now excels at representing and manipulating dates and times, Stopwatch is designed for capturing elapsed intervals with high precision.

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