Quantum Computing vs Classical Computing

May 23, 2022

Introduction

The race to build a powerful computer has always been a competition between two approaches - Quantum Computing and Classical Computing. While both have their advantages and disadvantages, the former is believed to be the key to solving the most stubborn computational problems. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at both and compare their strengths and weaknesses to determine which is better.

Classical Computing

First, let's take a quick look at Classical Computing. Computers that use the classical approach are called 'classical computers'. These computers use bits to store and manipulate information. A bit can either be a 1 or a 0. The bits are used to perform logical operations like AND, OR, XOR, and NOT, which are building blocks for programs and algorithms. Classical computing is based on the principle of binary encoding, which is also known as Von Neumann Architecture.

Classical computers have been around since the 1940s, and they have become incredibly advanced. With Moore's law, computers have gotten a lot smaller, power-hungry, and faster over the years. Classical computers are excellent at tasks like text processing, numerical analysis, data storage, and retrieval, and control systems.

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing, on the other hand, is a relatively new field of computing. It was first proposed by physicist Richard Feynman in 1982 as a way to simulate quantum systems. Quantum computers use quantum bits or qubits instead of the classical bits used in classical computing. A qubit can have multiple states at once, unlike classical bits that can only be a single 0 or 1. This property, called superposition, is what makes quantum computers so powerful.

In addition, quantum computers use a different architecture than classical computers. Quantum computing relies on gate-model and annealing models that use qubit interactions to perform quantum computations. Most quantum computers also have the ability to factor large primes, leading to the possibility of breaking encryption that is secure against classical computers.

While quantum computing is still in its infancy, it has the potential to revolutionize fields such as cryptography, drug discovery, and artificial intelligence.

Quantum vs. Classical Computing

When comparing quantum computing to classical computing, there are several factors to consider.

Speed

One of the areas where quantum computing has a clear advantage over classical computing is speed. Quantum computing can solve problems that would take tens of thousands of years for a classical computer to solve. In fact, Google's Sycamore quantum processor recently solved a problem in 200 seconds that would take a classical supercomputer 10,000 years to solve.

Power Efficiency

While classical computers are fast, they require a lot of power to operate. Quantum computers, on the other hand, are more power-efficient because they rely on qubits that are able to operate at low temperatures. The downside is that this advantage is lost when it comes to manufacturing - building a quantum computer requires chilling the qubits to near absolute zero, which requires a lot of energy.

Complexity

Quantum computing can handle much more complex models than classical computing. For example, a classical computer could take a year to simulate a molecule with 50 atoms, while a quantum computer could do it far more quickly.

Stability

Quantum computing is not as stable as classical computing. Qubits are prone to error due to interference from the environment, so steps have to be taken to minimize this.

Cost

Currently, quantum computers are expensive, and they only have a few dozen qubits. As such, they are not particularly useful for most applications, except those that require specialized calculations. Classical computers, on the other hand, are affordable, and they come in different sizes and capacities, making them accessible to everyone.

Conclusion

Quantum computing is still in the early stages, and it has a long way to go before it becomes mainstream. While there's no doubt that quantum computing is significantly faster than classical computing, there are still challenges in terms of cost, stability, and the availability of specialized applications.

Classical computing is still very relevant today, and it will remain relevant for years to come, particularly for everyday tasks. That being said, quantum computing holds a lot of promise for solving complex problems that are impossible for classical computers to solve.