> digital signals have to propagate through multiple layers of logic gates, so the transistors have to switch much faster
I don't think this is accurate. Are you saying that in digital computers each individual transistor switches faster than the clock rate of, say, 3 GHz? I think there is one clock signal that is distributed to all transistors and they turn on/off synchronously at this rate. The GHz number on the processor advertisement is the switching rate of all transistors, not some hypothetical 'system rate' which would somehow be much lower?? Please clarify or correct me if I am mistaken.
I don't think this is accurate. Are you saying that in digital computers each individual transistor switches faster than the clock rate of, say, 3 GHz? I think there is one clock signal that is distributed to all transistors and they turn on/off synchronously at this rate. The GHz number on the processor advertisement is the switching rate of all transistors, not some hypothetical 'system rate' which would somehow be much lower?? Please clarify or correct me if I am mistaken.