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It's normal for the clutch to cycle, it's normal for the RPMs to fluctuate *a bit* when the the engine has to adjust for the increased load caused by the compressor.
The clutch cycling fast, like coming for a few seconds the releasing, then clutching again for a few seconds, not cycling at all, or a melted pulley from the clutch trying to couple a seized compressor to a moving belt or abnormal noises like the grinding of internal parts or the roaring of bearings, would be outwards indicators of a bad compressor.
It's hard to say without hearing it, but I've known of shops that regularly threw compressors at cars for nearly every AC concern. A 30-40 second cycle, depending on the atmospheric conditions isn't alarming and if it's blowing lots of cold air and not making noises, I wouldn't be inclined to replace it for fun.
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