Introduction So you're shopping for a new computer in an electronics store and you're trying to make sense of the technical specifications. One computer that looks pretty cool has a 64-bit quad-core Intel i7 3.5 GHz processor. Sounds impressive, but what does it really mean? The last computer you bought a few years ago had a sticker on it that said Pentium 4, but you don't remember the details. The computer was getting sort of slow, but why would you need a 64-bit quad-core?
![]()
Why exactly is this better than the processor in your old computer? To understand what the specifications mean, we first have to look at how the processor is designed and how it functions. Definitions The central processing unit (CPU) of a computer is a piece of hardware that carries out the instructions of a computer program. It performs the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of a computer system.
The CPU is like the brains of the computer - every instruction, no matter how simple, has to go through the CPU. So let's say you press the letter 'k' on your keyboard and it appears on the screen - the CPU of your computer is what makes this possible. The CPU is sometimes also referred to as the central processor unit, or processor for short. So when you are looking at the specifications of a computer at your local electronics store, it typically refers to the CPU as the processor. When we start to look at the various components of a CPU and how they function, remember that this is all about speed. When we use a computer, we want the instructions to be carried out very fast.
As the instructions become more complicated (for example, creating a 3D animation or editing a video file), we demand more from the CPU. Thus, the technological advances we have seen in processor technology have largely been driven by the need for speed. Components A typical CPU has a number of components.
The first is the arithmetic logic unit (ALU), which performs simple arithmetic and logical operations. Second is the control unit (CU), which manages the various components of the computer. It reads and interprets instructions from memory and transforms them into a series of signals to activate other parts of the computer.
The control unit calls upon the arithmetic logic unit to perform the necessary calculations. Third is the cache, which serves as high-speed memory where instructions can be copied to and retrieved. Early CPUs consisted of many separate components, but since the 1970s, they have been constructed as a single integrated unit called a microprocessor. As such, a CPU is a specific type of microprocessor. The individual components of a CPU have become so integrated that you can't even recognize them from the outside. This CPU is about two inches by two inches in size.
Top-view of an Intel CPU - because it is a single integrated unit, the components are not visible from the outside Bottom-view of an Intel CPU - the gold plated pins provide the connections to the motherboard CPUs are located on the motherboard. Motherboards have a socket for this, which is specific for a certain type of processor.
Cpu Components Diagram
A CPU gets very hot and therefore needs its own cooling system in the form of a heat sink and/or fan. CPU located on a motherboard with a heat sink and fan directly on top The ALU is where the calculations occur, but how do these calculations actually get carried out? To a computer, the world consists of zeros and ones. Inside a processor, we can store zeros and ones using transistors. These are microscopic switches that control the flow of electricity depending on whether the switch is on or off.
So the transistor contains binary information: a one if a current passes through and a zero if a current does not pass through. Transistors are located on a very thin slice of silicon. A single silicon chip can contain thousands of transistors. A single CPU contains a large number of chips.
Combined, these only cover about a square inch or so. In a modern CPU, however, that square inch can hold several hundred million transistors - the very latest high-end CPUs have over one billion! Calculations are performed by signals turning on or off different combinations of transistors. And more transistors means more calculations. You may be interested to know that the material, silicon, used in chips is what gave the Silicon Valley region of California its name.
Early CPUs were quite bulky and did not contain as many transistors as they do today. Chip manufacturers, such as Intel and AMD, have invested a lot of research into making everything smaller and fitting more transistors inside a single processor. So when there is a new generation of chips, it typically means they have come up with a smarter way to pack more processing power into a single CPU.
Web Intelligence Training. You will need the assistance of your BusinessObjects Administrator to carry out these instructions in your default eFashion universe. How to install efashion universe of energy. Efashion universe guide. Installation guideor too english clep study guide or too acer aspire user guideor too 2000 ford expedition factory. May 16, 2003 Has anyone developed any training using the eFashion Universe? (MDB) for eFashion? You're still fine. But if you got a fresh install. The standard efashion universe. Install and leverage the Universe Query Panel Extension. Or you could save all of your social energy and simply stare. EFashion Solar Power Energy Cockroach Fun Gadget Office School. And it's easy to install. Spy universe as a leading gadget providing company in. Data analysis and advanced. Sep 26, 2006 It's just a universe and a database. The easist thing to do is to install the desktop tools on. Post subject: Re: How to Setup eFashion DEMO Universe for.
The general name of the processor, such as Intel Pentium 4, Intel i7, AMD Athlon, and AMD 870, refers to the underlying architecture of the CPU. Free linux iso download mirrors. There are so many different ones that it can be hard to figure out what you really need in a new computer. The best way is to go with the latest processor type that falls within your budget.
Clock Rate The clock rate of a processor is the speed at which instructions are executed. This speed is regulated using an internal clock and is expressed as the number of clock cycles per second. Modern CPUs can process billions of calculations per second. The unit used to express the clock rate is hertz, abbreviated as Hz. So when a processor has a clock speed of 3.5 GHz that means 3.5 gigahertz, or 3.5 billion clock cycles per second. Faster is better, but higher speeds mean higher costs. Integer Range So what does it mean when a processor is 64-bit?
This is referred to as the integer range and defines how a CPU represents numbers. Bits are binary digits: zero and one. This is rather simple, so to represent more complicated numbers, we need more bits. For example, using 8 bits means there are 2^8, or 256 unique values. Modern CPUs are 64-bit, which means 2^64 unique values, which is more than 18 quintillion! What this means in practical terms is that 64-bit CPUs can work with extremely large numbers, which makes them faster than older 32- or 16-bit CPUs.
Parallel Computing and Multi-Core CPUs Computer manufacturers are always looking to improve the overall performance of a computer system, and a faster CPU is a big part of that. There are physical limits to the clock speed and how close together you can place transistors on a silicon chip. One solution is to place multiple processors inside a single CPU. Using two processors is referred to a duo-core and using four processors is referred to as a quad-core. Most new computer systems on the market today are quad-core, but CPUs with even more processors are likely to come out in the near future. More cores will cost more. Photograph of an Intel quad-core processor located on a motherboard Using multiple cores is not as easy as it may sound.
It requires a new form of computing known as parallel computing. This means that instructions have to be split up into separate pieces that can be handled by separate processors. Once complete, the results have to be combined again to make sense. Robust approaches to parallel computing have been developed, and as a result, multi-core CPUs have now become standard in regular computer systems. Lesson Summary In summary, a CPU is the brain of a computer, processing all the instructions you give it.
A CPU has various components to receive the instructions, process them, and then transform them into signals to activate other parts of the computer. The calculations are performed using microscopic switches, known as transistors, which are located on silicon chips. To make CPUs work faster, a number of technological innovations have been implemented:. Pack more transistors into a single CPU. Increase the clock speed of the CPU.
Increase the integer range used to represent numbers. Employ multiple cores inside a single CPU Learning Outcomes Once you are done with this lesson you should be able to:. Describe what a CPU is and how it works. List some of the components of a CPU. Remember the meaning behind common CPU terminology.
Recall some of the recent improvements that make computers faster.
CPU The central processing unit processes all of the data that is accessed by the machine. In PCs the CPU, or microprocessor, is a small silicon chip located beneath the fan. Essentially, the purpose of a CPU is to process instructions through a four-part sequence of fetching, decoding, execution and writeback. Since the mid-2000s, most computers are sold with multi-core CPUs, which integrate two or more processors into one unit. In 2007, Intel built an 80-core processor that can handle a trillion operations per second.
RAM Random access memory, also known as main memory, provides a buffer between the hard drive and central processing unit. When files are requested for processing, they get transferred from the hard drive to the memory. The CPU then processes the file and replaces it in the memory. The RAM provides a temporary storage that gets erased when power is removed from the machine. It is important to save modified files to the hard drive so that they get saved if power is lost. Hard Drive A hard drive provides permanent storage for the operating system, programs and files on a machine.
When files are saved to the hard drive, they are retained through power outages. Traditional hard drives are composed of magnetic platters that spin when in use. Solid state drives, which contain no moving parts, are another option. Computers made after 2009 are usually equipped with either SATA drives, which replaced the older IDE, or parallel ATA, drive technology, or solid state drives.
SATA drives use slimmer cables, smaller power connections, do not get as hot and can transfer data faster than the older drives. Motherboard The motherboard is an underlying circuit board that holds all the computer components together. Computer components, including the CPU, RAM, power supply and hard drive, plug into the motherboard. This allows the separate components to interact with each other to create a fully functional machine. While each computer part has a unique function, they would be useless without the unifying motherboard. Power Supply Units The power supply unit converts AC power from your wall outlet to DC power, usable by the computer internals, and controls power saving. The original PSUs could only be turned on or off, but ATX-compliant ones, first developed in 1995, support standby mode and powering peripherals while the PC is not on.
What are the components of CPU? What is its role? What is the function of control unit of CPU? The CPU is the control centre for a computer. It guides, directs and governs its performance. It is the brain of the computer. The CPU has two components which are responsible for different functions.
These two components are its Control Unit (CU) and Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU). Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) carries out arithmetic and logical operations. Control Unit (CU) controls and guides the interpretation, flow and manipulation of all data and information. Another important function of CU is the program execution that is, carrying out all the instructions stored in the program.
Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |