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7 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Whats a CPU?
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The central processing unit (CPU) is considered the brain of the computer.
It is sometimes referred to as the processor. Most calculations take place in the CPU. Most important element of a computer system |
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What else does the CPU do?
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The CPU executes a program, which is a sequence of stored instructions.
Each model of processor has an instruction set, which it executes. The CPU executes the program by processing each piece of data as directed by the program and the instruction set. While the CPU is executing one step of the program, the remaining instructions and the data are stored nearby in a special memory called cache. |
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2 Major CPU Architectures
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Reduced Instruction Set Computer
(RISC) – Small set of instructions. Execute instructions fast. Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) -Broad set of instructions, resulting in fewer steps per operation. |
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What is hyperthreading and what does it do?
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Enhance the performance of the CPU.
With hyperthreading, the CPU can execute multiple pieces of code being simultaneously on each pipeline. |
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How do you know what a good or bad CPU is?
Whats the speed called? How much data can it store? |
Power of CPU is measured in how fast it can process.
Rated in cycles per second. Speed is measured in millions of cycles per second, called megahertz (MHz), or billions of cycles per second, called gigahertz (GHz). The amount of data that a CPU can process at the one time depends on the size of the processor data bus. This is also called the CPU bus. Current processors have a 32-bit or a 64-bit processor data bus. |
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What is overclocking?
Good or bad? |
Overclocking is a technique used to make a processor work at a faster speed than its original specification. Overclocking is not a reliable way to improve computer performance and can result in damaging the CPU.
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Difference between single and dual core CPUs?
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* Single Core CPU – One core inside a single CPU chip that handles all of the processing capability. A motherboard manufacturer may provide sockets for more than one single processor, providing the ability to build a powerful, multi-processor computer.
* Dual Core CPU – Two cores inside a single CPU chip in which both cores can process information at the same time. |
