Functions of a Processor

Functions of a Processor

What Does a Processor do?

The processor, or the CPU, is often referred to as the 'brain' of the computer. It makes up one of many processing units inside the computer, but is the most important of them all. The CPU performs calculations and runs programs for the user.

The CPU takes instructions from the RAM (Random Access Memory) and decodes the action before giving an output. CPU's are found in many devices other then PC's, such as tablets, smartphones and smart TV's. It is placed into the devices motherboard and interacts with other components to operate the computer.

As you can see on the left, the CPU is placed on the motherboard and is fastened in place so it does not fall out. A CPU cooler is usually placed on top to keep it cool so it doesn't overheat. Without one, the computer would not be able to function as it would get too hot.

The CPU's functions consists of three steps - fetch, decode and execute. It fetches the information, decodes it and then executes it. All of this is done very quickly, and only slows down when too much information is being requested.

Performance Features of a CPU

A CPU can be measured in many different ways. One of these is clock speed. To explain this clearly, we will use  

a CPU for sale on Amazon. 

This is the Intel i5, and the clock speed of the CPU is included in the title of the product - 3.40GHz. GHz are what we use to measure the clock speed, and shows how fast the CPU can fetch, decode and execute instructions given to it.

One of the other ways a CPU can be measured is the amount of cores it has. Again, we will use an example from Amazon. This AMD CPU has 4 cores, again, as shown in the title. This means that the CPU has four independent units that fetch, decode and execute. Each of these cores have the same clock speed.

Finally, another way a CPU can be measured is in the size of it's cache. The cache reduces the time the CPU access data, as it stores data in the cache to access it quickly. Here, we can see this AMD processor has a 2MB cache to store data, which is fairly small.

Makes of CPU's

There are three main CPU producers used today - Intel, AMD and ARM. Intel and AMD are commonly found in PC's, while ARM is less powerful and mainly found in smartphones. There are many differences between the three makes.

Intel

Intel are the most well known of the three. Intel offers a 'jack of all trades' CPU, in that it is good at a little of everything, and not specialized in anything specific. Intel processors have many different names such as the Intel Pentium, the i3, the i5 and the i7. For a general use PC, an Intel processor would be the way to go.

AMD

AMD are best for gaming. It has high clock speed to get the most out of playing games, and as such gets much hotter then any other processor. For anything other then gaming, the AMD struggles, as it isn't designed for 1080p video watching or music production, etc.

ARM

ARM are used mainly for smartphones and as such aren't as powerful. They are getting better as of late, and now come with multiple cores and higher clock speed to keep up with the fast processes of new phones.

Overclocking

Overclocking can be used to overwork the CPU and try to get more out of it. For example, if you had a 3.8GHz CPU and you wanted 4GHz, you could overclock the CPU at the cost of more heat to get more out of it. The CPU could overheat and it could damage it, reducing it's lifespan, but if you really need the extra power and have a good fan to keep the CPU cool, it could be worth it.

Heatsinks
Heatsinks are used to reduce the temperature of the CPU by applying a cool thermal paste to the top part of it. This cools the CPU down and reduces it's overall temperature, reducing the chance of overheating. Hearsinks work in combination with fans to cool the CPU down effectively.