What is CPU? Various Widely Used CPU Types Today

While CPU is a crucial part of a computer, not everyone truly understands what CPU is, its significance, and the components that make up a CPU. Follow this article to discover interesting information about CPUs!

1. What is CPU?

CPU, an acronym for Central Processing Unit, is the central electronic circuitry in a computer. It executes program instructions by performing arithmetic, logic, comparison operations, and basic input/output operations specified by the instruction code.

What is CPU?

2. Architecture of CPU

- Control Unit (CU)

As a crucial CPU component, the Control Unit interprets program instructions and regulates processing operations. Precisely controlled by the system clock pulse, this core part is constructed from logic circuits, comparing with semiconductor components like transistors.

- Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

Its function involves performing arithmetic and logic operations, then returning results to registers or memory.

Architecture of CPU

- Registers

These are nimble memory units with petite capacities but boast lightning-fast access speeds. Nestled right within the CPU, they serve to transiently store operands, computation results, memory cell addresses, or control information. Each register has a specific function, with the pivotal one being the Program Counter (PC), pointing to the next instruction to be executed.

- Operation Code

This memory section holds the CPU's machine code (not obligatory) to enable the execution of instructions in the executable file.

- Control Unit

Handles the control of blocks and pulse frequency. The system clock circuit is used to synchronize processing operations within and outside the CPU at fixed intervals. The waiting time between two pulses is known as the clock cycle. The rate at which the system clock generates standard time pulses is called the clock speed, measured in megahertz (MHz).

CPU Structure

3. What makes CPU processing speed fast?

CPU speed, also known as CPU clock speed, is measured in Gigahertz or GHz, representing the number of processing cycles per second that the CPU can perform.

A higher clock speed implies a faster CPU. However, numerous other factors come into play.

What makes CPU processing speed fast?

CPU speed is influenced by various factors such as:

- Number of processing cores (2, 4, 10, 22 cores, etc.), more cores mean more power.

- Manufacturing technology (32nm, 22nm, 14nm, etc.), smaller sizes save power and offer higher efficiency.

- Technologies enhancing CPU processing speed (pipeline, turbo boost, hyper-threading, etc.).

CPU speed is also dependent on other factors.

- Cache memory is utilized to store frequently used instructions/data or those likely to be used in the near future, reducing CPU wait times.

- Integrated Graphics

- TDP (Thermal Design Power), the amount of heat the processor chip emits that the cooling system must dissipate. TDP typically indicates the chip's power consumption; the lower, the better.

4. Current Types of CPUs in Use

Presently, the two largest global CPU manufacturers are AMD and Intel. The development of these two major brands has provided users with more choices and comparisons to select the best product.

- Intel CPU

Intel CPUs: Intel Core i3, i5, i7, i9, and Intel Xeon.

Examples of popular CPU types include: Intel Core i9 9900k, Intel Core i7 8700k, and Intel Core i5 9400F.

Intel CPU

- AMD CPU

AMD CPUs: AMD Ryzen 5, AMD Ryzen 7, and AMD Ryzen Threadripper.

Examples of popular CPUs include: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, AMD Ryzen 7 2700, and AMD Ryzen 7 3700X.

AMD CPU

This article provides valuable information about CPUs. Thank you for following along.