TIPS-5

"Processor32-bit / 64-bit CPU":
32/64-bit" refers to the width of the address bus and registers used by the CPU core. A 64-bit CPU has a 64-bit wide address bus and 64- bit wide registers. CPUs access data in the RAM by using the address bus. The breadth of the bus influences the amount of RAM that can be addressed. A 32-bit bus allows a maximum of 4 GB of RAM to be accessed.

BGAA Ball :
Grid Array (BGA) package is similar to a PGA package, except that the role of the pins is taken over by small balls of conductive material. The advantage is that unlike pins, the conductors are not easily bent. Unfortunately, BGA CPUs are soldered right onto the motherboard, and users cannot replace them. This form of packaging is seen in some embedded CPUs like those from VIA.

Cache memory:
The memory is used to store frequently-used data so that the CPU doesn't have to wait for the data to be fetched from other, slower storage areas like the system RAM or hard disk. This temporary storage is referred to as the cache. Unlike system RAM, cache is made of more expensive Static RAM, which does not require refreshing.

Cool 'n' Quiet :
Speed StepThese refer to the power management schemes used by AMD and Intel respectively. This allows the CPU to conserve energy by altering its speed according to the processing load. At slower speeds, the power consumption is decreased.

Fabrication process:
This term is used to refer to the smallest distance between two components in the CPU. All CPUs contain miniature circuits etched on a silicon chip. The latest Intel CPUs use a 45-nanometre process.

FPU:
Floating Point Unit; a sub-unit of the CPU core. The CPU is made up of different functional sub-units. There is the ALU (Arithmetic and Logical Unit), the FPU, Registers (temporary storage areas), and the caches.

FSB:
The Front Side Bus is the data channel between the CPU and the system RAM. In turn, the Back Side Bus refers to the link between the CPU and the cache memory within the CPU die itself. The FSB frequency is the speed at which the bus operates, and is an indicator of the number of times the CPU interacts with the rest of the system. Usually, the CPU itself works much faster than the FSB (see Multiplier).

Multi-core :
CPUsMany present CPUs are multi-core, meaning that there exist more than one computational unit on the same CPU. This allows for better performance when dealing with several jobs simultaneously. Both the major manufacturers offer quad-core CPUs.

Multiplier:
Originally, all the components on a system operated at the same frequency. But with improvements in technology, the rest of the system became a bottleneck to the CPU achieving its full potential. This problem was solved by allowing the CPU to operate multiple cycles for every cycle that the system operated. This factor is called the Multiplier. Earlier it was possible for the user to set the multiplier using switches on the motherboard, but now, except for the high-end CPUs, most CPUs come with a set multiplier.

Package types:
Every CPU is packaged to ensure that its core components are protected, while allowing connection with the motherboard. Package types seen in current CPUs include PGA, BGA, and LGA.

Pipelining:
This refers to the internal data processing pathways of a CPU. The CPU processes data through different stages, like Fetch, Decode, Execute, and Store. By Pipelining, it becomes possible to perform these stages independently and on different bits of data. This allows for more efficient use of CPU cycles.