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WHAT IS A CPU?
The abbreviation CPU is often heard in connection with the computer. But what exactly that means and what is behind it, I will describe and explain in this article.
WHAT IS A CPU & WHAT DOES IT DO?
The abbreviation CPU stands for Central Processing Unit, which means central processing unit. The CPU is also called the main processor, processor and colloquially “computing core”. The CPU is the center from where all important processes are controlled. The best-known manufacturers for PCs are Intel and AMD, while Qualcomm would be the best-known manufacturer for mobile phones. For computers, the CPU is usually a separate component that plugs into a socket, making it interchangeable.
AMD CPUs have small pins (also called pins) on the underside that press onto the contacts of the socket. With Intel CPUs, this is reversed. Therefore it is important to be careful as it is very easy to break a pin and thus render the CPU unusable. In mobile phones, the CPU is usually soldered, which means that the replacement is much more difficult and should only be carried out by a specialist.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU START AN APP?
Programs can only be executed and displayed by mathematical calculations, which are carried out by internal machine instructions in the arithmetic and control unit of the CPU. This is all calculated with zeros and ones, in binary.
As an example, enter commands such as double-clicking a program. Now these mechanical impulses (the double click) are converted into an electrical impulse. This is routed further through the motherboard, further to the CPU. Then these signals are (electronically) processed and calculated. The start and the display are now calculated in the CPU and after a few seconds the program appears.
WHAT DO THE CPU NUMBERS MEAN?
The number of cores of the CPUs differs depending on the model. It starts with the so-called single-core processors, which only have one core and are currently (by the end of 2019) up to 16 cores (32 threads) for PCs.
But what are these threads now? According to Wikipedia: "Multi-threaded CPUs are multi - threaded processor cores with multiple program counters and register sets, which report to the system as multiple cores". This can be adjusted as if there were two treadmills in one core. Between the treadmills is a robot that works on both treadmills instead of just one, resulting in greater efficiency.
Then there are the MHz (megahertz) and GHz (gigahertz) numbers. These indicate how much power a CPU core has. The higher the GHz number, the more commands a CPU can execute and therefore usually work faster.
The so-called cache is a small buffer that temporarily stores the most frequently used data in the main memory (RAM). This is available in different “levels”. Level 1 cache ensures the optimal utilization of the CPU, level 2 cache the data from the RAM is temporarily stored and the level 3 cache is usually used for multi-core processors and this compares the data with that of the other cache and takes care of it ensures that the data exchange between the cores runs smoothly.
