CPUs
Chips that think
CPUs is the plural of CPU, short for central processing unit—the main chip in a computer that executes instructions and performs calculations.
The term appears in technical discussions comparing hardware: Modern CPUs have multiple cores.
CPU usage or CPU load refers to how much processing capacity is being consumed at a given moment.
Partial electrical conductor
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- lithographyGrease-based flat plate printing
- nanometerMetric unit, billion-fold smaller
- siliconMetalloid in electronics
wafer · die · transistor · etching · photolithography · yield · binning · foundry
Hollow receiving cavity
- motherboardComputer's primary circuit platform
- chipsetCoordinated circuit collection
- heatsinkPassive heat dispersal device
- thermal pasteConductive cooling interface material
cooler · fan · pins · LGA · PGA · mounting bracket · TIM · PCB
CPU's internal component organization
- instruction setProcessor's built-in operations
- pipeliningConcurrent stage processing
- registersRecords officially
- cacheConcealed storage spot
cores · threads · ALU · decode · fetch · execute · RISC · out-of-order
Processor cycle rate
- gigahertzFrequency unit, billions
- benchmarkingMeasuring against top performers
- throughputProcessing rate over time
- latencyDelay in system response
turbo boost · overclocking · bottleneck · optimization · workload · responsiveness · frame rates
Electrical output measure
- voltageElectrical potential difference
- power consumptionRate of electrical usage
- efficiencyProductive without waste
- thermalsWarm air columns
semiconductor
Partial electrical conductor
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- lithographyGrease-based flat plate printing
- nanometerMetric unit, billion-fold smaller
silicon · wafer · die · transistor · etching · photolithography · yield · binning · foundry · Intel
socket
Hollow receiving cavity
- motherboardComputer's primary circuit platform
- chipsetCoordinated circuit collection
- heatsinkPassive heat dispersal device
thermal paste · cooler · fan · pins · LGA · PGA · mounting bracket · TIM · PCB · voltage regulator
microarchitecture
CPU's internal component organization
- instruction setProcessor's built-in operations
- pipeliningConcurrent stage processing
- registersRecords officially
cache · cores · threads · ALU · decode · fetch · execute · RISC · out-of-order · microcode
clock speed
Processor cycle rate
- gigahertzFrequency unit, billions
- benchmarkingMeasuring against top performers
- throughputProcessing rate over time
latency · turbo boost · overclocking · bottleneck · optimization · workload · responsiveness · frame rates
wattage
Electrical output measure
- voltageElectrical potential difference
- power consumptionRate of electrical usage
- efficiencyProductive without waste
- technologyelectronics, internet, social media, computers, smartphone
- computingcomputers, software, hardware, code, coding
- electronicsresistors, capacitors, TVs, TV, telephone
- tech equipmentcomputers, laptops, desktops, monitors, keyboards
- Electronics Manufacturingcircuit board, assembly lines, PCB, semiconductors, semiconductor
- computerscomputers, desktop, desktops, laptop, laptops
CPUsRAM
Temporary data storage hardware
memory · storage · hard drives · SSDs · HDDs
CPUsGPUs
Parallel processing chips
graphics processing units · analog computers · graphics cards · coprocessors · DSPs
- CPU coreIndividual processor on chip
- CPU speedProcessor cycle frequency
- CPU usageComputing power currently consumed
- CPU timeProcessor execution duration
- cpu cycles
- cpu coolerProcessor thermal management device