Microprocessors & associated terminology-All your questions answered!

Central Processing Units (CPU) perform all the computing and processing of data in a computer system. Occasionally people compare them with the human brain because of the property known as “intelligence” but the fact is that CPUs are just extremely powerful calculators and, they do not function like the human brain at all. CPUs today can process billions of numbers in seconds which is way beyond human abilities. Because of their superfast processing ability if they are considered “super intelligent” we believe it would be overkill. In simple terms, CPUs can accept millions of instructions per second, execute these instructions and load the data on the external data bus (EDB).
Intel 4004 was the first commercially available CPU with 8-bit architecture released in 1972. This CPU was developed and released to the market by Intel Corporation and Busicom. As the times passed CPUs went through transformations and developments and since the launch of Intel 8088, the capabilities of CPUs are constantly increasing due to advancements in technology and architecture. Today advanced CPU’ architecture consists of many more components such as a cache, registers, memory controllers all in one CPU chip.

What are ARM Processors?

ARM processors are considered most suited for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets due to their special architecture which makes them inexpensive and consumes low power. This type of energy-efficient design in 32-bit and 64-bit RISC multi-core architecture was developed by ARM (advanced RISC Machines). One of the secrets of ARM processors for being energy efficient is due to their compromise with power because of their RISC (reduced instruction set computer) design which is quite a contradiction to AMD and Intel processors based on CISC (complex instruction set computer).

Intel and AMD processors for Mobile Devices

Mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones have quite different requirements when it comes to selecting a CPU. Mobile devices need a CPU to consume extraordinarily little power and generate the lowest levels of heat. CPU which draws little power helps in extending the battery life of a mobile device. Intel and AMD both have dedicated teams of engineers who are constantly developing innovative technologies in computing for mobile devices. One such technology developed in mobile computing called “throttling” allows a CPU to draw more power when a power-intensive application is running and switch to low power mode when you are using a low power-intensive application.

Are INTEL & AMD CPU’s interchangeable?

There was a time when AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) was making chips for Intel and hence acquired technology through a cross-license agreement. From the 1980s to the early 1990s AMD and Intel processors were identical, and you could just pick up one brand and replace it with another brand on the same motherboard. Having gone through many legal battles these two CPU giants finally settled to have their own designs for today CPU’s which means an AMD processor is not compatible with Intel socket and vice versa is true as well. So today if you want to use an Intel CPU you need to buy a motherboard designed for Intel CPU only.

What is Clock Speed?

The clock speed in reference to a CPU is the maximum speed (clock cycles) on which it can operate. It is also important to note here that clock speed does not mean the speed on which a CPU must function as it is usually lower than its clock speed. CPU clock speed is determined by the system crystal or crystal oscillator mounted on the motherboard. System crystal sets the beat of a microprocessor by putting a charge on CLK wire to push the system along. System crystal can be made to clock CPU at a higher speed than the manufacturer’s recommended CPU speed and this process is called overclocking the CPU.
Tip: You can download “INTEL extreme tuning utility” from INTEL’s official website but users must be cautious as overclocking may overheat the CPU and it may stop working altogether. Many techies do overclock CPUs to improve system performance for demanding applications.

Most Powerful desktop CPUs of 2021

AMD has launched a 64-core, 128 threads, Ryzen ThreadRipper 3990X desktop PC processor which is considered the world’s fastest CPU. On the other hand, Intel Core i9-12900K is referred to by techies around the world as the fastest gaming processor. No need to mention they are the expensive high-end CPUs manufactured for the most powerful multimedia applications and desktops.

Important Features of Microprocessors

Multithreading or hyperthreading

You would hear this term in relation to today’s microprocessors as this technology improved their overall efficiency. Intel launched “Multithreading technology” with its Pentium 4 range of microprocessors. With this feature under a CPU’s belt, it can pose to operating systems as if there are two CPUs working together instead of one. The limitation of this feature is that the physical resources a CPU has are unchanged hence instead of becoming twice as powerful it just improves the overall efficiency. It is important to note here that operating systems were forced to be designed in a specific way to take advantage of this feature and most of the operating systems available today can take advantage of this feature.

The above picture taken from our computer shows that it has two cores, but they appear as 4 logical processors to our operating system. You can view the same on your Desktop/Laptop by going into “Task Manager.”

Multicore processing

Back in 2003-2004 INTEL and AMD realized the need of amplifying the performance of CPUs in terms of processing power and they both started working on multicore architecture. Multicore architecture facilitates dual-core microprocessors in a single chip. Recently developed microprocessor chips could boast of having anywhere from 18 to 36 CPU cores under a single chip, and they still have hyperthreading features built-in them to over-expand this processing power.
The above picture shows the writer’s computer has an Intel Core i3-5005U CPU which has 2 cores built in it. It is also noticeable that L1, L2, L3 are three cache memories assigned to this CPU.

Integrated Memory Controller (IMC)

The earlier architecture of motherboards had IMC installed onto the motherboard, but recent development in technology has enabled the IMC also to be built into the CPU chip. This allows the CPU to efficiently use L3 cash with the multicore architecture of the CPU. It is a well-known fact that for some time now L1 and L2 caches have already come inbuilt into the CPU chip and generally work in sync with the CPUs at the same clock speed. Older computers had L1 cache built into the CPU and making it the fastest RAM available in a computer followed by L2 and L3 cache.
Integrated Graphics Processing unit

Todays CPU strategy

If you are already thrilled with the fact that today’s CPU comes with an inbuilt cache and IMC get ready for another staggering fact. Manufacturers did not take time to learn that if GPU can also be built into a CPU it would enhance the performance of the overall computer and guess what they did it. For instance, today’s popular gaming consoles such as PS4 and Xbox use CPUs that have inbuilt graphics processing units for high gaming performance. AMD A10, Intel HD graphics, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) have been popular graphic processing units in recent years with A10 ruling the roost.