What Is Processor All About

Well,the PC processor is the typical name for a CPU , or the central processing unit of any desktop or laptop computer . It is the internal component that interacts with all of the other parts of the PC . Due to the major role it plays in the computer , it is essentially the "brain" of the computer system .
The latest PC processor is housed in a single , very tiny , chip called a microprocessor . The microprocessors are made of silicon onto which small transistor cords are etched . The width of the wires on the silicon chip are minute and measured in microns . The width of each wire typically measures less than one micron ; in contrast , a human hair is approximately 100 microns wide . The San Francisco Bay Area in California is nicknamed the "Silicon Valley" because of its large production of the silicon clips . Intel and AMD are the leading names in the current market .
The computer processor works by executing a series of stored instructions , referred to as a program . It must retrieve , decode , execute , and write back the data in speedy succession . The processor retrieves certain data , performs a specified process with the data , and then stores the data in memory . The memory used may be either the systems memory or an internal memory called a cache . Having a cache allows the computer to access recently used data more quickly , so it speeds up computing time . The size of the cache is expressed in bits , such as , 32-bit or 64-bit . This means that the processor has the ability to process internally 32 bits or 64 bits of data at any one time .
In summary , the computer processor has two primary functions :
Arithmetic Logic Unit ( ALU ) - performs all mathematical and logical operations .
Control Unit ( CU ) - extracts instructions from the computer memory , decodes , and then executes them .
Every computer processor has its own built-in clock . This internal clock dictates how fast the processor can process data , which is made up of zeros ( 0s ) and ones ( 1s ) called binary digits or bits . Speed is measured by millions of cycles per second , known as megahertz ( MHz ) . The higher the megahertz -- the faster the computing speed . Megahertz can range from a low of 25 MHz to a high of 4 GHz . Faster speeds save time . Efforts to boost computing speeds make computer processors the objects of constant innovation.