The Computer Revolution/Hardware/CPU

CPU stands for "Central Processing Unit". It can be thought of as the brain of the computer. In the first personal computers the CPU carried out all the processing. In more modern computers the CPU delegates specialized processes - like graphics handling - to other processors. In the most powerful computers there are more than one CPUs. Super computers can have more than 100,000 CPUs.

The CPU is also called the microprocessor or just the processor. Intel or Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) produces most CPUs used in consumer desktop and laptops. CPUs are often given individual processor cores. There are many benefits to multi-core CPUs. To start, they are helping to speed up the processing of a computer while decreasing the heat production. Multi-core CPUs are also responsible for speeding up multitasking, such as watching a video in one window while browsing the Internet in another.



The CPU also consist of a variety of connections and components that are confined together and connected directly to the motherboard. A motherboard provides the electrical connections by which the other components of the system communicate. It also connects the central processing unit and hosts other subsystems and devices. The motherboard is The main circuit board of a computer, located inside the system unit, to which all computer system components connect. Today most personal computers use central processing units (CPU's) manufactured by Intel or Advanced Micro Devices. Intel Core and AMD Ryzen are most commonly used with desktop computers, and also produce power efficient designs that are specifically for notebook and tablet computers.