Processor types

RISC Processor RISC stands for Reduced Instruction Set

Computer. It is designed to reduce the execution time by
simplifying the instruction set of the computer. Using RISC
processors, each instruction requires only one clock cycle to
execute results in uniform execution time. This reducesthe
efficiencyas there are more lines of code, hence more RAMis
needed to store the instructions. The compiler also has to work
more to convert high-level language instructions into machine
code.

CISC ProcessorCISC stands for Complex Instruction Set

Computer. It is designed to minimize the number of
instructions per program, ignoring the number of cycles per
instruction. The emphasis is on building complex instructions
directly into the hardware.

CPU Components

CONTROL UNIT (CU): circuitry for coordinating machine’

s activities. Controls sequence of operations. Moves
data and instructions between main memory and
registers.

ARITHMETIC & LOGIC UNIT (ALU): circuitry to perform

data manipulation (arithmetic & logic). Performs
computation and comparison operations.
Registers: Temporary storage areas. Holds information
applicable to the current operation. Storage locations
that hold inputs and outputs for the ALU.

Clock: Triggers start and stop of all CPU operations) .

CPU Components

Cache: A cache reduces wait states by using built-in,

very high-speed RAM called static RAM (SRAM).

A temporary storage area , speeds up data transfer

within computer
A small block of high-speed memory
Stores most frequently and most recently used data
and instructions
Microprocessor looks for what it needs in cache first.
Transferred from cache much faster than from
memory,
If not in cache, control unit retrieves from memory.
The more cache “hits” the faster the system
performance

List of Terms Used in a Microprocessor

InstructionSet: It is the set of instructions that the
microprocessor can understand. Bandwidth: It is
the number of bits processed in a single instruction.

ClockSpeed:It determines the number of operations

per second the processor can perform. It is expressed
in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).It is also
known as Clock Rate. WordLength: It depends upon
the width of internal data bus, registers, ALU,etc.An
8-bit microprocessor can process 8-bit data at a
time. The word length ranges from 4 bits to 64 bits
depending upon the type of the microcomputer.

DataTypes: The microprocessor has multiple data

type formats like binary, BCD, ASCII, signed and
unsigned numbers

How does a Microprocessor Work?

The microprocessor follows a sequence: Fetch,

Decode, and then Execute.Initially,the instructions
are stored in the memory in a sequential order. The
microprocessor fetches those instructions from the
memory, then decodes it andexecutes those
instructions till STOP instruction is reached. Later, it
sends the result in binary to the output
port.Between these processes,the registerstores the
temporarily data andALU performs the computing
functions.

CPU Processing Sequence

Fetch instructions

Interpret instructions

Fetch data

Process data

Write data

Clock

This is referred to as a clock wire (CLK wire)

A charge on the CLK wire tells the CPU it is time to
work.
A clock cycle is the time it takes for the CLK wire to
charge.
Clock speed is the maximum number of clock cycles
the CPU can handle in a given time period.
Clock speed is measured in hertz

Modern CPUs

Intel has dominated the industry with its CPUs and

motherboard support chips.
Modern Intel processors include Core, Pentium,
Celeron, Atom, and Xeon brands.

AMD has kept competition in the CPU market.

While Intel holds the most market share, AMD
provides quality CPUs at competitive prices.
Pipelining

Pipelining—CPU takes at least four steps (stages)

Fetch: Get the data from the ExternalDataBus
Decode: Figure out what type of command needs to be
executed
Execute: Perform the calculation
Write: Send the data back onto the ExternalDataBus

Multithreading

CPU simulates the actions of a second processor

Enhances efficiency
Does not increase processing power
Running multiple threads at the same time is also called
simultaneous multithreading or Hyper-Threading.

Dual-core architecture
Multiple CPUs (or cores) combined into a single chip,
executing multiple threads at once

A dual-core processor is a CPU with two processors or "execution cores"

in the same integrated circuit. Each processor has its own cache and
controller, which enables it to function as efficiently as a single processor.
However, because the two processors are linked together, they can
perform operations up to twice as fast as a single processor can.

The Intel Core Duo, the AMD X2, and the dual-core PowerPC G5 are all
examples of CPUs that use dual-core technologies. These CPUs each
combine two processor cores on a single silicon chip

Core 2 Duo

Intel Core 2 is the processor family encompassing a range of Intel's

consumer 64-bit x86-64 single-, dual-, and
quad-core microprocessors based on the Core micro-architecture. The
single- and dual-core models are single-die, whereas the quad-core
models comprise two dies, each containing two cores, packaged in
a multi-chip module.
The Core 2 processor line was introduced on July 27, 2006, comprising
the Duo (dual-core) and Extreme (dual- or quad-core CPUs for
enthusiasts), and in 2007, the Quad (quad-core) and Solo (single-core)
sub-brands