The+CPU

media type="file" key="CPU.mp3" width="240" height="20" [|CPU.mp3]

How A CPU Works  Think of the CPU as the brain of the computer. Without it, the computer would not function. How does this vital piece of hardware work? Every time you input data into your computer, the CPU processes those instructions using four tasks.

 1. Fetch-The CPU fetches, or gathers, the code for an instruction.  Then, it places the code in the temporary memory where the instructions are stored, known as the instruction cache.

 2. Decode-The CPU decodes, or interprets, the instruction in an area of the CPU chip called the decode cache. It determines which functions are to be performed.

 3. Execute-The CPU processes, or executes, the instructions and sends the results to their proper destinations.

 4. Store-The CPU sends the results of the instructions to the proper memory location to be retained, or stored.

CPU SPEED

 CPU speed is measured in megahertz (MHz) or, increasingly, gigahertz (GHz). One hertz is equal to one cycle per second. Therefore, a megahertz is 1 million cycles per second, and a gigahertz is 1 billion cycles per second. Typically, the higher this number, the faster the CPU processes information. However, most consumers do not realize that CPU speed is only one factor that contributes to a processor’s performance. As manufacturers have tried to increase the speed of the CPU, additional megahertz have used more power and created problems with heat. Because of that, modern processors are engineered to be more efficient. They do more work per cycle than previous generations of processors. This is why a lower CPU speed does not always mean a less powerful machine.

Activity
1. Go to dell.com 2. Find the "For Home" Link 3. Scroll down to the "desktop" section 4. Go to the "Desktops" link 5. Go to the "Choose Studio XPS" link 6. Find the CPU of one of the computers 7. What is the max RAM available of the same computer? 8. What is the hard drive of the same computer?