LA 1 : CPU

What is a CPU?

The Central Processing Unit, or CPU, is considered the brain of a computer. Without this vital component, the computer wouldn't be able do any of the functions it is capable of doing. Basically, it is a chip that handles the moving and processing of data.

With each new upgrade, the CPU is getting faster and more powerful. Speed and reliability is the name of the game when consumers are comparing CPU chips in the new PCs. For some, the brand of CPU is the major selling point for many when buying a new computer. The faster and more powerful the CPU, the more the computer will sell.


How Does it Work?

The CPU sits in the motherboard as the central unit. All of the other hardware components and programs installed on the system must go through the CPU before their function can be carried out. The CPU's job function is important and enormous in scale.

When a function, program or piece of data is called, the CPU pulls it from Random Access Memory (RAM) and any other hardware in order to process it. The CPU then reads the instructions associated to the task before sending it back to RAM. The instructions that the CPU receives pertains to calculations and data transportation. The system bus is the trail that the data must travel before it is executed. It is the CPU's job to make sure that the data is guided through the system bus to be processed by the CPU and then on to the next step. With every stop on the system bus, the CPU makes sure that the data gets there in the correct order.