Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Types of Computer Processors

Kinds of Computer Processors include the following:
Intel® computer processor

Intel has been using multicore approach to improve performance and keep up with constant upgrades in the industry. A “multi-core” processor is a chip containing more than one microprocessor core, thereby multiplying performance.

The latest and fastest Intel computer processor for demanding applications is the Core i7, a quad-core processor featuring 8-way multitasking capabilities. This second generation processor boasts the Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and Intel Hyper Threading Technology, which enables security protocols and applications to run very efficiently in the background without affecting productivity. It also boasts the Intel HD Graphics 2000 Technology, which renders discrete graphics cards non-essential, thereby reducing system cost and power consumption.

Intel Atom, meanwhile, is a line of ultra-low voltage computer processors designed for netbooks, mobile internet devices, and everyday PCs.


AMD® computer processor

The AMD computer processor is exclusively made by Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD). The latest is Bobcat, an x86 processor core used together with GPU cores in Accelerated Processing Units under the "AMD Fusion" brand. It is designed for low-power devices such as netbooks and similar consumer electronics. AMD is looking to release Bulldozer in the second quarter of 2011.




AMD® computer processor

The AMD computer processor is exclusively made by Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD). The latest is Bobcat, an x86 processor core used together with GPU cores in Accelerated Processing Units under the "AMD Fusion" brand. It is designed for low-power devices such as netbooks and similar consumer electronics. AMD is looking to release Bulldozer in the second quarter of 2011.

AMD® computer processor

The AMD computer processor is exclusively made by Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD). The latest is Bobcat, an x86 processor core used together with GPU cores in Accelerated Processing Units under the "AMD Fusion" brand. It is designed for low-power devices such as netbooks and similar consumer electronics. AMD is looking to release Bulldozer in the second quarter of 2011.


Processor (CPU) Buying Tips


Introduction

Purchasing a processor is an important consideration when building or buying a computer. Below we have listed several considerations and additional information about what to ask and look for when purchasing a processor directly or already installed into a computer.

Type

The processor can be a very important consideration for users who are building a computer. Today, there are three main processor manufacturers: AMD, Cyrix and Intel. Each of these companies have good and bad reviews, and really each of them are very close in compatibility and reliability. When considering any of these processors verify the motherboard is compatible. For example, if an Intel motherboard is purchased or currently installed into the computer, you will want to consider an Intel Processor, an AMD processor will not work on a motherboard designed for AMD.

Heat Sink It is highly recommended that all processors have a heat sink. The heat sink helps to allow for the processor to remain cool and therefore run more efficiently. A computer processor with a missing, bad or failing heat sink will cause the computer to lock up, cause errors or encounter other issues.
When looking at a processor, also consider the heat sink that will be attached to that processor and ensure that the processor being purchased is compatible with that heat sink.

Additional information and help on computer heat sinks can be found on our heat sink page.



Interface Today, there is a wide availability of interfaces the CPU may connect to. Below is a listing of each of the interfaces and a brief description on each of them. Slot
Slot A The slot was first used and introduced by Intel when they released the Pentium II processors. This slot was designed to allow users to install the processor easily into the computer. However, because of the additional cost considerations, Intel has now gone back to the Socket what is now known as the FC-PGA socket. Computers that have the Slot are the Intel Pentium II and early versions of the Intel Pentium III.
The AMD processors use the Slot A interface


Socket
FC-PGA
Flip Chip
Coppermine The socket is the most commonly used and found interface for processors today. The socket has been used in all Intel processors preceding the Intel Pentium II and is now being used for the Intel Pentium III and above processors with the name FC-PGA, which is short for Field-Programmable Gate Array. The FC-PGA is a socket and not a slot processor and is also known as the Intel Coppermine or the Flip Chip.


Slocket Slocket, which is a slot card, can be used to connect a socket or FPGA processor. This is not an actual interface but can be an option for users who have a slot adapter with a computer that supports speeds of a socket or FPGA processor.

When looking at the interface of the CPU, it must match that of what is on the motherboard unless it is possible to use a Slocket. Additional buying tips on computer motherboards can be found on our motherboard buying tips page.



Names The names of the processors can be very confusing and are generally used as a method of helping to sell a computer or computer processor. Below is a listing of some of the more commonly used names and a brief description on each of them.
Intel family names:

Pentium - The 80586, or P5, the Pentium is the generation above the 486 processor line.
Pentium Pro - Chip designed to help speed up Windows 32-bit software
Pentium with MMX - Processor with additional 57 new instructions and enhanced speed to graphics and multimedia software. MMX is now included in all Intel processors that have been released after this processor.
Pentium II / III - The first of the Intel processors to include the Slot adapters. These processors were the next generations of the Intel Pentium processor.
Intel Coppermine - The Socket (FC-PGA) version of the Intel Pentium III / IV.
Intel Flip Chip - Another name for the Intel Coppermine.
Intel Celeron - The low end Intel processors designed to help lower the prices of the computers by reducing or at first eliminating the level 2 cache.
Pentium IV - The next generation of Intel processors, these processors were over 1GHz and were the FPGA processors.

Additional information and diagrams of each of the above can be found on our CPU help page.

AMD family names:

AMD K6-2 - Socket 7 processor with the 3DNow! technology and first to have the 100MHz bus.
AMD K6-3 - K6-2 chip with Level 2 cache memory that runs at the speed of the CPU.
AMD Duron - Like the Intel Celeron, the AMD Duron is an affordable solution processor allowing for the price in the overall computer to drop.
AMD Athlon - AMD generation with features such as the 200MHz bus speed
AMD Thunderbird - The latest AMD processor, this processor is the socket version.

Speed The speed of the processor is an important consideration as it is what will rate the speed of the computer and help the computer run faster overall.
When looking at the speed of processors available, we highly recommend that you do not purchase or consider purchasing a processor that has just been released. The price of the processor will be at a premium price and if you give that processor 2-4 months it will drop in price dramatically.




Effects

Upgrading the computer processor may have the below effects on the computer.

Allow for programs that may require steeper processor requirements to be run.

Help the computer or computer programs speed in load and opening time. Note: In many cases this may not be noticed or will not be dramatic.

Computer Processor-: What is it?

What is it?

A computer processor analyzes data and controls data flow. Also called the central processing unit (CPU), it is considered the “brain” of the computer because it performs the actual data processing. It carries out instructions of the program sequentially to execute the basic logical, arithmetical, and input-output system operations. The term “computer processor” has been the jargon used in the industry since the 1960’s. While the design, form, and implementation of processors have changed radically since, their fundamental operation is much the same.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Motherboard

The motherboard is the main circuit board in a PC. It contains all the circuits and components that run the PC.
Major Components found on the motherboard are:
CPU - the Central Processing Unit is often an Intel Pentium or Celeron processor. It is the heart of every PC. All scheduling, computation and control occurs here.

BIOS - Basic Input Output System is a non-volatile memory that contains configuration information about the PC. It contains all the code required for the CPU to communicate with the keyboard, mouse video display, disk drives and communications devices.
When a PC is powered on it uses the BIOS 'boot code' to set up many required functions that bring the PC to a point where it is ready to work.

RTC - the Real Time Clock chip keeps date, day and time in a 24 hour format just like your watch. The PC uses this clock to 'time stamp' files as they are created and modified. When you print a file it time stamps the pages as they are printed.

Chip Set - these are large chip(s) that integrate many functions that used to be found in separate smaller chips on the motherboard. They save space and cost.
The functions performed by these chip sets often broken into two devices with one providing an interface from the CPU to the memory and the other providing controllers for IDE, ISA, PCI and USB devices (see below).

Primary Connectors found on the motherboard are:
Power - A 20 pin connector accepts a plug from the power supply. This plug carry DC power to all the circuits on the motherboard.

Keyboard - A Mini-din 6-pin (round) connector found at the back of the motherboard is where the keyboard plugs in.

Mouse - A Mini-din 6-pin connector found next to the keyboard connector is where the where the mouse plugs in.

Display - This connector is not integrated into the motherboard but is included in this list since its function is absolutely necessary. It is a 15-pin, D-shell type connector found on a video card that plugs into the AGP connector of the motherboard (see below).

IDE - stands for Integrated Drive Electronics. These are 40 pin connectors that provide a place to connect the ribbon cables from the drives (hard and CD/DVD). All data between the motherboard and the drives is carried in these cables. They are not accessible unless the PC cover is removed.

FDD connector - it is similar in function to the IDE connector. It is a 34 pin ribbon connector that carries data between the motherboard and any floppy drive installed in the PC. Not accessible with PC cover on.

DRAM - Dynamic Random Access Memory connectors for SIMM and DIMM type memory modules. Not accessible with chassis cover on.

Serial Connectors

Standard Serial Connector - This connector has been around in PCs since they first appeared. It was originally located on ISA expansion type cards (see below). Today it is an integral part of newer motherboards. It is a 9- pin, D-shell connector that allows you to connect external devices with serial ports to your PC. The maximum data rate is 115 KB/s.

USB - Universal Serial Bus This is a relatively new serial bus. Originally specified as low speed, 1.2 Mb/s, it was enhanced to full speed, 12Mb/s. The latest version 2.0 is specified as high speed, 400 MB/s.
Someday USB will completely replace the standard serial connector that has been the workhorse serial port in earlier PCs. USB is now a standard connector on all new motherboards.
Unlike serial and parallel ports, the USB port is designed to power devices connected to it. The devices must be low power devices and must be able to reduce their current draw to less than 0.5uAmps when commanded to do so by the PC.

Parallel Connectors

Centronix or Standard Parallel - This connector has been around in PCs since they first appeared. It has 37-pins and is now integrated on new motherboards. It is usually used to connect your printer to the PC and moves data at about 1MB/s.

SCSI - Small Computer System Interface moves data at a maximum of up to 80Mb/s. It not integrated into most PC motherboards. It can be added to a PC as an Expansion card (see below). Some printers and hard disk drives use SCSI interfaces.

Expansion Card Connectors - The CPU connects to expansion card connectors through one of the chip set ICs mentioned above. They are located on the motherboard near the rear of the PC. These connectors allow special function cards to plug into and work with the PC.
Before motherboards integrated the serial and centronix connectors they were found on expansion boards that plugged into ISA slots.
Most PCs have the following expansion connector types:

ISA - Industry Standard Architecture connectors have been around since 1980 and first appeared in the IBM XT PC. This type of slot still appears on some newer motherboards so that older expansion boards can still be used. However, many motherboards no longer have ISA connectors on them.

PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect is a newer and faster interface that accepts all expansion cards that have a PCI interface.

AGP - Accelerated Graphics Port is a connector that is designed to work with video cards. Your video display plugs into and is controlled by one of these video cards. Many modern video cards offer enhanced 3D-graphics and fast, full motion video