Hyper-Threading technology is a technique that enables a single CPU to act like multiple CPUs. A CPU is made up of many smaller components. At any given time, one of these components might be busy, while the other components are waiting to be utilized. Hyper-Threading enables different CPU parts to work on different tasks concurrently. …
The L1 cache refers to the first tier in a computer processor’s memory cache system that increases the speed at which the processor delivers results to the user. The L1 cache sits between the processor and the computer’s RAM (Random Access Memory) and stores the user’s most accessed data in order for the processor to …
A dual core processor is part of a category called multi-core processors. These computer processors have more than one independent processor on the chip or package. In the case of a dual core processor, the entire chip has two independent computer processors that can work together to increase total computer performance. For non-technical consumers, dual …
Overclocking is the process making a computer component run at a higher speed than that specified by the manufacturer. The components that can be overclocked include the CPU, the memory and the video cards. Although there may be many different reasons for overclocking, the most common reason is to increase hardware performance. For example the …
A microchip, commonly called the integrated circuit, is a tiny electronic circuit. It is made up primarily of semiconductor devices. For the most part, these small microchips are used in nearly every type of electronic device known to man. As the years have gone on from their creation in the late 50s and early 60s, …
In order to understand what a checksum error is, it is important to first learn what a checksum is. A checksum is a redundancy check during a computer’s start up process, which makes sure that the computer’s data is intact and unhampered. The data is scanned and tested for accuracy, either based on how well …
CPU is an acronym that stands for central processing unit. The central processing unit is responsible for performing all of the mathematical calculations that are required for a computer to function properly. Because a computer cannot function without the CPU (which may also be referred to as the central processor or just the processor), it …
CPUs process data using instructions stored in the computer memory or RAM. The RAM is a temporary storage area that makes information and instructions available to the microprocessor, which does not have to use this information until required. The two processor classifications are the Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) and the Complex Instruction Set Computer …
Athlon is a name for AMD’s main line of Intel-compatible CPUs. The Athlon line is designed to complete against the Intel Pentium CPUs. Athlon CPUs feature a L1 cache with 64KB of memory for data and another 64KB of memory for instructions. Athlon CPUs support MMX, 3DNow!, and SSE. Some models of Athlon CPUs also …
A computer processor is commonly referred to as the CPU, or central processing unit of a computer. The processor is the primary component of a computer designed to move and process data. Computer processors are commonly referred to by the speed that the CPU can process computer instructions per second measured in hertz and are …