Understanding the CPU

Front

CPU

Back

Central Processing Unit, the brain of the computer

Front

ALU

Back

Arithmetic Logic Unit, performs calculations and logical operations

Front

CU

Back

Control Unit, directs operations of the processor

Front

Registers

Back

Small, fast storage locations within the CPU

Front

Fetch

Back

Retrieve instructions from memory

Front

Decode

Back

Interpret instructions into signals

Front

Execute

Back

Perform operations as per instructions

Front

Clock Speed

Back

Speed at which a CPU executes instructions, measured in GHz

Front

Multicore Processor

Back

CPU with multiple processing units

Front

Cache Memory

Back

Fast memory for frequently accessed data