Chapter 3 A+

Motherboard

• CPU socket

• processor

• Ram slots

• Expansion slots

Processors

• Most processors today either have registered sizes of 64 or 128 bits

• Processing speed is measured in gigahertz 1 hertz = 1 cycle per second. Giga would mean there are 1 billion cycles per second.

• 5 ghz is average processing speed for modern processors

Busses

• Internal bus are the electronic lines within a cpu.

• The external bus connects the cpu to other components.

• When processing data the bigger the bus the faster data can be transmitted. 64 Bit buses are typical in today's machines.

Data Access Hierarchy

• Inside the cpu

  • Registers

  • Cache 1

  • Cache 2

• Motherboard

  • Cache 3

  • Ram

• Hard Drive

  • Disk storage

Multi Core processors

• Dual core means to cpus in one unit

• Quad core either has two dual core cpus or have all 4 cores in one unit on the motherboard.

Gpu

• Contains hundreds of processors

• Increased video card performance

• Can boost performance not related to graphics

• The gpu takes load off of the cpu

Cooling Methods

• Heat sink

  • Large surface area distributes heat away from the cpu

• Fan

  • Blows cool air into the pc and onto the processor

• Liquid cooling

  • Liquid is pushed over the heat sink to absorb heat and then is pumped away from the processor to release that heat and the cycle repeats.

Peripheral Component Interconnect

• Used to connect network cards, modems, sound cards, disk controllers and other peripherals.

Accelerated graphics port

• Bus interface for graphics

Types of motherboards

• ATX, used in full sized computers

• Micro Atx, smaller pc tower motherboard

• ITX, used in very small computers

• Nano Itx, used in very small devices

• Pico itx, the smallest motherboard used in very very small devices