This document discusses computer processors and related concepts. It begins with an overview of the central processing unit (CPU) and its basic functions of performing calculations, moving data, and making decisions. It then covers additional topics like clock speed, cache memory, multi-core processors, and threads. The goal is to explain what a processor does and key aspects of its design like cache levels and hyper-threading in order to gain a fundamental understanding of computer systems.

1. Unit 02 – Computer Systems
Central Processing Units
BTEC Level Lecturer: Owen Funnell 3 90-Credit Diploma for IT Users

2. This Lesson….
Recap of motherboards
End of the Lesson…
Be able to explain what a processor does
Explain why we use cache
Explain Threads and Hyper-Threading
BTEC Level Lecturer: Owen Funnell 3 90-Credit Diploma for IT Users

3. Sizes of motherboard?
BTEC Level Lecturer: Owen Funnell 3 90-Credit Diploma for IT Users

4. Motherboard Chip Set
Lecturer: Owen Funnell
1 2

5. Motherboard Buses
BTEC Level Lecturer: Owen Funnell 3 90-Credit Diploma for IT Users

6. 1
2 3
4 5
7 6
BTEC Level Lecturer: Owen Funnell 3 90-Credit Diploma for IT Users
8
10 11 9
12

7. 1
2 3
4 5
7 6
8
10 11 9
12

8. 1
2 3
4 5
7 6
8
10 11 9
12

9. Lecturer: Owen Funnell
1 2 3
4 5
7 6
8
10 11 9
12

10. Lecturer: Owen Funnell
1 2 3
4 5
7 6
8
10 11 9
12

11. Lecturer: Owen Funnell
1 2 3
4 5
7 6
8
10 11 9
12

12. Lecturer: Owen Funnell
1 2 3
4 5
7 6
8
10 11 9
12

13. Motherboard Connectors and
cables
1
2
Lecturer: Owen Funnell
3
4
5
6
7
8

14. Processors
Lecturer: Owen Funnell
Gigabyte Z97X-SOC Force Intel Z97 (Socket 1150)
CPU Support Supports 4th Gen Intel® Core™ / Pentium® / Celeron®
processors for LGA 1150 socket
Chipset Intel Z97
Memory Support 4 x DDR3 DIMMs 1066/ 1333/ 1600/ 1866(OC)/
2133(OC)/2400(OC)/ 2666(OC)/ 2800(OC)/ 3000(OC) up to
32GB max
Multi-GPU
Support
Support for 4-Way Crossfire
Support for 2-Way SLI
Display Outputs 1 x HDMI port
1 x DisplayPort
1 x DVI-I Port
1 x Dsub port
Expansion Slots 1 x PCI Express x16 slots, running at x16
1 x PCI Express x16 slots, running at x8
2 x PCI Express x16 slots, running at x4
1 x PCI Express x1 slot
2x PCI slot
Storage 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
RAID 0, 1, 5, 10
SATA Express
Networking 1 x Qualcomm® Atheros Killer E2201 chip (10/100/1000
Mbit)
Audio Realtek ALC 1150 - 8 Channel HD Audio
Connectivity 2 USB 2.0 (Headers)
2 USB 3.0 (Headers)
4 USB 3.0 Rear Ports
4 USB 2.0 Rear Ports
Form Factor ATX Form Factor
Warranty 3 Year Manufacturer Warranty

15. Processors
CPU stands for Central Processing Unit
Does 3 basic tasks inside a computer
• Can perform mathematical operations like addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division.
• A microprocessor can move data from one memory location to
another.
• A microprocessor can make decisions and jump to a new set of
instructions based on those decisions.
Lecturer: Owen Funnell

16. Processors (Page 21)
Lecturer: Owen Funnell
Runs constantly in a cycle called the fetch-execute cycle
Fetch
Decode
Execute
The first step the CPU carries out is to fetch
some data from main memory and store it in its
own internal memory cache. This is the ‘fetch’
part of the cycle.
The next step is for the CPU to make sense of
the data its just fetched. This process is called
‘decode’ The decoded data is known as an
instruction. Its tell the processor to do
something
The next part of the cycle is when processing
actually takes place. The instruction is carried
out or ‘executed’
Once a instruction is executed the processer
set itself up to do another cycle.

17. Processors
Processors are measured in Hertz
Lecturer: Owen Funnell
The clock speed is measured in hertz (Hz) and is
how many fetch-execute cycles the processor can
preform per second.
A clock speed of 500Hz would mean 500 cycles per
second. A 3GHz processor can complete 3 billion
cycles every second.
Faster clock speed = more calculations = faster
computer

18. Processors – Bottlenecks and Cache (Page 22)
We use cache memory because the CPU needs fast access to data. If we were to
use system memory the system would ‘bottleneck’ and be too slow. Think of it as
a 4 lane motorway that suddenly changes to a single lane. The car would need to
slow
Lecturer: Owen Funnell

19. Processors – Bottlenecks and Cache (Page 23)
Lecturer: Owen Funnell
Cache Memory
There are 3 levels of Cache Memory
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
The number referrers to how close each of these is to the CPU
Level 1 L1 cache is located on the CPU itself and run as the
same speed as the CPU, but it has a low capacity
Level 2 L2 cache is located on the CPU module and run just
slower then the speed as the CPU, but it has large capacity
Level 3 L3 cache is located on the motherboard and runs a
lot slower then the speed as the CPU, but it has the largest
capacity of any level

20. Processors – Bottlenecks and Cache (Page 24)
Clock speeds of processors are reaching the limit, we cannot get any
more speed from them without generating a lot of heat.
We can have processors with more then 1 core. A core being the CPU. A
duel-core CPU has 2 cores working together. These processors will share
a cache
Both CPU’s can perform fetch-execute cycle speeding up time
32 or 64bits
There are 2 types of processor 32 and 64 bit. The number indicates how
big a ‘chuck’ of data they can process at a time.
64-bit processors can process bigger chucks of data at a time, making
them quick
Lecturer: Owen Funnell

21. Processors – Threads and Hyper-Threading
(Page 25)
Lecturer: Owen Funnell

22. Processors – Threads and Hyper-Threading
(Page 26)
Lecturer: Owen Funnell

23. Processors
Intel Core i5-3570 3.40GHz
Lecturer: Owen Funnell
- 3.40GHz
- Cores: 4
- Threads: 4
- Frequency: 3.40 GHz (Turbo Mode 3.80GHz)
- Cache: 6 MB shared L3
- Memory Controller: Dual channel DDR3 1333/1600/1600+
MHz
- TDP: 77W
- Socket: LGA1155
- Compatible with Socket 1156 heat sinks