Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The central processing unit (CPU) or processor, is the unit which performs most of the processing inside a computer. It processes all instructions received by software running on the PC and by other hardware components, and acts as a powerful calculator.

The CPU is placed into a specific square-shaped socket found on all motherboards by inserting its metallic connectors or pins found on the underside. Each socket is built with a specific pin layout to support only a specific type of processor.

The CPU is the heart and brain of a computer. It receives data input, executes instructions, and processes information. It communicates with input/output (I/O) devices, which send and receive data to and from the CPU.

The central processing unit (CPU) has two components

Control Unit

The control unit extracts instructions from memory and decodes and executes them.

The control unit acts as an intermediary that decodes the instructions sent to the processor, tells the other units such as the Arithmetic Logic Unit (below) what to do by providing control signals, and then sends back the processed data back to memory.

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

An arithmetic logic unit (ALU) is a digital circuit inside the processor that handles arithmetic and logical operations by loading data from input registers.

After the control unit provides the ALU with the instruction on the operations that must be performed, the ALU completes them by connecting multiple transistors, and then stores the results in an output register.

The control unit will then move this data to memory.

To function properly, the CPU relies on the system clock, memory, secondary storage, and data and address buses.

Smaller devices like mobile phones, calculators, held gaming systems, and tablets use smaller-sized processors known as ARM CPUs to accommodate their reduced size and space.