Computer CPU

CPU is a well-known acronym in the computing world, but what is in them? Learn more about CPUs, including the newest processors and the technology behind CPU speed.

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Overclocking a processor allows it to run at higher than factory speeds, but it also can lead to reliability issues if you don't do it safely. So how do you do it, and does it void your computer's warranty?

By Talon Homer

As manufacturers struggle to find new ways to cram transistors on computer chips, it would seem that Gordon Moore's famous prediction will one day fizzle out. Should we retire Moore's Law?

By Jonathan Strickland

When people speak of supercomputers, they often talk about how powerful the machines are. But just what is computing power, and what makes one type of machine more powerful than another?

By Jonathan Strickland

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According to Moore's Law, computer processors double in complexity every two years. Is this really a law, and who is Gordon Moore, anyway?

By Jonathan Strickland

Like clockwork, microprocessor manufacturers develop new and better chips to power our computers. What makes Intel's Nehalem chip so different?

By Jonathan Strickland

Advances in technology have allowed microprocessor manufacturers to double the number of transistors on a CPU chip every two years. How long can they keep this up?

By Jonathan Strickland

Utility computing lets you pay as you go for your company's computing needs. Would you be willing to let someone else take care of your hardware and software?

By Jonathan Strickland

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People are switching to parallel processing to share big computing jobs between several smaller, less-expensive chips. But how does parallel computing work?

By Jonathan Strickland

Instead of buying a supercomputer, what if you bought many regular computers? That's the idea behind distributed computing. But how does it work?

By Jonathan Strickland

Silicon microprocessors are about to reach the limit to their storage capacity. But one technology may extend the life of the silicon microchip -- it's called extreme-ultraviolet lithography, and it may keep silicon useful for a few years longer.

By Kevin Bonsor

Celeron and Pentium chips have a lot in common, but there are some features that separate them. Which one is right for you?

By Talon Homer

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In this article we'll tell you which processor is faster and why. Learn how chip designers make use of transistors.

A microprocessor will perform without error when executed at or below the maximum indicated speed. Why can't they speed them up? There are two things that limit a chip's speed.

The microprocessor determines the processing power available for any application you run. Without it, there is no computer. Learn all about this amazing, ever-shrinking technology that makes your computer compute.

By Marshall Brain & Chris Pollette