Processor (computing)
In computing, a processor or processing unit is an electronic circuit which performs operations on some external data source, usually memory or some other data stream.[1] It typically takes the form of a microprocessor, which is fabricated on a single metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) integrated circuit (IC) chip.
Circuits of a microprocessor at 200x magnification
The term is frequently used to refer to the central processing unit in a system.[2] However, it can also refer to other co-processors.
Examples
- Central Processing Unit (CPU)
- If designed conforming to the von Neumann architecture, it contains at least a control unit (CU), arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and processor registers.
- Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
- Sound chips and sound cards
- Vision Processing Unit (VPU)
- Tensor Processing Unit (TPU)
- Neural Processing Unit (NPU)
- Physics Processing Unit (PPU)
- Digital Signal Processor (DSP)
- Image Signal Processor (ISP)
- Synergistic Processing Element or Unit (SPE or SPU) in the cell microprocessor
- Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)
See also
- Microprocessor
- Multi-core processor
- Superscalar processor
- Hardware acceleration
- Von Neumann architecture
- All pages with titles containing processing unit
References
- "Oxford English Dictionary". Lexico. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- "Oxford English Dictionary". Lexico. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
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