All about your CPU

 
 

 

Pictured:  Athlon XP2600 Socket A Processor

 
 
 
 

The CPU (CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT) is the most important part of your computer. It has to perform millions of calculations just to get your computer to turn on. There are several different styles of CPU and CPU Socket. therefore you must buy a CPU to support your motherboard The CPU does not have one standard size and interface, so make sure the Motherboard. there are currently only two major chip manufacturers, INTEL and AMD, below is a list of the CPU types they produce.

CELERON
Intel introduced the Celeron as watered down cheap version of the Pentium Processor. Despite a smaller High Speed L2 cache memory and a slower bus speed it gives relatively good performance. The Celeron is a Socket based chip requiring a socket 370 or 478 motherboard.
Intel Celeron 1.7Ghz Socket 478 With Fan

PENTIUM III
The Pentium III is the 3rd generation of Pentiums made by Intel. It has a 100MHz Bus Speed and can have 256K or 512K of L2 cache memory compared to the Celeron's 128k or less. The Pentium III was first made using the Slot 1 packaging that was used by the Pentium II. It has since been reintroduced in a Socket 370 format that allows the L2 cache memory to be placed directly on the Processors die. The Pentium III is available as a Slot 1 or Socket 370 CPU. it has now been superseded by the Pentium 4.

PENTIUM IV
The new player in Intel's line up is faster and more expensive, not only is the chip expensive but we are now dealing with new motherboards and new memory. The Pentium 4 uses a socket 478 motherboard.
Intel P4 2.4Ghz Socket 478 Processor

AMD K6
Based around the extremely popular socket 7 motherboard the K6 range was AMD's first competitor to Intel's Pentium. the last processors in the series the K6-2 can be an economical upgrade for anyone using a super socket 7 motherboard.
AMD K6-2 450MHz Socket 7 Processor

DURON
The Duron is AMD's equivalent to Intel's Celeron. It offers great performance for the price and has a 200MHz bus. Due to licensing issues AMD use their own type of motherboard socket and the Duron uses a Socket A format Motherboard.
AMD Duron 1.3GHz Socket A Processor

Athlon
This is AMD's high performance chip, with higher processing speeds and more cache built in to it. As with the Pentium III The Athlon is sold either in a Slot A format or a Socket A format.
AMD Athlon XP1800 Socket A Processor

 
 
  Introduction
  The computer case
  The motherboard
  CPU Guide
  Installing the CPU
  Memory Guide
  Installing the Memory
  Hard Disk Guide
  CD and DVD Drive Guide
  Installing a Hard Disk or CD Drive
  Video Card Guide
 

More of this Article

Introduction
The computer case
The motherboard
CPU Guide
Installing the CPU
Memory Guide
Installing the Memory
Hard Disk Guide
CD and DVD Drive Guide
Installing CD or Hard Drive
Video Card Guide
 
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Did You Know?

A  Digital Calculating Machine was invented by Charles Babbage in 1823. 102 years before the transistor was invented.

 

The information presented here is for a guide only. If at all you doubt your technical abilities
do not attempt to perform the procedures documented here. We will not be held responsible
for any damage to your equipment or injury to yourself.
 

 

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