Types of Processors in Computer Science

Flashcards summarizing the key concepts related to types of processors including RISC, CISC, GPUs, and multicore systems.

RISC Processors

Reduced Instruction Set Computers that have a small instruction set with each instruction taking one line of machine code.

CISC Processors

Complex Instruction Set Computers that use a large instruction set built into the hardware.

Instruction Set

The collection of instructions that a processor can execute.

Pipelining

A technique in processors where multiple instruction phases are overlapped to improve performance.

GPU

Graphics Processing Unit, a co-processor with many independent processors, efficient at tasks like image processing.

Multi-core Systems

Systems with multiple independent cores that can each process separate instructions.

Parallel Systems

Systems that complete multiple instructions simultaneously, often using techniques like pipelining.

Microcontrollers

Small computing devices that typically use CISC processors, often found in embedded systems.

Compiler

A program that translates high-level language code into machine code; has less work to do with CISC processors.

Fetch-execute cycle

The basic operational process of a processor, involving fetching an instruction from memory and executing it.