CPU Central Processing Unit P2 Understand hardware technologies for game platforms CPU Central Processing Unit P2 -Central processor unit (CPU): types; speed; cache; address/data bus

Can you think of any brands that make CPU’s? What is a CPU? A Central Processing Unit is the brains of the computer, device or gaming platform. Also known as the processor or microprocessor. The CPU is responsible for executing a sequence of stored instructions called a program. Can you think of any brands that make CPU’s?

Intel AMD

Machine Code(Binary 1’s 0’s) e.g 1101 0010 1011 0100 How does a CPU work It processes instructions that it gathers from decoding the code in programs and other such files. A CPU has four primary functions:  Fetch: Retrieves the instruction that it needs to run from program memory. Decode: Breaks the code down to Machine code. Execute: Calculate extremely complicated mathematical functions and move data from one memory location to another. Write back: Takes the output and writes it into the computer’s memory

Question 1: Why are CPU’s important for gaming? Group Task Spend 10 minutes in your groups answering the following: Question 1: Why are CPU’s important for gaming? Question 2: What is CPU clock speed? Question 3: What are CPU cores? Question 4: What is the cache of a CPU? Bonus Question: What’s a CPU Socket? Bonus Question: What’s Hyper-Threading?

CPU’s in gaming The CPU is responsible for processing the game's instructions and processing input from the player. Things like handling the AI including NPCs, environment, and simulations(Such as physics) is all done by the CPU. This is why games which have a heavier focus on physical simulations, like Kerbal Space Program, require a more powerful CPU. One of the more critical roles for the CPU in most games is also to pass information to the GPU.

Does a higher CPU speed mean it’s automatically better? CPU Clock Speed A CPU's clock speed rate is a measure of how many clock cycles a CPU can perform per second. A CPU with a clock rate of 2.0 GHz can perform 2,000,000,000 clock cycles per second. Does a higher CPU speed mean it’s automatically better? Hertz 1 Hz 0.001 kHz 0.000001 MHz Kilohertz 1,000 Hz 1 kHz      0.001 MHz Megahertz 1,000,000 Hz 1,000 kHz 1 MHz Gigahertz 1,000,000,000 Hz 1,000,000 kHz  1,000 MHz

CPU Clock Speed No It’s important to look not just at clock cycles but at the amount of work a CPU can do per clock cycle. Fewer clock cycles with more work are better than more clock cycles with less. So fewer clock cycles means the CPU requires less power and produces less heat. This is why a current generation Intel I7 is significantly faster than a Pentium 4 from 2006. Even if they had the same Clock cycle speed.

CPU Cores Multi Core CPU’s such as dual or quad core processors have several CPU’s on one chip. A dual core processor literally has 2 CPU’s. This helps dramatically improve performance while keeping the physical CPU unit small so it fits in a single socket. Great for multi-tasking. There only needs to be a single CPU socket with a single CPU unit inserted into it — not four different CPU sockets with four different CPUs, each needing their own power, cooling, and other hardware.

Cache The cache is used by the CPU of a computer to reduce the average cost (time or energy) to access data from the main memory(RAM). The cache is a smaller, faster memory(Compared to RAM or a Hard Drive) which stores copies of the data from frequently used main memory locations. The more cache a processor has the lower the latency between transferring data back and forth while the CPU works.

CPU - Understanding hardware technologies for game platforms Put together a table containing a latest/recent high end processor from Intel & AMD for Pc’s. Then include Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox One X, Ps4 Pro and Nintendo Switch(You could include other gaming platforms if you wish) CPU specs. Include CPU model name, clock frequency(speed), cores and cache(If available).

Hyper-Threading Technology A technology that tricks the operating system into thinking there is multiple cores when there isn’t. So a single core CPU with Hyper-Threading Technology will show as having 2 cores. This is helpful for multi tasking but ultimately not as good as actually having two physical cores.

Front-sided bus Buses are circuits on the motherboard that connect the CPU to other components. There are many buses on the motherboard. A bus moves instructions and data around the system. The bus that connects the CPU to the memory is called the front-sided bus (FSB) or system bus.

Address/ data bus The contains two types of bus: Address bus - When the computer processor needs to read or write from or to the memory, it uses the address bus to specify the physical address of the individual memory block it needs to access (the actual data is sent along the data bus).The address bus only sends data in one direction - from the CPU to RAM. Data bus - this sends data to the memory or receives data from the memory. Data can flow both ways along the data bus. A data bus simply carries data.

CPU - Understanding hardware technologies for game platforms Useful websites for components: ebuyer.co.uk, overclockers.co.uk, pcworld.co.uk Introduce CPU’s and what they are, CPU Clock Frequency, Cores(Including Hyper-threading), Cache and finally FSB including Address and data bus. Make sure to explain why a Xbox 360 CPU is not more power full than an xbox one despite a higher clock rate(GHz). Find a Motherboard and CPU to use in a open source independent games console you will design. Maximum budget for the entire console must be no more that £600. Parts do not need to include VAT. I recommend saving most of the budget for the GPU. Justify your choice. As always do independent research including references and examples