The processor is also called the CPU.
The computer processor is much like the brain of a person: it controls the entire computer. The processor is responsible for executing all calculations, logic and instructions. Consider the different processor architectures when selecting a processor, as this ultimately determines how it will perform a number of tasks.
X86 Architecture
An X86 processor is a chip which processes a batch of 32 bits of data per clock cycle. Each bit is an instruction or piece of data used to perform calculations and functions. An X86 processor running Windows 7 can only address a maximum of 4 GB of RAM.
X64 Architecture
A X64 processor is a chip which can process both 32 bit and 64 bits batches of data per clock cycle. When running a X64 operating system, this type of processor can support up tp 192 GB of RAM. This makes a X64 processor much more efficient when running applications with large memory requirements.
Single Core Architecture
A single core processor is a chip which has one processing stream, meaning it executes one batch of instructions per clock cycle. This makes it slower compared to dual and quad core processors.
Dual Core Architecture
A dual core processor is a chip which has two parallel processing streams. This allows the processor to execute two independent batches of data per clock cycle, effectively doubling the efficiency of the processor, making it quicker than a single core processor when executing many instructions.
Quad Core Architecture
As the name suggests, a quad core processor is a chip which combines four parallel processing streams. This allows it to process four independent batches of data per clock cycle, effectively quadruple the efficiency of a single core processor. A quad core processor is most superior when handling very large amounts of data.
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