1.1.2 types of processors Flashcards
what does RISC stand for
reduced instruction set computer
what does CISC stand for
complex instruction set computer
properties of RISC
- small instruction set
-each instruction is one line of machine code - used in everyday devices
what are properties of CISC
-a large instruction set
-instructions are built into hardware
-used in embedded systems and microprocessors
CISC aims to complete the task in as few lines of assembly as possible - this means the processor hardware and circuitry has to be more complicated so it can understand and execute a series of operations
• The compiler has to do very little work to translate the high-level language statement into assembly.
• However, this complex instruction might take more than one machine/clock cycle to execute
what are the benefits of RISC processor
pipelining is possible since each instruction takes one clock cycle
what are the benefits of CISC processors
- compliers have to do less work to translate high level code into machine code
-less ram is required to store the code since the code is shorter
what is a graphics processing unit
A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a device which unlike CPUs has lots of independent processors which work in parallel making it very efficient at completing repetitive tasks such as image processing and machine learning
what are GPUs used for
used for image processing and machine learning
what are multicore systems
systems where there are multiple cores that separate fetch-execute cycle. Results in higher performance.
“Single chip containing two or more independent processing units.”
what are parallel systems
systems where multiple instructions can be completed at any given time, doesnt require multiple cores, it can use threading and pipelining instead.
Parallel processing: “The processing of program instructions by dividing them between multiple processors or processor cores.”
CISC VS RISC
Whats a co processor
Co-processor: “Any additional processor used for a specialised task”.
• A co-processor’s purpose is to improve the overall speed of the computer by executing concurrently with the main CPU, aided by a highly bespoke set of electronics.
Why are GPUs good at rendering down graphics
GPUs are good at rendering graphics because they have many cores that work in parallel, making them fast at handling multiple tasks like processing pixels, shading, and transformations simultaneously. They’re specifically designed for graphics tasks, unlike general-purpose CPUs.
Limitations of multi core
double the number of cores doesn’t usually mean double the performance:
• Overheads involved with inter-
core communication
• Some programs can’t make maximum use of all cores.
How can parallel processing be achieved?
• In this example, parallel processing is achieved by assigning separate processors or processing cores to the stages of fetch-decode-execute
While one processing unit is fetching a new instruction, a separate unit is decoding the previous instruction, and another unit is busy executing the instruction before that.
