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The laptop CPU, or Central Processing Unit, is responsible for dealing with all of the raw data inside the device. Every executable program must come in contact with the laptop processor, before the information appears as an image on the screen. High-quality laptop processors have reached a capacity of 4 cores, or a Quad-Core unit. The current standard for devices is a dual-core processor, and the advance to 8 cores has now become possible. A notebook processor with multiple cores is a conjunction of various processors within a single unit. It allows users to multitask without latency, while the processor is juggling various types of data.
Laptop CPUs have much lower power consumption than standard desktop processors, and are also a fraction of the size. An overheating laptop processor can potentially burn out, or "Fry", the motherboard, as well as any connecting components. The compact design allows the unit to run at a far cooler temperature than ever before, and competes moderately with desktop components. Laptop processors are identified by the amount of cores it contains, the cache memory, its bus speed, and the operating speed of each chip individually.
Notebook processors also feature Thermal Design Power technology, or TDP. The TDP feature determines the maximum amount of Wattage that the cooling solution for the laptop processor will need to dissipate. The lower the Thermal Design Power level, the better performance the notebook will provide. The Cache memory for a laptop processor is a high-speed local memory that allows the notebook CPU to prevent itself from accessing the slower main memory. The bus speed determines the speed at which the laptop processor communicates with the rest of the device. |