Technology
What is A CPU?
A CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the main 'brain' of a computer. It carries out instructions — doing the calculations and logic that run programs. Its speed and number of cores largely determine how fast a computer feels.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a cpu.
Key things to understand
- 1CPU stands for Central Processing Unit.
- 2It's the computer's main processor — its 'brain'.
- 3It executes instructions: math, logic, and control.
- 4More cores and higher speed mean faster performance.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a CPU do?
- It carries out the instructions of computer programs, performing the calculations and logic that make everything run.
- What's the difference between a CPU and a GPU?
- A CPU handles general tasks quickly one or a few at a time; a GPU does many similar tasks in parallel.
- What are CPU cores?
- Independent processing units within a CPU; more cores let it handle more tasks at once.