How Do I Know If I’m Running A 32-Bit Or 64-Bit CPU?

If you’re just learning about the world of computers and electronics, the terminology used to refer to different parts can be confusing. One component term you may have encountered is “CPU,” which is an initialism for central processing unit.

CPUs reside in almost all devices you own, whether it’s a smartwatch, a computer, or a thermostat. They are responsible for processing and executing instructions and act as the brains of your devices. Here we explain how CPUs interact with other parts of your devices and what makes them so integral to the computing process.

At its core, a CPU takes instructions from a program or application and performs a calculation. This process breaks down into three key stages: Fetch, decode, and execute. A CPU fetches the instruction from RAM, decodes what the instruction actually is, and then executes the instruction using relevant parts of the CPU.
The executed instruction, or calculation, can involve basic arithmetic, comparing numbers, performing a function, or moving numbers around in memory. Since everything in a computing device is represented by numbers, you can think of the CPU as a calculator that runs incredibly fast. The resulting workload might start up Windows, display a YouTube video, or calculate compound interest in a spreadsheet.

In modern systems, the CPU acts like the ringmaster at the circus by feeding data to specialized hardware as it is required. For example, the CPU needs to tell the graphics card to show an explosion because you shot a fuel drum or tell the solid-state drive to transfer an Office document to the system’s RAM for quicker access.

Originally, CPUs had a single processing core. Today’s modern CPU consists of multiple cores that allow it to perform multiple instructions at once, effectively cramming several CPUs on a single chip. Most CPUs sold today have two or four cores. Six cores are considered mainstream, while more expensive chips range from eight to a massive 64 cores.

Many processors also employ a technology called multithreading. Imagine a single physical CPU core that can perform two lines of execution (threads) at once, thereby appearing as two “logical” cores on the operating system end. These virtual cores aren’t as powerful as physical cores because they share the same resources, but overall, they can help improve the CPU’s multitasking performance when running compatible software.

The CPU is the core component that defines a computing device, and while it is of critical importance, the CPU can only function alongside other hardware. The silicon chip sits in a special socket located on the main circuit board (motherboard or mainboard) inside the device. It is separate from the memory, where information is temporarily stored. It is also separate from the graphics card or graphics chip, which renders the video and 3D graphics that are displayed on your screen.
CPUs are built by placing billions of microscopic transistors onto a single computer chip. Those transistors allow it to make the calculations it needs to run programs that are stored on your system’s memory. They’re effectively minute gates that switch on or off, thereby conveying the ones or zeros that translate into everything you do with the device, be it watching videos or writing an email.

One of the most common advancements of CPU technology is in making those transistors smaller and smaller. That’s resulted in the improvement to CPU speed over the decades, often referred to as Moore’s Law.
In the context of modern devices, a desktop or laptop has a dedicated CPU that performs many processing functions for the system. Mobile devices and some tablets instead utilize a System on Chip (SoC) which is a chip that packages the CPU alongside other components. Intel and AMD both offer CPUs with graphics chips and memory stored on them, too, meaning they can do more than just standard CPU functions.

Source: digitaltrends