1.1.2) Types of processor

A set of instructions a processor can execute, made of modules to simplify complex calculations.

Reduced Instruction Set Computers;

it has a small instruction set where each instruction is one line of machine code, executed in one clock cycle.

It is power-efficient, which is essential for small devices like phones, even though instructions may require multiple lines of code.

Complex Instruction Set Computers; it has a large instruction set designed to complete tasks in fewer instructions.

Power efficiency is less of a priority for PCs and laptops, and CISC minimizes the number of instructions needed for tasks.

GPUs are specialized co-processors with many cores working in parallel, used for processing images, gaming, machine learning, neural networks, and data mining.

They contain thousands of independent cores that work together to process and display information simultaneously.

It involves splitting programs across multiple processor cores to execute multiple instructions simultaneously.

It involves multiple computers working together to efficiently process tasks, used in climate modelling, AI, and data processing.

• Pipelining is possible since each instruction takes one clock cycle.

• The compiler has to do less work to translate high level code into machine code • Less RAM is required

• The compiler has to do more work to translate high level code into machine code • More RAM is required to store the code

Many specialised instructions are made even if only a few are used.