Microprocessor Performance and Trends

PREV The number of transistors available has a huge effect on the performance of a processor. As seen earlier, a typical instruction in a processor like an 8088 took 15 clock cycles to execute. Because of the design of the multiplier, it took approximately 80 cycles just to do one 16-bit multiplication on the 8088. With more transistors, much more powerful multipliers capable of single-cycle speeds become possible.

More transistors also allow for a technology called pipelining. In a pipelined architecture, instruction execution overlaps. So even though it might take five clock cycles to execute each instruction, there can be five instructions in various stages of execution simultaneously. That way it looks like one instruction completes every clock cycle.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, United States, that develops computer processors and related technologies for business and consumer markets. While initially it manufactured its own processors, the company became fabless after GlobalFoundries was spun off in 2009. AMD's main products include microprocessors, motherboard chipsets, embedded processors and graphics processors for servers, workstations and personal computers, and embedded systems applications.

· List of AMD K5 microprocessors

· List of AMD Athlon microprocessors

· List of AMD Athlon 64 microprocessors

· List of AMD Athlon XP microprocessors

· List of AMD Duron microprocessors

· List of AMD Opteron microprocessors

· List of AMD Sempron microprocessors

· List of AMD Turion microprocessors

· List of AMD Athlon X2 microprocessors

· List of AMD Phenom microprocessors

· List of AMD FX microprocessors

Nvidia Corporation (/nvdi/ in-vid-ee)^[4] (most commonly referred to as Nvidia, stylized as NVIDIA, nVIDIA or nvidia) is an American technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia designs graphics processing units (GPUs) for the gaming market, as well as system on a chip units (SOCs) for the mobile computing and automotive market. Nvidia's primary GPU product line, labeled "GeForce", is in direct competition with Advanced Micro Devices' (AMD) "Radeon" products. Nvidia expanded its presence in the gaming industry with its handheld SHIELD Portable, SHIELD Tablet, and SHIELD Android TV.

Since 2014, Nvidia has shifted to become a platform company focused on four markets – gaming, professional visualization, data centers and auto.

In addition to GPU manufacturing, Nvidia provides parallel processing capabilities to researchers and scientists that allow them to efficiently run high-performance applications. They are deployed in supercomputing sites around the world. More recently, Nvidia has moved into the mobile computing market, where it produces Tegra mobile processors for smartphones and tablets, as well as vehicle navigation and entertainment systems. In addition to AMD, its competitors include Intel, Qualcomm and ARM (e.g. because of Denver; while Nvidia also licenses ARM's designs). Nvidia is now focused on artificial intelligence. From the company's roots in computer graphics, Nvidia now provides GPU-accelerated computing to the gamers, designers and scientists, allowing them to create experiences in VR, deep learning, professional visualization and autonomous cars.

· Nvidia Ion

· Nvidia Shadowplay

· OpenCL

· OptiX

· PhysX

· Project Denver

· Shield Android TV

· Shield Portable

· Shield Tablet

· Tegra

3. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of magnetic storage, optical storage, and solid state storage using criteria such as versatility, durability, capacity, access time, and transfer rate.

Solid State Storage - flash memory with erasable/rewritable circuitry- portable & provides fast access to data; very little powered required to operate- no moving parts- not susceptable to vibrations, magnetic fields, or extreme temperature fluctuations
Optical Storage- stores data as microscopic light and dark spots on disk-not susceptable to humidity,dust,fingerprints,magnets, and spills, susceptable to scratches and estimated life of 30 years
Magnetic storage- stores data by magnetizing microscopic particles on a disk or tape surface, makes them permanent, flexibilty for editing and reusing-lose magnetic charge, altered by dust,mold, smoke, heat, and mechanical devices placed to close recommended to recopy every two years

4. Summarize what you know about how a graphics card can affect a display device’s resolution.

A graphic card stores screen images as they are processed but before they are displayed. Graphic cards have special graphic accelerator technology to boost performance.

5. Compare and contrast the technologies and applications for ink jet, laser, and dot matrix printers.

An ink jet has a nozzle like print head that sprays ink onto paper to form characters and graphics.

Laser printer uses the same technology as a photocopier to paint dots of light on a light-sensitive drum. Laser technology is more complex than ink jet technolgy.

Dot matrix printer produces characters and graphics by using a grid of fine wires. The dot matrix printer is a low operating cost and dependability, but not high print quality.