G043 – Lecture 03 Motherboards and Processors

1. G043 – Lecture 03Motherboards and Processors Mr C Johnston ICT Teacher www.computechedu.co.uk

2. Session Objectives • Know the purpose of the motherboard • Know the features which motherboard have • Can recognise different types of slot / sockets on a motherboard • Understand the role of the processor (CPU) • Know different types of processor available • Know how to choose a motherboard to suit your processor

3. The Motherboard • The motherboard or “pc main board” connects all the bits of a computer together, • It supplies power to, and allows data to flow between all components, • There are a series of different slots which cables, and cards fit into, • It is important when building a PC that all parts are compatible with the motherboard else the machine will not work.

4. Motherboard Features • System BUS (data, power, control, address) • I/O BUS (connects storage devices to motherboard) • Front Side Bus (connects processor to the north bridge) • Chipset (north bridge, south bridge) • Processor slot / socket • RAM slots • Expansion Slots • ISA (integrated systems architecture), PCI (peripheral component interconnect), AGP (accelerated graphics port) • BIOS (Basic Input Output System) chip • Battery • FDD, IDE(integrated drive electronics), SATA (serial advanced technology attachment) interfaces • Integrated Motherboard Port - USB / Serial / PS2 / Parallel ports • Power socket • Optional OnBoard features – Sound, Modem, GRX, Network Point

5. Conceptual Layout

6. The Processor • The processor or CPU is the brain of a computer and performs calculations to enable the computer to function, • Its main job is to: • Request information from devices, • Modify / Create new information, • Sending information back to devices. • Processors are measure in Hertz (Hz) - number of calculations they can perform per second, • Processors attach to a motherboard by being inserted into a socket, • In general the faster the processor the better the machine but certain other factors need to be taken into consideration – speed of motherboards bus, amount of RAM, rotation speed of storage drives and type of other cards attached.

7. The Processor Rivals • The two main manufacturers for processors are Intel and AMD, • Much debate (similar to Coke and Pepsi) who is better but essentially its down to personal preference and what you want your computer to do, • AMD went down the 64bit road, • More data can travel around the bus • Can use more than 4gb of RAM within your system • Have multi core versions or processors • Intel first to have several cores, • Effectively multiple processors in same case • Many of their processors now also offer 64bit technology • Which ever you choose need to ensure your motherboard has the correct type of socket for the processor, as different processors require different sockets.

8. Current Processors - Intel • Intel's most common processors in use at the moment are the IntelCore 2Duo and IntelCore 2Quad core range, • These have two or four processing areas and can essentially do multiple calculations (tasks) at the same time, • They come in a range of different speeds to suit different budgets and uses; each processor is given a different code: • Laptop processors start with a T (e.g.T7100) • Core 2 Duo desktop processors start with an E (e.g. E8500) or X for the extreme versions (faster version) • Core 2 Quad desktop processors start with Q (e.g. Q6700) or QX for the extreme version (e.g. QX9770) • Latest processors are the Intel Core i7 (Nov 2008) which are 64 bit high end processors and the Intel Core i5 (Sept 2009) which are mid range.

9. Current Processors - AMD • AMD produce a range of processors from high end to budget, • AMD Sempron processors are for the budget market whilst Athlon (and its varients) have been around for years and appear in typical home machines, • Phemon processors are AMDs high end processors and will be dearer, • Most types are offered with different speeds, cores and in 64bit.

10. Processor Precautions • Processors work very hard and get extremely hot, • It is important that they are adequately ventilated with a quality heat sink and fan, • When purchasing a heat sink they often are recommended for a type of processor and speed – using one for a lower spec processor could cause it to blow, • Never pick up or try to remove a processor from a motherboard without letting it cool first – you will get burnt.

11. Purchasing A Motherboard • Check that the board is suitable for your chosen type of processor, • Check that the board is suitable for your chosen speed of processor – if it will take a faster speed then it will be easier to upgrade,, • Check that the RAM you have is compatible with the board (we will look at RAM types in a later lesson), • Check what is included on the board (USB, Sound, GFX, Modem, Network, FireWire). These are often not good quality but save buying additional parts.

12. Topic Exercise • Download the topic exercise and complete it using the internet to assist you, • Save it within a sensible place as it will be useful when completing the assignment. • Useful websites: • www.intel.com • www.amd.com • www.ebuyer.com • www.dabs.com