1. CPU S, F ORM F ACTOR AND S OCKETS

2. F ORM F ACTOR  Form Factor is the physical size and shape of a device.  In motherboards it pertains to the size and shape of the board and also describes the physical layout of different components and devices on the motherboard.  With system cases, it describes certain specific features and what kind of motherboard fits inside.

3. T HE FOLLOWING ARE THE COMMON FORM FACTORS FOR MOTHERBOARDS :  ATX (Advanced Technology Extended): 12” x 9.6” (305mm x 244mm)  Micro ATX (mATX): 9.6” x 9.6” (244mm x 244mm)  FlexATX: 9.0” x 7.5” (229mm x 191mm)  Mini ITX: 6.7” x 6.7” (170mm x 170mm)

4. S OCKETS  Sockets are where the CPU or processor is placed.  As microprocessors advance, they also need more and more pins Pin Grid Array (PGA)

5. CPU S OCKET EXAMPLE  Socket 939 Athlon 64  The number in the names represents the number of pins present on the backside of the CPU that connect to the motherboard’s socket.

6.  LGA (Land Grid Array)  LGA is different from PGA in that the pins are actually part of the socket, not the CPU.  Example: LGA 775

7. CPU P ROCESSING T ECHNOLOGY  Hyper-threading (officially Hyper-Threading Technology, and abbreviated HT Technology, HTT or HT) is Intel's term for its simultaneous multithreading implementation in their Xeon, Pentium 4, Atom, and Core i7 CPUs. Hyper-threading is an Intel-proprietary technology used to improve parallelization of computations (doing multiple tasks at once) performed on PC microprocessors. (www.wikipedia.org)Intel'ssimultaneous multithreadingXeonPentium 4Atom Core i7CPUs  Hyper Threading (HT) ensures that the system resources are used most efficiently and a specific process is completed in a lesser amount of time.

8.  Dual Core Technology combines two independent processors and their respective caches and cache controllers onto a single silicon chip.

9. Q UESTIONS TO ANSWER  What is a CPU Form Factor?  Describe the different kinds of sockets.  Expound how threading works.  What is dual core technology?  If you will be asked what will be the probable design of the microprocessor chip after the year 2008, what would it be like? Explain.