1. G043 – Lecture 03 Motherboards 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 Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Core 2 Quad 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