Central Processing Units (CPUs, Processors)
Often called the brains of the computer, the CPU is the device that performs the calculations that make computing possible. Although there are several CPU manufacturers, Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) make the vast majority of processors used in Windows-based PCs, so we will limit our discussion mostly to Intel Celeron and Pentium II, III, and 4 processors, and AMD K6-2, K6-3, Athlon, and Duron processors. For more information, go to intel.com or amd.com. One other processor family worth mentioning is the very inexpensive VIA C3 family from VIA Technologies (via.com.tw), which has started to show up in some similarly inexpensive systems. Time will tell if the quality will match that of Intel or AMD.
