In the world of personal computers, the terms microprocessor, processor and CPU are used interchangeably. At the heart of all personal computers and most workstations sits a processor. The processor is the central component of the PC. It is the brain that runs the show inside the PC. All work that you do on your computer is performed directly or indirectly by the processor. It is one of the most important components of the PC, if not the most important.

Three basic characteristics differentiate processors:
 

• Instruction Set: The set of instructions that the microprocessor can execute.
• Bandwidth: The number of bits processed in a single instruction.
• Clock Speed: Given in megahertz (MHz), the clock speed determines how many instructions per second the processor can execute.

In both cases, the higher the value, the more powerful the CPU. A 32-bit microprocessor that runs at 50MHz is more powerful than a 16-bit microprocessor that runs at 25MHz, for example.

Also, in addition to bandwidth and clock speed, processors are classified as being either RISC (reduced instruction set computer) or CISC (complex instruction set computer).

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