Glossary of terms for CPU's
Processor type
There are two main manufacturers competing in the processor market: AMD and Intel. Both can run on the same operating systems, run the same software and the same peripherals, although they will require different motherboards and possibly run with different memory. In addition, there are now "mobile" processors that are designed to run on laptops and other mobile computing systems.
Socket
There are many different sockets for processors (CPUs) such as: socket 478, socket T (LGA 775), socket B (LGA 1366) for Intel and 939, AM, AM2+, AM3 for AMD. They are connectors present on the motherboard and form an electrical interface, between the motherboard and the CPU. Sockets connect to processors via pins or grids whichever applicable.
Processor Speed
The processor speed is the speed at which a processor executes instructions or at which the data is processed. The processor speed is measured in millions of cycles per second or megahertz (MHz) and is useful for providing comparisons between processor chips from the same processor family.
Bus Speed (FSB)
The front-side bus (FSB) is the physical bi-directional data bus, carrying all electronic signal information between the processor and other devices within the system. The higher this number is, the faster your system will run.
Architecture
Architecture represents the basic technology and design parameters used to manufacture processors.
Thermal Power
Thermal Power represents the maximum amount of power that a computer's cooling system requires to dissipate.