What Is a CPU?

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the component that executes a computer's program instructions and performs the basic calculations in the system. A processor's performance depends on several factors, such as core count, clock speed, architecture, cache and power consumption. When choosing an industrial PC, the CPU should be evaluated against the processing-power requirements of the software and application to be used. A simple control application and a machine-vision or AI application do not need the same processor performance.