Central Processing Unit (CPU)
A central processing unit (CPU) is the main processor on any computer that executes the instructions of a program.
Cache Hierarchy
A memory cache hierarchy is a mechanism in modern CPU design to increase memory access speeds.
Going from the L1 to the L2 cache (and L3 & L4, if they exist) and finally to conventional main RAM, the access speeds decrease, while the size and distance from the CPU increases.
Resources
- Demonstration of cache speeds
- Gregory, Jason. Game Engine Architecture. 2019. Section 3.5.4