Megahertz, Gigahertz, Registers and Instructions - How Does a CPU Actually Work?

Explore the inner workings of CPUs in this comprehensive conference talk that demystifies how processors function, from basic principles to advanced concepts. Learn about instruction storage, instruction sets, registers, stack pointers, and memory management. Discover the differences between ARM and Intel processors, understand how CPUs optimize work, and gain insights into the future of processor technology. Delve into topics such as system clocks, thread execution, and the instruction cycle, all explained in an accessible manner without requiring an engineering background. Gain a deeper appreciation for the marvel of modern CPUs, whether in data centers or household appliances, and understand how high-level programming languages ultimately translate into the binary language of hardware.

Introduction
Starting from scratch
Instruction storage
Instruction sets
Basic math
Registers
Stack Pointer
Adding Registers
Comparing Registers
Do More Math
Passing variables
Instruction cycle
System clock
The problem
Memory
Thread Execution
Instruction set