You've probably heard the acronym CPU lots of times when you went out hunting for a laptop or desktop computer to buy. Quite often, the type of CPU in the device will be mentioned as part of the specs ...

Under normal circumstances, the CPU in your desktop PC generates modest amounts of heat; a smart fan on top of the CPU runs just fast enough to keep it cool. At this speed, you barely hear the fan.

Can you feel your PC or Mac running hot? We've found the best ways to check processor temps on your Windows PCs and Macs.

A central processing unit, or CPU, is the heart of any computer system. But it’s definitely not the only part: you also need RAM, ROM and at least some peripherals to turn it into a complete system ...