5 – Microprocessor Architectures

Easy Level Questions (10 Questions)

1.     Define RISC architecture. What does RISC stand for, and what is its fundamental design philosophy(5 Marks)

2.     Define CISC architecture. What does CISC stand for, and how does its design philosophy contrast with RISC(5 Marks)

3.     List two key characteristics of RISC processors, such as their instruction set simplicity or energy efficiency (5 Marks)

4.     List two key characteristics of CISC processors, such as their ability to handle heavier computing tasks (Rahman et al., 2024). (5 Marks)

5.     What was the primary motivation behind the development of multicore processors, particularly when adding more transistors became impractical (5 Marks)

6.     Briefly explain the concept of "multicore processing" as the integration of multiple CPU cores on a single chip to boost efficiency and speed  (5 Marks)

7.     Name two specific Intel processors from the Core i-series (e.g., i3, i5, i7, i9) that utilize multicore technology  (5 Marks)

8.     What are mobile processors? Give one example of a popular architecture used for mobile processors, such as ARM (5 Marks)

9.     List two key considerations when designing processors specifically for mobile devices, such as power consumption and strict energy budgets (5 Marks)

10.                        What is the fundamental difference in instruction set complexity between RISC and CISC architectures? (5 Marks)

Moderate Level Questions (7 Questions)

11.                        Compare and contrast RISC and CISC architectures based on their instruction sets, addressing modes, and typical performance characteristics. Discuss one advantage and one disadvantage for each architecture, considering modern perspectives on their debate (5 Marks)

12.                        Explain how multicore processors improve overall system performance compared to single-core processors, even if individual core speeds are the same. Discuss the role of parallelism and how it addresses the limitations of single-core systems (5 Marks)

13.                        Discuss the evolution of Intel’s Core i-series processors (i3, i5, i7, i9). How do they generally differ in terms of core count, cache, Thermal Design Power, and target applications, referencing specific models if possible (5 Marks)

14.                        Analyze the key design considerations for mobile processors that differentiate them from desktop/server CPUs. Focus on factors like power efficiency, size, integration, and the use of heterogeneous multiprocessors to balance performance and energy (5 Marks)

15.                        In what scenarios would a RISC-based processor typically outperform a CISC-based processor, and vice-versa? Justify your answer with examples, considering aspects like energy efficiency for ARM-based RISC and heavier computing tasks for x86-based CISC. (5 Marks)

16.                        Explain the concept of "dark silicon" in the context of multicore processor design. How does it relate to the power budget and the limits of scaling in modern processors (5 Marks)

17.                        A software developer is choosing between a high-end Intel Core i9 processor and a server-grade processor for a data-intensive application. Analyze the architectural differences (e.g., core count, cache organization, instruction throughput, and specific features like AVX) that might influence this decision (5 Marks)