  CNET GLOSSARY: Terms for the techie
microprocessor
A silicon integrated-circuit chip that contains a computer's central processing unit (CPU), which handles logic operations such as adding, subtracting, and comparing numbers. When a computer is turned on, the microprocessor first gets instructions from the BIOS. It then acts on instructions from the operating system (OS) or from software applications. Microprocessor speeds are measured in megahertz (MHz). 
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