What Is a Computer FSB?
- The front side bus is a part of the motherboard within a computer and acts as a connection between the processor, or CPU, of the computer and the system memory of the computer -- otherwise known as the RAM -- as well as other components. The FSB can be described as an electrical pathway that can both send and receive data from various components and the CPU. The FSB is also known as the processor bus, the system bus and the memory bus. Without an FSB, information could not travel and your computer could not operate.
- Similar to a processor, the speed of an FSB is measured in either Megahertz or Gigahertz. In general, the processor has a faster speed than the FSB. The faster an FSB can operate, the faster the overall performance of your computer will be. This is because the CPU can receive information at a quicker rate. If you are shopping for a new computer, do not only examine the speed of the processor when determining performance, but the speed of the FSB as well.
- The chipset allows the FSB to communicate with the components of the computer. A chipset is made up of two processors: the Northbridge and the Southbridge. Each bridge -- or chip -- collects data from a specific component and sends it to the CPU within the computer. The FSB is used as the means of transportation for this data to be sent. Both the Northbridge and Southbridge's speed is determined by how fast the FSB is.
- The FSB on some computers can be helped out by the backside bus. The backside bus is used to connect the CPU to the cache within a computer. The cache is used to store memory -- or data. Using a backside bus will limit the amount of traffic -- or information -- that the FSB is responsible for sending. This will ultimately speed up the performance of your computer. However, a backside bus is not needed in order for your computer to operate unlike a FSB is.
