The release of Intel’s 8086 microprocessor in 1978 was a watershed moment for personal computing. The DNA of that chip is likely at the center of whatever computer—Windows, Mac, or Linux—you’re using ...

(1) The primary pathway between the CPU and memory. The speed is derived from the number of parallel channels (16 bit, 32 bit, etc.) and clock speed. Also known as a "frontside bus," it is faster than ...