What is CPU Cache Memory?
CPU Cache Memory is a key in of temporary data storage located on the processor.
Cache memory is comprised of different levels of storage.
Jason Fitzpatrick / How-To Geek
The speed difference between the processor and the RAM was minimal in early computers.
There was little concern that processing would be slowed down by the memory.
The answer was cache memory.
Cache memory shouldn’t be confused with other types of cache commonly found in your rig.
What is L1 Cache?
L1 cache, sometimes called Primary Cache, is the smallest and fastest memory level.
What is L2 Cache?
L2 cache is a secondary memory cache, also embedded within each individual core of the CPU.
Some high-end processors might have a total of 32MB of L2 cache, but 6-12MB is probably the average.
As mentioned, this is divided equally between all cores, allowing each to access its own cache independently.
What is L3 Cache?
This is called a cache miss.
The introduction of L3 cache reduced the chances of a miss and therefore helped to improve performance.
When first developed, L3 cache was often located in a separate chip on themotherboard.
Modern CPUs now almost exclusively have L3 cache onboard for greater efficiency.
L1 vs. L2 vs. L3 Cache: What Are the Differences?
Can Cache Memory be Deleted?
As soon as you power off the computer, everything in the cache memory is lost.
How Much Cache Memory Do I Need?
As with most types of memory, the more cache a CPU has, the better.
Clock speeds, number of cores and threads, and other factors can all affect CPU performance.
A good baseline for L1 cache is 64KB per core.
And anything between 32 and 96MB of L3 cache is fine for most purposes.
Related:CPU Basics: What Are Cores, Hyper-Threading, and Multiple CPUs?
