L1 L2 L3 cache memory?

[Midevil Chaos]

Can someone explain to me what L1, L2 and L3 cache memory are (I assume that the 6s and the 8s are basically the amounts of cores)? 

1. What would be the massive differences between the following?
2. What does "instruction" and "data" mean?
3. Are the kb's and the mb's considered relatively large in terms of what they accomplish (I can't imagine kb's to hold much data...)

 

L1 Cache

8 x 64KB Instruction
8 x 32KB Data

 

L2 Cache

8 x 512KB

 

L3 Cache

1 x 16.0MB

VS

 

L1 Cache

6 x 32KB Instruction
6 x 32KB Data

 

L2 Cache

6 x 256KB

 

L3 Cache

1 x 12MB

 

 

 

[WereCatf]

19 minutes ago, Midevil Chaos said:

(I assume that the 6s and the 8s are basically the amounts of cores)?

That's how much of that cache there is per core.

Quote

What does "instruction" and "data" mean?

"Instruction memory" is memory, which is used to store executable code. "Data memory" is, well, non-executable stuff, like e.g. strings of text that the application uses. Take e.g. Notepad -- the executable code is all the stuff that it does, like e.g. when you open or save a file, change font-settings and such, whereas the data is all the stuff it shows, like e.g. the menus, the text in the About Notepad - dialog and so on.

 

As for what L1, L2, L3 etc. means: it basically denotes how far the cache is from the processor-core. The closer to the core it is, the faster the core can make use of it, and the farther away, the slower it becomes for the core to use it. Also, yes, even just a few kilobytes of Lx cache does make a noticeable difference.

[Midevil Chaos]

9 minutes ago, WereCatf said:

That's how much of that cache there is per core.

"Instruction memory" is memory, which is used to store executable code. "Data memory" is, well, non-executable stuff, like e.g. strings of text that the application uses. Take e.g. Notepad -- the executable code is all the stuff that it does, like e.g. when you open or save a file, change font-settings and such, whereas the data is all the stuff it shows, like e.g. the menus, the text in the About Notepad - dialog and so on.

 

As for what L1, L2, L3 etc. means: it basically denotes how far the cache is from the processor-core. The closer to the core it is, the faster the core can make use of it, and the farther away, the slower it becomes for the core to use it. Also, yes, even just a few kilobytes of Lx cache does make a noticeable difference.

So, a 8 x 32kb is the same as a 6 x 32kb, per core that is? Also, as far as I understand what you are saying in this particular case, the 6 cores cpu is better than the 8 cores cpu? Since the 6 cores has lower numbers.

[WereCatf]

7 minutes ago, Midevil Chaos said:

So, a 8 x 32kb is the same as a 6 x 32kb, per core that is?

Yes

Quote

Also, as far as I understand what you are saying in this particular case, the 6 cores cpu is better than the 8 cores cpu? Since the 6 cores has lower numbers.

No, you want as much cache as possible, ie. bigger number is better. The way the cache works is that the memory-controller of the CPU fetches stuff from the DDR RAM into the cache and then the cores work with what's in the cache; the more stuff the memory-controller can store in the cache, the longer the cores can work with the stuff there before the memory-controller has to fetch more.

 

I think you misunderstood the part " As for what L1, L2, L3 etc. means: it basically denotes how far the cache is from the processor-core." -- I am saying that L1-cache is the closest to the core, L2 is a bit further away, L3 is even further.

[Midevil Chaos]

Gotcha. Thanks for the reply. Makes sense I will most likely look at the Ryzen 2700x in that case.