primary cache

primary cache

[¦prī‚mer·ē ′kash]

(computer science)

A cache memory located within a microprocessor chip itself. Also known as internal cache; level 1 cache.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

primary cache

(hardware, architecture)

(L1 cache, level one cache) A small, fast cache memory inside or close to the CPU chip.

For example, an Intel 80486 has an eight-kilobyte on-chip cache, and most Pentiums have a 16-KB on-chip level one cache that consists of an 8-KB instruction cache and an 8-KB data cache.

The larger, slower secondary cache is normally connected to the CPU via its external bus.

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

L1 cache

(Level 1 cache) A memory bank built into the CPU chip. Also known as the "primary cache," an L1 cache is the fastest memory in the computer and closest to the processor. See cache and L2 cache.

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