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.

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-chipcache, and most Pentiums have a 16-KB on-chip level onecache that consists of an 8-KB instruction cache and an 8-KBdata cache.

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