Most processors today are multi-core which means that the IC contains two or more processors for enhanced performance reduced power consumption and more efficient simultaneous processing of multiple tasks (see: parallel processing). Multi-core set-ups are similar to having multiple separate processors installed in the same computer but because the processors are actually plugged into the same socket the connection between them is faster.

The term processor is used interchangeably with the term central processing unit (CPU) although strictly speaking the CPU is not the only processor in a computer. The GPU (graphics processing unit) is the most notable example but the hard drive and other devices within a computer also perform some processing independently. Nevertheless the term processor is generally understood to mean the CPU.