Editing Front-side bus (section)

{{Short description|Type of computer communication interface}}
[[File:Dual Core Generic.svg|thumb|Within a [[multi-core processor]], the [[back-side bus]] is often internal, with front-side bus for external communication.]]

The '''front-side bus''' ('''FSB''') is a computer communication interface ([[bus (computing)|bus]]) that was often used in [[Intel]]-chip-based computers during the 1990s and 2000s.  The EV6 bus served the same function for competing AMD CPUs. Both typically carry data between the [[central processing unit]] (CPU) and a memory controller hub, known as the [[Northbridge (computing)|northbridge]].<ref name="pcs">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/upgradingrepair100muel |url-access=registration |title=Upgrading and repairing PCs |author=Scott Mueller |edition=15th |publisher=Que Publishing |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-7897-2974-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/upgradingrepair100muel/page/314 314]}}</ref>

Depending on the implementation, some computers may also have a [[back-side bus]] that connects the CPU to the [[CPU cache|cache]]. This bus and the cache connected to it are faster than accessing the system memory (or RAM) via the front-side bus. The speed of the front side bus is often used as an important measure of the performance of a computer.

The original front-side bus architecture was replaced by [[HyperTransport]], [[Intel QuickPath Interconnect]], and [[Direct Media Interface]], followed by [[Intel Ultra Path Interconnect]] and AMD's [[Infinity Fabric]].