Editing Prefetch input queue (section)

{{Short description|CPU optimization unit}}
{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}

Fetching the instruction [[opcode]]s from program [[Computer memory|memory]] well in advance is known as [[Instruction prefetch|prefetching]] and it is served by using a '''prefetch input queue''' (PIQ). The pre-fetched instructions are stored in a [[FIFO (computing and electronics)|queue]]. The fetching of opcodes well in advance, prior to their need for execution, increases the overall efficiency of the [[Microprocessor|processor]] boosting its speed. The processor no longer has to wait for the memory access operations for the subsequent instruction opcode to complete. This architecture was prominently used in the [[Intel 8086|Intel 8086 microprocessor]].