1) The processor does exactly what it says in the name. It processes instructions. Where RAM and the CPU caches store the data and instructions, it is the processor that executes the instructions on the data.
2) Think of the graphics card like a small office within a bigger office. The big office handles most requests for that business, but the small office is set up to handle a specific set of business requests that are difficult and time consuming. This is done so the main office doesn't get bogged down with those requests. Your graphics card is the small office to your CPU's big office.
3) RAM is like the counters in your kitchen. Stuff goes on the counters (RAM) before getting "cooked" on the stove (processor). Having more counter space means you have to spend less time shuffling things between the counters (RAM) and the refrigerator (hard drive) as you prepare a meal.
4) Central Processing Unit. This encompasses the processor cores and caches.
5) Processors have "cores" which are independent units capable of executing instructions. If you have one core, you can only execute one thread of instructions at a time. Two cores lets you handle two threads of instructions simultaneously. Three cores three threads and so on.
6) Computers inherently understand certain data types. One of these data types is an Integer (whole number). A 32 bit architecture means that an integer is given 32 bits to represent its value with. This means its lowest possible value is -2,147,483,648 and highest is 2,147,483,647 for signed integers and between 0 and 4,294,967,295 for unsigned. A 64 bit system has twice as many bits for an integer to store its value with (2^64), so it has a considerably greater range of possible values.
This also applies to memory space. Because the maximum value of a 32 bit system integer is 4,294,967,295, a 32 bit system has a hard limit of 4GB for RAM as that is all the address space it can possibly assign. A 64 bit system can handle a much greater amount of RAM because it can assign a much greater range of addresses for memory space.
7) The motherboard is one of the most important parts of a computer. It handles all communication between the disparate pieces of hardware. When data or instructions are moved from the hard drive to the RAM, it is through the motherboard. Likewise, when data or instructions are moved from the RAM to the processor cache/processor, it is through the motherboard. Many companies will advertise flashy CPU's, GPU's, RAM space, or other features and then skimp on the motherboard, causing a bottleneck that makes the system run significantly worse than it ought to.
As far as frame rate, that is largely dependent on your CPU, GPU, and the game developer. A game like MWO isn't particularly well optimized and relies more heavily on the CPU than the GPU. In the office analogy above, this means the smaller office isn't being used to its full potential and instead customers (items to be rendered to your screen) are forced to wait in line at the main office (the CPU). This causes the notoriously low frame rates players experience in MWO. Both offices are available, but management (the developer) chooses how the offices get used.
EDIT: There are certain settings that can help increase frame rates by a modest amount.
This thread might be helpful to you.
Edited by Voivode, 01 September 2015 - 08:24 AM.
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