A core processor functions in the same way that a CPU does on a motherboard-based computer. It provides the central functions of the computer, processing data and providing the capability to run programs, move data and so forth.

The core processors in single board computers oftentimes use the same technology that is used in desktop computers, making them very powerful. As desktop computers have gotten more powerful, so have single board computers. This has allowed an incredible amount of processing power to be included on single board computers, making them practical options for tasks that would have once required far more sophisticated technology than a simple single board computer.