Overview
L2 (Level 2) cache serves as a backup to the L1 cache. If the CPU doesn't find the data it needs in L1, it checks L2.
Characteristics
- Speed: Slower than L1 but much faster than L3 or RAM.
- Size: Larger than L1, typically ranging from 256KB to 2MB per core in modern CPUs.
- Location: Usually located on the CPU die, very close to the core.