The major companies that were instrumental in the development and innovation of the microprocessor include Intel, Motorola, and Zilog. An increase in memory was not the only upgrade, as speeds increased exponentially. The 4th and 5th generation in the late 80’s and early 90’s gave way to 64-bit microprocessors. This increase in memory size saw a rise in its uses as it could now be used to do arithmetic calculations. The late 70’s was the dawn of the third generation with Intel releasing the first ever 16-bit microprocessor the 8086. This was an 8-bit microprocessor which was quite popular commercially. The second generation in 1972 saw the release of the 8080 microprocessor. Due to its small size, the 4004 microprocessor could not perform mathematical calculations. In the early 70’s Intel released the 4004 microprocessor a 4-bit chip that ran at a clock speed of 108 kHz. The microprocessor has dramatically evolved over the years. Embedded systems such as mobile phones, cars, military weapons, home appliances and many more. The main purpose for it’s invention was to be utilized in embedded systems. The 1970’s saw the invention of the Microprocessor. The microprocessor and other parts of the computer work together in achieving the goal to compute arithmetic and logical functions using a set of instructions to perform tasks within a computer. The central processing unit is essentially the brain of a computer and can consist of one or more microprocessors made up of thousands of transistors located on an integrated chip. A microprocessor is a computer processor that incorporates the functions of a CPU that can be found on a single integrated chip. The Microprocessor in its simplest definition is an electronic component designed to carry out computational tasks.Īt the heart of a computer is located a central processing unit (CPU). Let’s get started with the Microprocessor. Things such as the structure, memory, speed, application are just some of the few differences.īefore we dive in deeper at the differences, I shall give you an overview of the basics of the Microprocessor and Microcontroller. Maybe you are like me and when you first heard these terms you assumed that they were just two ways of referring to the same thing.īut, after learning more about them over the years, there are many differences between the microprocessor and the microcontroller. This is the main difference between Microprocessor and Microcontroller.When it comes to the world of electronics, you would have definitely come across the terms, Microprocessor and Microcontroller. When Microprocessor and other peripherals like RAM, ROM are mounted in one single chip then it is called microcontroller. Now one thing you must know that the only microprocessor cannot perform any computing functions or you cannot use the only microprocessor to perform your tasks you must need some peripheral devices like RAM, ROM etc. What is the difference between Microprocessor and Microcontroller? So this is the difference between Microprocessor and CPU. CPU is large in size but the microprocessor is small in size. So the Microprocessor is in many ways similar to the CPU only the difference is the Microprocessor includes all the logic circuits, including the control unit on one chip. CPU is implemented more than one circuit boards. The Microprocessor consists of ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit), Registers and Timing and Control unit on a single chip.īut the CPU does not consist all the above functions on a single chip. The processor is also known as CPU(Central Processing Unit). Actually, the term Processor is much known to most of the people than Microprocessor. What is the difference between Microprocessor and CPU? To get the answer of this question we must know about the processor. The microprocessor can perform or process various computing functions that is why it is called a microprocessor. What is a Microprocessor? The microprocessor is an electronic logic circuit made by semiconductor devices like transistors, diodes mounted on a single semiconductor chip. In this article, we are going to know the Difference between Microprocessor and Microcontroller and CPU. Most of the students have a confuse that what is the Difference between Microprocessor and Microcontroller, Difference between Microprocessor and CPU. If you are an Electronics Engineering student or an Electrical Engineering student then you may hear the terms Microprocessor, Microcontroller, and CPU.