Developments in processors

By haqeem.nixon@stu.shc.ac.uk

  • Invention of the Microprocessor

    Intel introduced the 4004, the world's first commercially available microprocessor

  • Introduction of 8-bit microprocessors

    1972-1978
    intel 8080, Motorola 6800, and Zilog Z80 were introduced, marking a shift to 8-bit microprocessors, enabling more complex computations.

  • Development of the 16-bit Processor

    Intel introduced the 8086, leading to the creation of the x86 architecture, and Motorola launched the 68000 series.

  • Rise of RISC Architecture

    The development of Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) processors, such as IBM’s PowerPC, SPARC, and ARM, offered more efficient processing.

  • Introduction of the First 32-bit Processor

    Intel introduced the 80386, marking the first true 32-bit processor.

  • Introduction of the Pentium Processor

    Intel released the Pentium microprocessor, which introduced superscalar architecture, multiple pipelines, and floating-point performance improvements.

  • Shift to Multi-core Processors

    Companies like Intel and AMD introduced multi-core processors (e.g., Intel Core and AMD Athlon), which significantly boosted computing power through parallelism.

  • Launch of 64-bit Processors

    AMD’s introduction of the Opteron and Athlon 64 brought 64-bit computing to the mainstream, allowing for greater addressable memory and performance.

  • Emergence of ARM Architecture in Mobile Devices

    ARM architecture became dominant in mobile processors, used in smartphones, tablets, and embedded devices due to its low power consumption.

  • Rise of Quantum Computing Processors

    Companies like IBM, Google, and Intel began making strides in quantum computing, creating processors that utilize quantum mechanics to perform calculations far beyond classical limits.

  • Introduction of Apple M1 Chip (ARM-based for Macs)

    Apple transitioned from Intel x86 architecture to its own ARM-based M1 processor for Macs, bringing significant performance improvements and power efficiency.