Intel 1

The History of Intel Processors

By DiddleDiDi

  • Founding of Intel

    Intel founded by Noyce and Moore (ex-employees at Fairchild Semiconductor) in 1968
  • Period: to

    Variety of Semiconductors produced

    from DRAM processors

  • Intel 1105

    Intel comes out with its 3rd product, the Intel 1103, which put Intel on the map.

  • Intel 4004

    Intel launches its first microprocessor, the 4004.

  • Intel 8008

    Intel announces the first 8-bit microprocessor, the 8008.

  • Intel 8080

    Intel launches the Intel 8080 microprocessor, the first general-purpose microprocessor, featuring 4,500 transistors.

  • Intel MCS-48

    Intel launches the Intel MCS-48 series of microcontrollers, the world's first microcontrollers (which combine a CPU with memory, peripherals, and input-output functions).

  • Intel 8086

    Intel introduces the 8086 16-bit microprocessor, which becomes the industry standard (for the x86 instruction set).

  • Ethernet

    Intel and Xerox introduce the cooperative Ethernet project.
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    Transition to Processors

    Intel transitions from producing mainly DRAM memory chips to proceessors.

  • Intel 286

    Intel launches the 16-bit Intel 286 microprocessor, which features 134,000 transistors and is built into many PCs.

  • CHMOS

    Intel launches CHMOS technology, which increases chip performance while decreasing power consumption.

  • CHMOS DRAM

    Intel announces the world's first CHMOS DRAMs, which have densities as high as 256K.

  • iPSC/1

    Intel enters the parallel supercomputer business and introduces the iPSC/1.

  • Intel 80386

    Intel launches (and sole-sources) the 80386 processor, a 32-bit chip that incorporates 275K transistors and can run multiple software programs at once.
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    Andrew Grove Era

    Boom in PC sales. Intel benefits by setting the standard for "IBM Clones" like Compaq. Intel also encounters increasing competition from AMD. By 1998, Intel rolls out 3 major semiconductor lines for the personal computer market.

  • Intel 80486

    Intel introduces the 80486 microprocessor, which it sole-sources for 4 years. This offers backwards compatibility.

  • CISC or RISC

    Intel decides that it will stick with CISC architecture, and cuts off support for RISC architecture, which was internally developed by Les Kohn.

  • Intel Pentium

    Intel launches the Pentium processor, which has 3.1 million transistors, initial speeds of 60 mHz, features an integrated floating-point unit, and is built on a 0.8 micron bi-CMOS process.

  • Intel Pentium Pro

    Intel launches the Pentium Pro processor, a high-performance chip targeted for 32-bit workstations.

  • Intel Pentium MMX

    Intel launches the Pentium MMX product line.

  • Intel Pentium II

    Intel launches the Pentium II line of processors, which is Intel's sixth-generation microarchitecture (P6).
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    Craig Barrett Era

    The Internet was beginning to usher in massive changes in e-commerce and consumer behavior. Intel launches Centrino mobile technology, which helps usher in the wireless era.

  • Intel Pentium II Xeon

    Intel rolls out the Intel Pentium II Xeon processor, Intel's new high-end solution for the workstation and server markets.

  • Intel Celeron

    Intel launches the first processor for the budget PC market segment, the Intel Celeron processor.

  • Intel Pentium III

    Intel launches the Pentium III generation of microprocessors, which features the addition of the SSE instruction set (to accelerate floating point and parallel calculations)

  • Intel Pentium 4

    Intel introduces the Pentium 4 processor, with an initial speed of 1.5 GHz.

  • Intel Centrino

    Intel introduces Centrino processor technology for laptop PCs, which made wireless compatibility a standard for laptop computers.

  • Intel Nocona

    Intel announces that it will implement its first 64-bit processor, and releases the Nocona on June 2004.
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    Moore's Law starting to slow down

    Intel starts releasing multicore processors. By the end of this period, Intel also gains significant traction in its competition against Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

  • Intel Core 2 Duo

    Intel launches the Core 2 Duo processor, which marks its transition into dual core processors.

  • Intel Atom

    Intel announces the Intel Atom, a line of low-power, low-cost and low-performance x86 and x86-64 microprocessors that can be used for smartphones and tablets.

  • Intel Nehalem

    Intel announces the Nehalem microprocessor, which represents the new Core i7 brand of high-end microprocessors to replace the Core 2 Duo microprocessors.

  • Intel i7 Sandy Bridge

    Intel announces the Sandy Bridge series of i7 microprocessors to replace Nehalem. Sandy Bridge microprocessors start out as quad-core.

  • Intel 3D

    Intel announces that it will put the first 3D transistors. into high-volume production (the structure it invented is called "Tri-Gate").
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    Smartphone purchases significantly increase, PCs decline

    Intel's smartphone processors still fail to gain significant traction. Intel also starts to manufacture processors for the Internet of Things market.

  • Intel Haswell

    Intel releases the next-generation lineup of desktop and mobile processors in the Core i3, i5, and i7 family - known as Haswell.

  • Intel Quark

    Intel announces the Intel Quark, a tiny chip that can power Internet of Things and wearable devices.

  • Intel Smartphones

    Intel announces withdrawal from smartphone market.