What is a microprocessor
What is a microprocessor
What is a Microprocessor : Architecture, Types & Its Applications
A microprocessor is an integral part of various electronic devices. It forms the heart of a computer system and is responsible for performing multiple operations. Without a microprocessor, you will not be able to perform any operation on your computer. It is a major component of the electronic industry and is used for various purposes. It is used to perform computational and logical operations such as addition, subtraction, interprocess communication, input-output management. The classification of this can be done based on the number of instructions it can form in one second. Here we have given a detailed description of a microprocessor, its architecture, types, and applications.
What is a Microprocessor?
Definition: A microprocessor is nothing but the Central Processing Unit of a computer that has been constructed on a single chip. It is an integrated circuit and is able to implement all the important functions of the CPU. It is built on a silicon chip and is a clock-driven. The device is register-based. It accepts binary data and produces the necessary output after processing the data on the basis of the instructions which are stored in the memory.
Microprocessor Architecture
Here we are going to discuss the architecture of the 8085 microprocessor.
The 8085 is an 8-bit device. The configuration of the 8085 includes an address bus of 16 bits, a data bus of 8 bits, a stack pointer of 16 bits, the program counter of 16 bits and registers of 8 bits each.
The device works at 3.2 MHz. The architecture mainly consists of the arithmetic and logic unit, timing and control unit, instruction register, decoder, interrupt control register and serial input-output control. The ALU performs the various arithmetic and logic operations while the timing and control unit brings about coordination between all the parts of the microprocessor. Given below is the architecture of an 8085
List of Terms Used
The list of terms used in this is discussed below.
Instruction Set
An instruction set refers to the group of instructions or command which is given to the microprocessor The instruction set acts as an interface between the software and hardware.
Please refer to this link to know more about 8085 Microprocessor MCQs
The bus is used for the transmission of data, address and control information. This transmission occurs in different elements of the microprocessor. The bus in this is basically of three types which are data bus, a control bus, and address bus.
Instruction Per Cycle
IPC refers to the number of instructions that a CPU can execute in a single clock cycle.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the number of bits that can be processed in a single instruction.
Clock Speed
Clock speed refers to the number of operations performed by the microprocessor per second. The clock speed is mostly expressed in MHz.
Word Length
Word length refers to the number of bits that can be processed by the microprocessor in a particular instance of time.
Data Type
Data types refer to the types of data formats which the microprocessor can support. For example binary, ASCII signed number and unsigned number.
Types of Microprocessors
The different types are discussed below.
CISM or Complex Instruction Set type is capable of executing single instructions using several low-level functions. These low-level functions can be used for several operations like load from memory, memory store or any kind of arithmetic operations. Complex computations can also be performed.
RISM or Reduced Instruction Set type can be used to work with fewer instruction cycles as compared to the CISM. It is made up of a set of simple instructions and it is also optimized for regular instruction pipeline flow. RISM is the most commonly used processor.
Superscalar Processor
Superscalar Processor is capable of implementing instruction-level parallelism and that too within a single processor. It can execute more than one instruction per clock cycle. As a result, this kind of processor is extremely fast and gives more throughput as compared to primitive scalar processors.
Application Specific Integrated Circuit
This type of integrated circuit is used for specific purposes only. They can be used in a digital voice recorder or a bitcoin miner. The design is extremely modern and they may include the entire microprocessor in a single chip.
Apart from the above-listed, there are a number of special processors as well. Some of them are discussed below.
Coprocessor
A coprocessor can be used to handle practical functions faster than the normal microprocessor. One such processor is the 8087 processor.
Input/Output
Input/Output type is mainly used to control IO devices. One such example is the DMA control. This type of processor has its own memory.
Digital Signal Processor
Digital Signal Processor requires a number of components like the term memory, input/output, and program memory. We can use this processor to process analog signals to digital signals.
Examples
The best examples are listed below.
8085 Microprocessor
8085 was designed by Intel in 1977. This type of microprocessor was developed using NMOS technology. It has an 8-bit data bus, 16-bit address bus, 16-bit program counter, and stack counter. It also has 6-bit registers which are arranged in pairs BC, DE and HL. It requires a 5-volt power supply.
8086 Microprocessor
8086 type was also designed by Intel. It is a 16-bit microprocessor that has 16 data lines and 20 address lines. The storage is 1 MB. It consists of instruction sets using which you will be able to perform complex operations easily. It operates in two modes which are maximum mode and minimum mode.
Advantages
The advantages of a microprocessor include the following.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of a microprocessor include the following.
Applications of a Microprocessor
Please refer to this link to know more about Microprocessor MCQs
Please refer to this link to know more about 8086 Microprocessor MCQs
1). What is a microprocessor used for?
A computer uses a microprocessor chip to perform different operations. It can be programmed as per the requirement to give the desired output.
2). Is CPU a microprocessor?
CPU and microprocessor are basically the same. However, CPU is used to refer to the control unit and the processor unit of a microprocessor.
3). What is the processor example?
There are different types of processors like Budget, Mainstream and Dual-Core Processor
4). Why is a processor important?
The processor provides the necessary instructions which are required by a computer or any other electronic device to perform its operations.
5). What is the unit of a microprocessor?
A microprocessor consists of the Arithmetic Logic Unit and Control Unit. It also has a number of registers.
Please refer to this link to know more about Stack and Stack Pointer.
Thus, this is all about an overview of a microprocessor, architecture, list of terms used, examples, advantages, disadvantages, and applications. Here is a question for you, mention the name of the latest microprocessor used in current applications?
Here are some common terms that we will use in microprocessor field.
A bus is a set of conductors intended to transmit data, address or control information to different elements in a microprocessor. Usually a microprocessor will have 3 types of buses : Data Bus, Control Bus and Address Bus. An 8-bit processor will be using 8-bit wide bus.
Instruction Set
Instruction set is the group of commands that a microprocessor can understand. So instruction set is an interface between hardware and software (program). An instruction commands the processor to switch relevant transistors for doing some processing in data. For eg. ADD A, B; is used to add two numbers stored in the register A and B.
Word Length
Word Length is the number of bits in the internal data bus of a processor or it is the number of bits a processor can process at a time. For eg. An 8-bit processor will have an 8-bit data bus, 8-bit registers and will do 8-bit processing at a time. For doing higher bits (32-bit, 16-bit) operations, it will split that into a series of 8-bit operations.
Cache Memory
Cache memory is a random access memory that is integrated into the processor. So the processor can access data in the cache memory more quickly than from a regular RAM. It is also known as CPU Memory. Cache memory is used to store data or instructions that are frequently referenced by the software or program during the operation. So it will increase the overall speed of the operation.
Clock Speed
Microprocessors uses a clock signal to control the rate at which instructions are executed, synchronize other internal components and to control the data transfer between them. So clock speed refers to the speed at which a microprocessor executes instructions. It is usually measured in Hertz and are expressed in megahertz (MHz), gigahertz (GHz) etc.
Classification of Microprocessors
Based on Word Length
Hope you read about word length above. So based on the word length of a processor we can have 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit and 64-bit processors.
RISC – Reduced Instruction Set Computer
RISC is a type of microprocessor architecture which uses small, general purpose and highly optimized instruction set rather than more specialized set of instructions found in others. RISC offers high performance over its opposing architecture CISC (see below). In a processor, execution of each instruction require a special circuit to load and process the data. So by reducing instructions, the processor will be using simple circuits and faster in operation.
CISC – Complex Instruction Set Computer
CISC is the opposing microprocessor architecture for RISC. It is made to reduce the number of instructions per program, ignoring the number of cycles per instruction. So complex instructions are directly made into hardware making the processor complex and slower in operation.
This architecture is actually designed to reduce the cost of memory by reducing the program length.
Special Purpose Processors
There are some processors which are designed to handle some specific functions.
Microprocessor Explained – Everything You Need To Know
January 4, 2021 / December 23, 2021 by History Computer Staff
3 Facts About Microprocessor
Microprocessor History
Microprocessors are computer processors containing logic, arithmetic, and control circuitry needed for a computer’s CPU to function correctly. In essence, a microprocessor is a multipurpose, register-based, clock-driven, digital integrated circuit that accepts and processes binary data as input instructions, stores such instructions in its memory, and provides results – in binary form – as its output.
Inarguably, the introduction of low-cost computer-based integrated circuits has positively transformed modern society. Microprocessors, since their advent, have been helpful for multimedia display, computation, internet communication, text editing, industrial process controls, etc.
Quick Facts
When exactly was the microprocessor invented? Answering this question will cause us to stumble upon again into the same story as with the inventions of the integrated circuit, the transistor, and many others gadgets, reviewed on this site. Several people got the idea almost simultaneously, but only one got all glory, and he was the engineer Ted Hoff alongside the co-inventors Masatoshi Shima, Stanley Mazor, and Federico Faggin at Intel Corp., based in Santa Clara, California.
The microprocessor CPUs were built in the 1950s and 1960s with many chips or a few LSI (large-scale integration) chips. In the late 1960s, many articles had discussed the possibility of a computer on a chip. However, all concluded that the integrated circuit technology was not yet ready. Ted Hoff was probably the first to recognize that Intel’s new silicon-gated MOS technology might make a single-chip CPU possible if a sufficiently simple architecture could be developed.
In 1990 another U.S. engineer and inventor—Gilbert Hyatt from Los Angeles, after a 20-year battle with the patent office, announced that he had finally received a certificate of intellectual ownership for a single-chip microprocessor, that he says he invented in 1968, at least a year before Intel started (see the U.S. patent №4942516). Hyatt asserted that he put together the requisite technology a year earlier at his short-lived company, Micro Computer Inc., whose major investors included Intel’s founders, Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore. Micro Computer invented the digital computer that controlled machine tools, then fell apart in 1971 after a dispute between Hyatt and his venture-capital partners over sharing his rights to that invention. Noyce and Moore developed Intel into one of the world’s largest chip manufacturers. “This will set history straight,” proclaimed Hyatt. “And this will encourage inventors to stick to their inventions when they’re up against the big companies.” However, nothing came out from Hyatt’s pretensions for pioneering and licensing fees from computer manufacturers.
In 1969, the Four-Phase Systems, a company established by several former Fairchild engineers, led by Lee Boysel, designed the AL1—an 8-bit bit-slice chip containing eight registers and an ALU (see the photo below). At the time, it formed part of a nine-chip, 24-bit CPU with three AL1s. Actually, the AL1 was called a microprocessor much later (in the 1990s) when, in response to litigation by Texas Instruments, a demonstration system was constructed where a single AL1 formed part of a courtroom demonstration computer system, together with an input-output device, RAM and ROM. AL1 was shipped in data terminals from that company as early as 1969.
The term “Microprocessor” was first used when the Viatron system 21 small Computer System was announced in 1968. Since the 1970s, the use of microprocessors has consequently increased, cutting across several use cases.
Microprocessor: How It Worked
The microprocessor’s working principle follows the sequence: fetching, decoding, and execution.
Technically, at first, the microprocessor sequentially stores inputs as instructions in the computer’s storage memory. Afterward, it fetches the stored instructions and decodes them. The decoded instructions are executed until the microprocessor meets a STOP instruction. Finally, the results are sent in binary form as output via the output port after execution.
To further understand how a microprocessor works, you must familiarize yourself with specific terms associated with the device. These basic terms include:
Instruction Set: These are sets of commands understandable by the microprocessor. The instruction set is typically an interface between the computer software and hardware.
Clock Speed: This is the number of operations a microprocessor can perform in a second, expressed in Hertz or its multiples. Clock speed is also otherwise called Clock Rate.
IPC: Instruction Per Cycle, IPC, measures the volume of instructions a computer’s central processing unit can execute in a single clock.
Bandwidth: This is the number of bits the microprocessor can process in a single instruction.
Bus: These are conductors used to transmit data, control, or address information in different microprocessor elements. Generally, there are three (3) basic types of buses, address bus, data bus, and control bus.
Microprocessor: Historical Significance
The first 8-bit microprocessor was manufactured again by Intel, this time under a contract of another company—Computer Terminals Corporation, later called Datapoint, of San Antonio, TX. Datapoint wanted a chip for a terminal they were designing. Intel marketed it as the 8008 in April 1972. This was the world’s first 8-bit microprocessor, but the chip was rejected by CTC as it required many support chips.
In April 1974, Intel announced its successor, the world-famous 8080, which opened up the microprocessor component marketplace. With the ability to execute 290000 instructions per second and 64K bytes of addressable memory, the 8080 was the first microprocessor with the speed, power, and efficiency to become a vital tool for designers.
Admittedly Intel was the first but not the only company for microprocessors (see the Timeline of Intel’s Microprocessors). The competing Motorola 6800 was released in August 1974, the similar MOS Technology 6502 in 1975, and Zilog Z80 in 1976.
The first multi-chip 16-bit microprocessor was the National Semiconductor IMP-16, introduced in early 1973. An 8-bit version of the chipset was introduced in 1974 as the IMP-8. During the same year, National introduced the first 16-bit single-chip microprocessor, the PACE, followed by an NMOS version, the INS8900.
The first single-chip 16-bit microprocessor was TI’s TMS 9900, introduced in 1976, which was also compatible with their TI-990 line of minicomputers. Intel produced its first 16-bit processor, the 8086, in 1978. It was source consistent with the 8080 and 8085 (an 8080 derivative). This chip has probably had more effect on the present-day computer market than any other, although whether this is justified is debatable; the chip was compatible with the 4-year-old 8080, and this meant it had to use a most unusual overlapping segment register process to access a full 1 Megabyte of memory.
The most significant 32-bit design is the MC68000, introduced in 1979. The 68K, as it was widely known, had 32-bit registers but used 16-bit internal data paths and a 16-bit external data bus to reduce pin count and supported only 24-bit addresses. Motorola generally described it as a 16-bit processor, though it clearly has a 32-bit architecture. The combination of high performance, ample (16 megabytes (2^24)) memory space, and relatively low costs made it the most popular CPU design of its class. The Apple Lisa and Macintosh designs used the 68000, as did a host of other designs in the mid-1980s, including the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga.
The world’s first single-chip fully-32-bit microprocessor, featuring 32-bit data paths, 32-bit buses, and 32-bit addresses, was the AT&T Bell Labs BELLMAC-32A, with first samples in 1980 and general production in 1982.
Microprocessor Explained – Everything You Need To Know FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is a microprocessor?
A microprocessor is a CPU that features multiple integrated circuits containing logic, control, and arithmetic circuitry needed for a typical CPU to function correctly.
Who invented the microprocessor?
The microprocessor was invented by a team of silicon engineers and logic architects: Marcian (Ted) Hoff, Masatoshi Shima, Federico Faggin, and Stanley Mazor.
When was the microprocessor invented?
What is the difference between a microcontroller and a microprocessor?
The microcontroller puts the central processing unit and other peripherals onto the same chip to function. The microcontroller features a single-chip housing a more powerful CPU; this chip also connects to other external peripherals.
How is a microprocessor different from an integrated circuit?
Microprocessors are smaller, faster, relatively less costly than integrated circuits. The significant difference between a microprocessor and an integrated circuit is that while an integrated circuit controls the flow of protons, a microprocessor controls the flow of electrons.
What is an example of a microprocessor?
Examples of microprocessors include Intel 386, Pentium Pro, Intel 486, etc.
What is a Microprocessor and How Does it Work?
What is a Microprocessor and What You Need to Know
Almost everyone uses a computer these days, whether it’s at home or at work. In fact, it’s rare to run into someone that doesn’t have access to a computer. We depend greatly on computers, especially in the business world. Yet few people really understand how computers work. How is a computer able to execute the commands that you input? The answer to that question is through the computer’s microprocessor. Of course, knowing that doesn’t provide much in the way of an explanation. We’ll give you an overview of what a microprocessor is, how it functions, and more.
What is a Microprocessor?
The microprocessor is the central unit of a computer system that performs arithmetic and logic operations, which generally include adding, subtracting, transferring numbers from one area to another, and comparing two numbers. It’s often known simply as a processor, a central processing unit, or as a logic chip. It’s essentially the engine or the brain of the computer that goes into motion when the computer is switched on. It’s a programmable, multipurpose device that incorporates the functions of a CPU (central processing unit) on a single IC (integrated circuit).
How Does a Microprocessor Work?
A microprocessor accepts binary data as input, processes that data, and then provides output based on the instructions stored in the memory. The data is processed using the microprocessor’s ALU (arithmetical and logical unit), control unit, and a register array. The register array processes the data via a number of registers that act as temporary fast access memory locations. The flow of instructions and data through the system is managed by the control unit.
Benefits of a Microprocessor
But computer systems aren’t the only devices that use microprocessors. Everything from smartphones to household appliances to cars use microprocessors these days. Here are a few reasons why microprocessors are so widely used:
Common Terms Used
When it comes to discussing microprocessors, their function, and more, you’re likely to come across a number of terms that you may not be familiar with. The following are some common terms related to microprocessors:
Word Length
Word length refers to the number of bits in the processor’s internal data bus—or the number of bits that a processor can process at any given time. For example, an 8-bit processor will have 8-bit registers, an 8-bit data bus, and will perform 8-bit processing at a time.
Instruction Set
The instruction set is the series of commands that a microprocessor can understand. Essentially, it’s the interface between the hardware and the software.
Cache Memory
The cache memory is used to store data or instructions that the software or program frequently references during operation. Basically, it helps to increase the operation’s overall speed by allowing the processor to access data more quickly than from a regular RAM.
Clock Speed
The clock speed is the speed at which a microprocessor is able to execute instructions. It’s typically measured in Hertz and expressed in measurements like MHz (megahertz) and GHz (gigahertz).
A bus is the term used to describe the set of conductors that transmit data or that address or control information to the microprocessor’s different elements. Most microprocessors consist of three different buses, which include the data bus, the address bus, and the control bus.
Categories of Microprocessors
Microprocessors can be classified in different categories, as follows:.
Based on Word Length
Microprocessors can be based on the number of bits the processor’s internal data bus or the number of bits that it can process at a time (which is known as the word length). Based on its word length, a microprocessor can be classified as 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, and 64-bit.
Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC)
RISC microprocessors are more general use than those that have a more specific set of instructions. The execution of instructions in a processor requires a special circuit to load and process data. Because RISC microprocessors have fewer instructions, they have simpler circuits, which means they operate faster. Additionally, RISC microprocessors have more registers, use more RAM, and use a fixed number of clock cycles to execute one instruction.
Complex Instruction Set Computer
CISC microprocessors are the opposite of RISC microprocessors. Their purpose is to reduce the number of instructions for each program. The number of cycles per instruction is ignored. Because complex instructions are made directly into the hardware, CISC microprocessors are more complex and slower. CISC microprocessors use little RAM, have more transistors, have fewer registers, have numerous clock cycles for each instruction, and have a variety of addressing modes.
Special Purpose Processors
Some microprocessors are built to perform specific functions. For example, coprocessors are used in combination with a main processor, while a transputer is a transistor computer: a microprocessor that has its own local memory.
The Microprocessor Was a Turning Point for Modern Computing
CPUs used to be enormous. It wasn’t until the 1960s that designers were attempting to integrate the functions of a CPU onto microprocessor units. It was the successful development of the microprocessor that led to the home computer. General purpose microprocessors are what allows our computers to be used for text editing, multimedia display, computation, and communication over the Internet. Because of how fast, small, and energy-efficient they are, they have been integral to the development of everyday technology, including appliances, smartphones, and more. Since the microprocessor basically changed the world, it’s worth understanding what it is and how it functions!
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What is A Microprocessor And What Are Its Applications
Leading brands of microprocessors today and which devices are they used in? This blog tells you all this and more
What are microprocessors, what are their functions and their uses across several types of devices today
Oct 01, 2019 By Team YoungWonks *
What is a microprocessor? At a time when our lives are becoming increasingly tech-centric and thus tech-dependent, it is important that we take a close look at this key component. After all, be it computers, laptops and smartphones or smart home devices, gaming consoles and self-driving cars, they all have microprocessors built into them. In fact, it’s the microprocessors that make these devices function. In this blog, we shall be talking about microprocessors, their uses across industries and the biggest names in each category.
What is a Microprocessor?
A microprocessor is a computer processor that combines the functions of a central processing unit on a single integrated circuit (IC), or at most a few integrated circuits. The microprocessor is thus a multipurpose, clock driven, register based, digital integrated circuit that takes binary data as input, processes it as per the instructions stored in its memory and then produces results as output. Microprocessors contain both combinational logic and sequential digital logic and they work on numbers and symbols represented in the binary number system.
Before microprocessors, small computers were built using racks of circuit boards with many medium- and small-scale integrated circuits. Microprocessors then incorporated all this into one or a few large-scale ICs. The integration of a whole CPU onto a single or a few integrated circuits significantly reduced the cost of processing power.
Typically, integrated circuit processors are manufactured in large numbers by highly automated metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) fabrication processes, resulting in a low unit price. Single-chip processors increase reliability since there are fewer electrical connections that could fail. And while microprocessor designs and capacity are constantly improving, the cost of manufacturing a chip (with smaller components built on a semiconductor chip the same size) hasn’t varied that much. This too has added to the popularity of microprocessors.
And it explains why other forms of computers have been rendered almost completely obsolete. Microprocessors are a mass storage device and they are also an advanced form of computer, which is why they are also called microcomputers. The availability of low cost, low power and small weight, computing capability makes these microprocessors greatly useful in several applications. One or more microprocessors are used today in everything from the smallest embedded systems and handheld devices to the largest mainframes and supercomputers. Microprocessor-based systems are thus found everywhere today and not just in computers and smartphones: in automatic testing of products, speed control of motors, traffic light control, communication equipment, television, satellite communication, home appliances, such as microwave oven, washing machine, gaming controller, industrial controllers and even specialised applications such as military applications.
We shall now take a look at the leading microprocessors across four key categories:
1. Microprocessors used in handheld devices:
Leading manufacturers under this category are MediaTek and Intel. All chipsets made by MediaTek, a Taiwanese System on Chip (SoC) manufacturer, boast 64-bit architecture by ARM, the British semiconductor and software design company. ARM assembly code is composed of many small instructions instead of fewer but more complex instructions, and ARM does not have any unnecessary or complicated features, making these chips simpler to build.
The latest MediaTek SoCs supports up to 3.0GHz speed and there’s a wide array of cores on offer, be it Dual-Core (2 core), Quad-Core (4 core), Hexa Core (6 core) and Deca Core (10 core). It is not surprising then that MediaTek chipsets are mainly used by Chinese smartphone makers. MediaTek processors are indeed considered the best in the budget microprocessor (for mobile phones) segment. The latest processor from MediaTek is the Helio P90. It is said to support features such as intelligent imaging, better and quick photography, faster and more efficient gaming, and advanced connectivity with dual 4G SIM.
Intel, on the other hand, makes processors based in X86 architecture which supports all major mobile operating systems. Among the major processors produced by the company, Intel Atom processors are used in the X5 and X7 series. These have 64-bit architecture and four cores which can be clocked up to 2.4GHz. Intel Core M is one of the low-voltage processors to be used in mobile devices and notebooks.
2. Microprocessors used in general-purpose computing (regular desktops and laptops):
In this segment, Intel and AMD are the market leaders. Intel chips are said to be the best for gaming and other predominantly single-threaded tasks. Particularly deserving a mention is the Core i5-9400F, which is both affordable and powerful. It comes with six cores, which is more than enough for most programs and a decent frequency of 4.1GHz when in turbo model. It is performs better than the Core i5-7600K from a couple of generations ago and is cheaper. Meanwhile, Core i3-8100 is the best budget offering from Intel. It’s a four-core chip with frequency of 3.6GHz that doesn’t offer additional boost speeds, but is fast enough for most PC users.
AMD’s best entry-level CPU is said to be the Ryzen 3 3200G. Its Zen+ CPU core is powerful enough for 1080p, entry-level gaming and the on board Vega graphics cores are said to be more efficient than Intel’s HD graphics. At 100 USD, it is also cost efficient.
3. Microprocessors used in high-performance computing (supercomputers):
Before we go into this, let us take a quick look at what is High-Performance Computing (HPC)? It basically refers to aggregating computing power in a manner that delivers much higher performance than one could get out of a typical desktop computer or workstation in order to solve large problems in science, engineering, or business. So it is definitely more complex than a simple desktop computer. These computers, or supercomputers as they are called, are computers with a higher level of performance compared to a general-purpose computer. Supercomputers play an important role in computational science, and are used for many computationally intensive tasks in areas such as quantum mechanics, weather forecasting, climate research, oil and gas exploration, molecular modeling (computing the structures and properties of chemical compounds, macromolecules, polymers and crystals), and physical simulations (simulations of the early moments of the universe, airplane and spacecraft aerodynamics, the detonation of nuclear weapons, and nuclear fusion). They have also played a major role in the field of cryptanalysis (analyzing information systems in order to study the hidden aspects of the systems).
In the June 2019 list of the TOP500 ranking of the world’s fastest supercomputers, China has the maximum number of systems on the list (219) with US taking five out of the first 10 spots. It appears that other company processors are not as popular as Intel although IBM Power CPUs can be found in seven systems on the list, followed by AMD processors, which are present in three systems. Intel chips have been used in 95.6 percent of the systems on the list.
For instance, at the fourth place on the list is the Tianhe-2A (Milky Way-2A) supercomputer, that has been developed by China’s National University of Defense Technology (NUDT). It has used a combination of Intel Xeon and Matrix-2000 processors. Frontera, another supercomputer, has achieved fifth rank by delivering 23.5 petaflops with its Dell C6420 system, that in turn runs on Intel Xeon Platinum 8280 processors. The Swiss supercomputer Piz Daint comes in at number six with a Cray XC50 system that is equipped with Intel Xeon CPUs and NVIDIA P100 GPUs.
4. Microprocessors used in appliances (smart home devices, gaming, cars):
MediaTek, Intel and AMD are major players in this category. MediaTek makes chips for wireless communications, high-definition television, navigation systems, consumer multimedia products, digital subscriber line services and optical disc drives. In 2018, the company announced its plans to enhance its home entertainment platform by building solutions powering artificial intelligence (AI) voice and vision capabilities in several smart home devices. The announcement was accompanied by the launch of the MT8695, a 4K dongle SoC, the MT8516 system on module (SoM) and the smart display solution. MediaTek is already a leading name when it comes to offering voice assistant device (VAD) SoC solutions for the smart home ecosystem; MediaTek chips support multiple mainstream AI voice services including Amazon Alexa; Google Assistant, Alibaba and Baidu.
Intel and AMD, on the other hand, are especially known for making microprocessors for gaming devices/ computers. When it comes to streaming and gaming, the Intel Core i9-9900K is a great option as it offers maximum speed of 5 GHz while AMD’s Ryzen 3900X provides maximum speed of 4.5 Ghz.
Automobiles too are known to use microcontrollers today. A microcontroller is a small computer on a single integrated circuit, so it is similar to, but less sophisticated than, an SoC, which may include a microcontroller as one of its parts. Microcontrollers in cars can handle functions such as permitting complex interactions that involve sensory systems, car speed, in-car temperatures through air conditioning maintenance, the audio visual multimedia systems and braking mechanisms. Popular examples in this category include Infineon Tri-core microcontroller, Atmel AVR microcontroller, PIC microcontroller, Renesas microcontroller and 8051 microcontroller.
*Contributors: Written by Vidya Prabhu; Lead image by: Leonel Cruz
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