Introduction of Microprocessor (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 9 Feb, 2026

In this article we will go through the Microprocessor, we will first define what is a Microprocessor, then we will go through its different types with its block diagram and we will see different types of processors, At last, we will conclude our article with some applications and FAQs.

What is Microprocessor?

A Microprocessor is a programmable device that takes in input, performs some arithmetic and logical operations over it and produces the desired output. In simple words, a Microprocessor is a digital device on a chip that can fetch instructions from memory, decode and execute them, and give results. It is an important part of a computer architecture without which you will not be able to perform anything on your computer.

Block Diagram of a Microprocessor

A Microprocessor takes a bunch of instructions in machine language and executes them, telling the processor what it has to do. The microprocessor performs three basic things while executing the instruction:

A typical Microprocessor structure looks like this.

**Clock Speed of different Microprocessor:

8086: 4.7MHz, 8MHz, 10MHz

8088: more than 5MHz

80186/80188: 6MHz

80286: 8MHz

INTEL 80386: 16MHz to 33MHz

INTEL 80486: 16MHz to 100MHz

PENTIUM: 66MHz

INTEL CORE-2: 1.2GHz to 3GHz

INTEL i7: 2.66GHz to 3.33GHz

INTEL i5: 2.4GHz to 3.6GHz

INTEL i3: 2.93GHz to 3.33GHz

We do not have any 128-bit Microprocessor at work at present one of the reasons for this is that we are a long way from exhausting the 64-bit address space itself, we use it at a constant rate of roughly 2 bits every 3 years. At present we have only used 48 bits of 64 bits so why require 128-bit address space. Also, 128-bit Microprocessor would be much slower than the 64 bit Microprocessor.

Types of Processor

**Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC)

CISC or Complex Instruction Set Computer is a computer architecture where instructions are such that a single instruction can execute multiple low-level operations like loading from memory, storing into memory, or an arithmetic operation, etc. It has multiple addressing nodes within a single instruction. CISC makes use of very few registers.

**Example of CISC are

**Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC)

RISC or Reduced Instruction Set Computer is a computer architecture where instruction is simple and designed to get executed quickly. Instructions get completed in one clock cycle this is because of the optimization of instructions and pipelining (a technique that allows for simultaneous execution of parts, or stages, of instructions more efficiently process instructions). RISC makes use of multiple registers to avoid large interactions with memory. It has few addressing nodes.

**Example of RISC are

**Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC)

EPIC or Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing permits computers to execute instructions parallel using compilers. It allows complex instructions execution without using higher clock frequencies. EPIC encodes its instruction into 128-bit bundles. each bundle contains three instructions which are encoded in 41 bits each and a 5-bit template field(contains information about types of instructions in a bundle and which instructions can be executed in parallel).

**Example of EPIC is

Evolution of Microprocessors

The Evolution of Microprocessors are categorize as

Basic Terms used in Microprocessor

Given below are the some basic term used in the microprocessors

Applications of Microprocessor

Given below are the Applications of the Microprocessors

Conclusion

In the following article we have gone through the Microprocessor, we have seen its definition along with its block diagram and different types, we also gone through Evolution of Microprocessors with its Applications.