Processor or CPU: Central Processing Unit

We have come a long way since the Commodore 64, Atari 400, TI 99, and the Tandy. These were primary game systems, most used cartages for the games. I do remember coding a word processing and a spread sheet program on my Atari for my college classes, had to save it to a cassette tape recorder.

These all used a 8 bit CPU, most used one known as the 6502 CPU.

When Intel?introduced the 16 bit 8088/8086 CPU in 1981 the PC revolution was on! The IBM PC was very expensive, so the primary market was business. An IBM PC cost as much as a mid sized new car!

With innovation comes imitation. A few short years after the IBM PC was introduced the makers of circuit boards realized they could create a "clone" of the IBM PC main board.

CPU speed and computing capacity doubles with each new type of CPU.

Take the original CPUs, they were 4 bit, you could get them in a calculator in the '70's [1970's].

Then in the late '70's Motorola and Intel?introduced the 8 bit.

1981 Intel?introduced the 8086/8088, Motorola the 6800, these were 16 bit CPUs . The Math Co-CPU is a separate chip

1983/84 Intel?introduces the 80286, an increase in computing power, with a leap in clock speed of the CPU. This would be the first CPU to have the pins in an array and be inserted into a special socket called a ZIF socket that is still in use today.

1987 Intel?introduces the 80386, the first 32 bit CPU, and the introduction of the Math Coprocessor in the same package as the CPU. The increase in speed is incredible, real time processing.

1989: Intel?486, an upgrade to the 80386, increase in speed and computing power. The first and only cpu that could effectively be "overclocked" at 100%, from 33 MHz to 66 MHz with a switch on the computer case called a "Turbo Switch".

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1993: Intel?introduces the Pentium CPU, this would have been the 80586 but a court order stopped the chain, a number can not be trade marked. (The new name of Pentium continues today.) A quantum leap in speed and computing power.

1997: Intel?introduces the Pentium II CPU another increase in speed and computing power. Approaching 1 giga hertz clock speed.

1999: Intel?introduces the Pentium III Processor, increase in clock speeds over 1 GHz (giga hertz)

2000: Intel?introduces the Pentium 4 CPU clock speed over 2 GHz.

2001: Intel?introduces the Itanium CPU, first in a family of 64-bit products from Intel?, primarily for Servers.

2003: Intel?introduces the Pentium M CPU, primarily used in mobile technology.

2006: Intel?introduces the Core2 Quad CPU, 80% faster than the Pentium 4, uses 40% less power.

2010: Intel?introduces the Core2 i  Series CPUs, 15% faster than the Core 2 CPUs with less power consumption. And the reintroduction of the Turbo option built into the CPU.

Wow..........

Newer CPUs are more stable than before. This stability lends itself to Overclocking. If you are interested in Overclocking check this e-course.