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Computer Summaries
CPU Development

CPU Evolution
Computer Processor History

Computer Hardware History -
Chart of CPU Development over Time
Here is a brief summary chart of the evolution of CPUs (Central Processing Units) for Personal Computers.





Relationships are shown between the computer CPUs, hardware architecture, manufacturers, and internal bus widths, over time. AMD, Fujitsu, IBM, Intel, MIPS and Motorola central processors are shown.

30

540 - 600

30

Von Neumann (CISC)
Architecture Processors

 

Harvard (RISC)
Architecture Processors
(Macs)

 

(PCs)
 (PCs)

 

 

(Macs)
External
Bits
Internal
Bits
Motorola
CPU
Cache
Intel
CPU
Approx.
Year
AMD
CPU
Berkeley
Fujitsu
CPU
Stanford
MIPS
CPU
Motorola/
IBM
CPU
8-bit
6500, 6502

-

8080
1975

-

-

-

-

6800

-

 

1976

-

-

-

-

8
16

 

-

8088
1977

-

-

-

-

 

-

8086 (1)
1980

-

-

-

-

-

16-bit

 

-

80186
1981

-

-

-

-

 

-

80286
1982

-

-

-

-

16
32
68000

-

80286 (2)
1982

-

-

-

-

68020
256

-

1985

-

-

R2000

-

-

32-bit
68030 (mmu)
8K
80386 (3)
1987
29000

-

R3000

-

68040 (mmu)
8K
80486 (4)
1990

-

SPARC

-

-

-

-

1991

-

-

R4000

-

 

-

Pentium (5)
1993

-

-

R4400
PPC 601
32
64

 

-

-

1994
 5x86
SPARC II
R4600
PPC 603

 -

64-bit

 

256K
Pentium Pro (6)
1995

-

U.SPARC I

-

PPC 620

 

512K
Pentium II
1996
K5
SPARC 2
R5000

-

 

-

Pent. MMX
1997
K6
U.SPARC II
R6000

-

128K
Celeron
1998

-

-

R12000

-

 

256K
Pentium 3
1999
Athlon

-

-

G3
64
128

 

512K
Pentium 4 (7)
2000
K7
Ultra

-

-

 

-

Celeron II

-

SPARC 3

-

G4

 

-

Duron

-

-

-

-

-

128-bit

 

-

-

2001

-

U.SPARC III
R14000

 -

-

-

2002

-

-

R16000

-

128
256

 

-

-

2003

-

-

-

-

-

 256-bit

 

-

-

2004

-

-

R16000A
G5

-

-

2005

-

-

-

-

-

Intel Core (8)
2006

-

-

-

-

 (von neumann bottleneck)
  (1 bus system)
  Separate address and data space
  (2 bus system)

50

50

100 - 680

50

80

70

75

75

70

60

.
Intel Processor Generations Summary
Generation
Intel
CPU
Approx.
Year
1st Generation
8086 (1)

1980

 .

80186
1981

 .

80286
1982
2nd Generation
80286 (2)

1982

3rd Generation
80386 (3)

1987

4th Generation
80486 (4)

1990

 5th Generation
Pentium (5)

1993

 6th Generation
Pentium Pro (6)

1995

 .

Pentium II
1996

 .

Pent. MMX
1997

.

Celeron
1998

 .

Pentium 3
1999
 7th Generation
Pentium 4 (7)

2000

 .

Celeron II
2000

 .

Duron
2000
8th Generation
Intel Core (8)

2006

DX= w/ math copro.
SX= without
SLC= low power

CPU processor development chronology
History of Computer Processor Evolution
List of CPU microprocessors
Central Processor Unit Summary
CPU Upgrade Path



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This Vaughns Summaries computer CPU history chart was updated on 2012-03-29.