Microprocessor Progress from 1971 to 2009

2048Megabytes

2048Megabytes

Active Member
I just found some interesting information I thought I would share. The first Microprocessor was introduced in 1971. It was the Intel 4004 Microprocessor. It could execute approximately 92,000 instructions per second. Very impressive.

The Advanced Micro Devices Phenom II 940 Microprocessor was released in 2009. It can execute approximately 42 billion 820 million instructions per second.

My processor is about 465,434 times more powerful than the first 1971 Intel processor.

Take a look at the information here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructions_per_second
 
I read that earlier when we started programming on 8086 a 16bit CPU.Which has a 20 bit external address lines.
Its memory interfacing is done in a very unusual way.


And my processor is 30.1 Instructions per cycle @2.66GHz
That is awesome.
 
The Core i7 920 can execute up to approximately 82 billion 300 million instructions per second running at a 2.66 gigahertz clock speed.

It is unbelievable how much calculating power has increased with microprocessors.
 
The increase in processor power is related to Moore's Law which states that "The number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years." As the number of transistors increases, so does processor power.
 
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I really wonder if Moore's Law will continue. If the number of transistors in microprocessors continues to increase eventually I think microprocessor size will eventually get larger because how small can they go?

They are down to 32 nanometers, but how small can they go? I wonder if computer chip technology could decrease to 8 nanometers.

There are 1,000 picometers in a nanometer. But atom size is around 500 picometers I believe.
 
I heard rumors that they were going down to 22nm but that was just speculation. I have no idea how close we really are.
 
Motoxrdude said:
According to Moore's theory their should be a 8nm chip in 4 years.
Click to expand...

I highly doubt it will be that soon that we will see 8 nanometer computer chip technology. They just went from 45 to 32 nanometers. That is about 29 percent smaller. The next step will likely be around 23 nanometer then around 17. 8 nanometer would not appear for 8 to 10 more years if they can get computer chip technology that small.

Edit: It will likely be around 2021 before we see 8 nanometer microprocessors.
 
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There are other technologies that may be available by the time we reach the point where we can't get any smaller.
Quantum physics and optical technology.
 
2048Megabytes said:
I highly doubt it will be that soon that we will see 8 nanometer computer chip technology. They just went from 45 to 32 nanometers. That is about 29 percent smaller. The next step will likely be around 23 nanometer then around 17. 8 nanometer would not appear for 8 to 10 more years if they can get computer chip technology that small.

Edit: It will likely be around 2021 before we see 8 nanometer microprocessors.
Click to expand...

Just wait ;)
 
Well intel are moving to 22nm for ivy bridge and then rockwell will be on 16nm, but they aer running into difficulties due how small it has become, intel worked a way around this I believe using their new design, here is a quote from wiki

Wiki said:
In 18 February 2011 Intel announces that it will construct a new $5 billion fab in Arizona, designed to manufacture chips using 14 nm manufacturing processes and leading-edge 300-mm wafers.[9] The new fab will be named Fab 42, and construction will start in the middle of 2011, Intel said in a statement Friday. Intel billed the new facility as "the most advanced, high-volume manufacturing facility in the world," and said it would come on line in 2013.
Click to expand...
 
They can hand make single atom transistors, and very easily hand make transistors with just over a dozen atoms, so the possibility for them is there and has been proven, but the mass production has not.

I think before we get to that point though, it will be a much more viable option to turn to phototonics or quantum computing, but they are still in their infancy so how possible that will be to mass produce in a profitable way remains to be seen
 
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