Microprocessor chronology

Progress of miniaturisation, and comparison of sizes of semiconductor manufacturing process nodes with some microscopic objects and visible light wavelengths.

1970s

The first microprocessors were manufactured in the 1970s. Designers predominantly used NMOS logic and they experimented with various word lengths. Early on, 4-bit processors were common (e.g. Intel 4004). Later in the decade, 8-bit processors such as the Motorola 6502 superseded the 4-bit chips. 16-bit processors emerged by the decade's end. Some unusual word lengths were tried, including 12-bit and 20-bit. The first microprocessor ever produced was the 20-bit MP944, designed for the U.S. Navy's F-14 Tomcat fighter. It was classified by the Navy until 1998, meaning that Intel's 4004 was widely regarded as the first-ever microprocessor.

Date	Name	Developer	Max clock (first version)	Word size (bits)	Process	Transistors
1970	MP944	Garrett AiResearch	375 kHz	20		MOS p-Channel Enhanced Mode
1971	4004	Intel	740 kHz	4	10 µm	2,250 pMOS
1972	PPS-25	Fairchild	400 kHz	4		Multi-chip, pMOS
1972	8008	Intel	500 kHz	8	10 μm	3,500 pMOS
1972	PPS-4	Rockwell	200 kHz	4		pMOS
1973	μCOM 4	NEC	1 MHz	4		2,500 NMOS
1973	IMP-16	National	715 kHz	16		Multi-chip, pMOS
1973	Mini-D	Burroughs	1 MHz	8		pMOS
1974	IMP-8	National	715 kHz	8		Multi-chip, pMOS
1974	8080	Intel	2 MHz	8	6 μm	6,000 NMOS
1974	5065	Mostek	1.4 MHz	8		pMOS
1974	TLCS-12	Toshiba	1 MHz	12		NMOS
1974	CP1600	General Instrument	3.3 MHz	16		NMOS
1974	IMP-4	National	500 kHz	4		Multi-chip, pMOS
1974	4040	Intel	740 kHz	4	10 μm	3,000 pMOS
1974	6800	Motorola	1 MHz	8	-	4,100 NMOS
1974	TMS 1000	Texas Instruments	400 kHz	4	8 μm	8,000
1974	PACE	National		16		pMOS
1974	ISP-8A/500 (SC/MP)	National	1 MHz	8		P Channel MOS technology
1975	6100	Intersil	4 MHz	12	-	4,000 CMOS
1975	2650	Signetics	1.2 MHz	8		NMOS
1975	PPS-8	Rockwell	256 kHz	8		pMOS
1975	F-8	Fairchild	2 MHz	8		NMOS
1975	CDP 1801	RCA	2 MHz	8	5 μm	5,000 CMOS two-chip
1975	6502	MOS Technology	1 MHz	8	-	3,510 dynamic NMOS
1975	BPC	Hewlett Packard	10 MHz	16	-	6,000 + ROM
1976	CDP 1802	RCA	6.4 MHz	8		CMOS
1976	Z-80	Zilog	2.5 MHz	8	4 μm	8,500 NMOS
1976	TMS9900	Texas Instruments	3.3 MHz	16	-	8,000
1976	8x300	Signetics	8 MHz	8		Bipolar
1977	8085	Intel	3.0 MHz	8	3 μm	6,500
1978	6809	Motorola	1 MHz	8	5 μm	40,000
1978	8086	Intel	5 MHz	16	3 μm	29,000
1978	6801	Motorola	-	8	5 μm	35,000
1979	Z8000	Zilog	-	16	-	17,500
1979	8088	Intel	5 MHz	8/16	3 μm	29,000 NMOS HMOS
1979	68000	Motorola	8 MHz	16/32	3.5 μm	68,000 NMOS HMOS

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

1980s

In the 1980s, 16-bit and 32-bit microprocessors were common among new designs, and CMOS technology overtook NMOS. Transistor count increased dramatically during the decade.

The home computers of the 1980s predominantly used processors that were introduced in the 1970s. Versions of the Motorola 6502, first released in 1975, and the Zilog Z80 (1976), were at the core of many of the home computers, such as the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum. Even the first-generation IBM PC used a processor from the 1970s, the Intel 8088.

It was not until Intel's 80286 (in the IBM PC AT), and later the 80386, that processors designed in the 1980s drove the computers of the 1980s. These processors offered higher clock speeds and 32-bit word length as well as new operating modes, such as protected mode, that were not available in earlier chips. Critically, protected mode allowed the use of virtual memory and brought the graphical user interface to business computers, beginning with Microsoft Windows 2.0.

Date	Name	Developer	Clock	Word size (bits)	Process	Transistors
1980	16032	National Semiconductor	-	16/32	-	60,000
1981	6120	Harris Corporation	10 MHz	12	-	20,000 CMOS
1981	ROMP	IBM	10 MHz	32	2 µm	45,000
1981	T-11	DEC	2.5 MHz	16	5 µm	17,000 NMOS
1982	RISC-I	UC Berkeley	1 MHz	-	5 µm	44,420 NMOS
1982	FOCUS	Hewlett Packard	18 MHz	32	1.5 µm	450,000
1982	80186	Intel	6 MHz	16	-	55,000
?	80C186	Intel	6 MHz	16	-	? CMOS
1982	80188	Intel	8 MHz	8/16	-	29,000
1982	80286	Intel	6 MHz	16	1.5 µm	134,000
1983	RISC-II	UC Berkeley	3 MHz	-	3 µm	40,760 NMOS
1983	MIPS	Stanford University	2 MHz	32	3 µm	25,000
1984	68020	Motorola	16 MHz	32	2 µm	190,000
1984	32032	National Semiconductor	-	32	-	70,000
1984	V20	NEC	5 MHz	8/16	-	63,000
1985	80386	Intel	16–40 MHz	32	1.5 µm	275,000
1985	MicroVax II 78032	DEC	5 MHz	32	3.0 µm	125,000
1985	R2000	MIPS	8 MHz	32	2 µm	115,000
1985	Novix NC4016	Harris Corporation	8 MHz	16	3 μm	16,000
1988	R3000	MIPS	12 MHz	32	1.2 µm	120,000
1986	Z80000	Zilog	-	32	-	91,000
1986	SPARC	Sun	40 MHz	32	0.8 µm	800,000
1986	V60	NEC	16 MHz	16/32	1.5 µm	375,000
1987	CVAX 78034	DEC	12.5 MHz	32	2.0 µm	134,000
1987	ARM2	Acorn	18 MHz	32	2 µm	25,000
1987	Gmicro/200	Hitachi	-	-	1.0 µm	730,000
1987	68030	Motorola	16 MHz	32	1.3 µm	273,000
1987	V70	NEC	20 MHz	16/32	1.5 µm	385,000
1988	80386SX	Intel	12–33 MHz	16/32	-	-
1988	i960	Intel	10 MHz	33/32	1.5 µm	250,000
1989	VAX DC520 "Rigel"	DEC	35 MHz	32	1.5 µm	320,000
1989	80486	Intel	25 MHz	32	1 µm	1,180,000
1989	i860	Intel	25 MHz	32	1 µm	1,000,000

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

1990s

The 32-bit microprocessor dominated the consumer market in the 1990s. Processor clock speeds increased by more than tenfold between 1990 and 1999, and 64-bit processors began to emerge later in the decade. In the 1990s, microprocessors no longer used the same clock speed for the processor and the RAM. Processors began to have a front-side bus (FSB) clock speed used in communication with RAM and other components. Typically, the processor itself ran at a clock speed that was a multiple of the FSB clock speed. Intel's Pentium III, for example, had an internal clock speed of 450–600 MHz and a FSB speed of 100–133 MHz. Only the processor's internal clock speed is shown here.

Date	Name	Developer	Clock	Word size (bits)	Process	Transistors (M)	threads per core
1990	68040	Motorola	40 MHz	32	-	1.2
1990	POWER1	IBM	20–30 MHz	32	1.0 µm	6.9
1991	R4000	MIPS Computer Systems	100 MHz	64	0.8 µm	1.35
1991	NVAX	DEC	62.5–90.91 MHz	-	0.75 µm	1.3
1991	RSC	IBM	33 MHz	32	0.8 µm	1.0
1992	Alpha 21064	DEC	100–200 MHz	64	0.75 µm	1.68
1992	microSPARC I	Sun	40–50 MHz	32	0.8 µm	0.8
1992	PA-7100	Hewlett Packard	100 MHz	32	0.80 µm	0.85
1993	PowerPC 601	IBM, Motorola	50–80 MHz	32	0.6 µm	2.8
1993	Pentium	Intel	60–66 MHz	32	0.8 µm	3.1
1993	POWER2	IBM	55–71.5 MHz	32	0.72 µm	23
1994	68060	Motorola	50 MHz	32	0.6 µm	2.5
1994	Alpha 21064A	DEC	200–300 MHz	64	0.5 µm	2.85
1994	R4600	QED	100–125 MHz	64	0.65 µm	2.2
1994	PA-7200	Hewlett Packard	125 MHz	32	0.55 µm	1.26
1994	PowerPC 603	IBM, Motorola	60–120 MHz	32	0.5 µm	1.6
1994	PowerPC 604	IBM, Motorola	100–180 MHz	32	0.5 µm	3.6
1994	PA-7100LC	Hewlett Packard	100 MHz	32	0.75 µm	0.90
1995	Alpha 21164	DEC	266–333 MHz	64	0.5 µm	9.3
1995	UltraSPARC	Sun	143–167 MHz	64	0.47 µm	5.2
1995	SPARC64	HAL Computer Systems	101–118 MHz	64	0.40 µm	-
1995	Pentium Pro	Intel	150–200 MHz	32	0.35 µm	5.5
1996	Alpha 21164A	DEC	400–500 MHz	64	0.35 µm	9.7
1996	K5	AMD	75–100 MHz	32	0.5 µm	4.3
1996	R10000	MTI	150–250 MHz	64	0.35 µm	6.7
1996	R5000	QED	180–250 MHz	-	0.35 µm	3.7
1996	SPARC64 II	HAL Computer Systems	141–161 MHz	64	0.35 µm	-
1996	PA-8000	Hewlett-Packard	160–180 MHz	64	0.50 µm	3.8
1996	P2SC	IBM	150 MHz	32	0.29 µm	15
1997	RS64	IBM	125 MHz	64	? nm	?
1997	Pentium II	Intel	233–300 MHz	32	0.35 µm	7.5
1997	PowerPC 620	IBM, Motorola	120–150 MHz	64	0.35 µm	6.9
1997	UltraSPARC IIs	Sun	250–400 MHz	64	0.35 µm	5.4
1997	S/390 G4	IBM	370 MHz	32	0.5 µm	7.8
1997	PowerPC 750	IBM, Motorola	233–366 MHz	32	0.26 µm	6.35
1997	K6	AMD	166–233 MHz	32	0.35 µm	8.8
1998	RS64-II	IBM	262 MHz	64	350 nm	12.5
1998	Alpha 21264	DEC	450–600 MHz	64	0.35 µm	15.2
1998	MIPS R12000	SGI	270–400 MHz	64	0.25 µm, 0.18 µm	6.9
1998	RM7000	QED	250–300 MHz	-	0.25 µm	18
1998	SPARC64 III	HAL Computer Systems	250–330 MHz	64	0.24 µm	17.6
1998	S/390 G5	IBM	500 MHz	32	0.25 µm	25
1998	PA-8500	Hewlett Packard	300–440 MHz	64	0.25 µm	140
1998	POWER3	IBM	200 MHz	64	0.25 µm	15
1999	Pentium III	Intel	450–600 MHz	32	0.25 µm	9.5
1999	RS64-III	IBM	450 MHz	64	220 nm	34	2
1999	PowerPC 7400	Motorola	350–500 MHz	32	200–130 nm	10.5
1999	Athlon	AMD	500–1000 MHz	32	0.25 µm	22

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

2000s

64-bit processors became mainstream in the 2000s. Microprocessor clock speeds reached a ceiling because of the heat dissipation barrier. Instead of implementing expensive and impractical cooling systems, manufacturers turned to parallel computing in the form of the multi-core processor. Overclocking had its roots in the 1990s, but came into its own in the 2000s. Off-the-shelf cooling systems designed for overclocked processors became common, and the gaming PC had its advent as well. Over the decade, transistor counts increased by about an order of magnitude, a trend continued from previous decades. Process sizes decreased about fourfold, from 180 nm to 45 nm.

Date	Name	Developer	Clock	Process	Transistors (M)	Cores per die / Dies per module
2000	Athlon XP	AMD	1.33–1.73 GHz	180 nm	37.5	1 / 1
2000	Duron	AMD	550 MHz–1.3 GHz	180 nm	25	1 / 1
2000	RS64-IV	IBM	600–750 MHz	180 nm	44	1 / 2
2000	Pentium 4	Intel	1.3–2 GHz	180–130 nm	42	1 / 1
2000	SPARC64 IV	Fujitsu	450–810 MHz	130 nm	-	1 / 1
2000	z900	IBM	918 MHz	180 nm	47	1 / 12, 20
2001	MIPS R14000	SGI	500–600 MHz	130 nm	7.2	1 / 1
2001	POWER4	IBM	1.1–1.4 GHz	180–130 nm	174	2 / 1, 4
2001	UltraSPARC III	Sun	750–1200 MHz	130 nm	29	1 / 1
2001	Itanium	Intel	733–800 MHz	180 nm	25	1 / 1
2001	PowerPC 7450	Motorola	733–800 MHz	180–130 nm	33	1 / 1
2002	SPARC64 V	Fujitsu	1.1–1.35 GHz	130 nm	190	1 / 1
2002	Itanium 2	Intel	0.9–1 GHz	180 nm	410	1 / 1
2003	PowerPC 970	IBM	1.6–2.0 GHz	130–90 nm	52	1 / 1
2003	Pentium M	Intel	0.9–1.7 GHz	130–90 nm	77	1 / 1
2003	Opteron	AMD	1.4–2.4 GHz	130 nm	106	1 / 1
2004	POWER5	IBM	1.65–1.9 GHz	130–90 nm	276	2 / 1, 2, 4
2004	PowerPC BGL	IBM	700 MHz	130 nm	95	2 / 1
2005	Opteron "Athens"	AMD	1.6–3.0 GHz	90 nm	114	1 / 1
2005	Pentium D	Intel	2.8–3.2 GHz	90 nm	115	1 / 2
2005	Athlon 64 X2	AMD	2–2.4 GHz	90 nm	243	2 / 1
2005	PowerPC 970MP	IBM	1.2–2.5 GHz	90 nm	183	2 / 1
2005	UltraSPARC IV	Sun	1.05–1.35 GHz	130 nm	66	2 / 1
2005	UltraSPARC T1	Sun	1–1.4 GHz	90 nm	300	8 / 1
2005	Xenon	IBM	3.2 GHz	90–45 nm	165	3 / 1
2006	Core Duo	Intel	1.1–2.33 GHz	90–65 nm	151	2 / 1
2006	Core 2	Intel	1.06–2.67 GHz	65–45 nm	291	2 / 1, 2
2006	Cell/B.E.	IBM, Sony, Toshiba	3.2–4.6 GHz	90–45 nm	241	1+8 / 1
2006	Itanium "Montecito"	Intel	1.4–1.6 GHz	90 nm	1720	2 / 1
2007	POWER6	IBM	3.5–4.7 GHz	65 nm	790	2 / 1
2007	SPARC64 VI	Fujitsu	2.15–2.4 GHz	90 nm	543	2 / 1
2007	UltraSPARC T2	Sun	1–1.4 GHz	65 nm	503	8 / 1
2007	TILE64	Tilera	600–900 MHz	90–45 nm	?	64 / 1
2007	Opteron "Barcelona"	AMD	1.8–3.2 GHz	65 nm	463	4 / 1
2007	PowerPC BGP	IBM	850 MHz	90 nm	208	4 / 1
2008	Phenom	AMD	1.8–2.6 GHz	65 nm	450	2, 3, 4 / 1
2008	z10	IBM	4.4 GHz	65 nm	993	4 / 7
2008	PowerXCell 8i	IBM	2.8–4.0 GHz	65 nm	250	1+8 / 1
2008	SPARC64 VII	Fujitsu	2.4–2.88 GHz	65 nm	600	4 / 1
2008	Atom	Intel	0.8–1.6 GHz	65–45 nm	47	1 / 1
2008	Core i7	Intel	2.66–3.2 GHz	45–32 nm	730	2, 4, 6 / 1
2008	TILEPro64	Tilera	600–866 MHz	90–45 nm	?	64 / 1
2008	Opteron "Shanghai"	AMD	2.3–2.9 GHz	45 nm	751	4 / 1
2009	Phenom II	AMD	2.5–3.2 GHz	45 nm	758	2, 3, 4, 6 / 1
2009	Opteron "Istanbul"	AMD	2.2–2.8 GHz	45 nm	904	6 / 1

2010s

Date	Name	Developer	Clock	Process	Transistors (M)	Cores per die / Dies per module	threads per core
2010	POWER7	IBM	3–4.14 GHz	45 nm	1200	4, 6, 8 / 1, 4	4
2010	Itanium "Tukwila"	Intel	2 GHz	65 nm	2000	2, 4 / 1	2
2010	Opteron "Magny-cours"	AMD	1.7–2.4 GHz	45 nm	1810	4, 6 / 2	1
2010	Xeon "Nehalem-EX"	Intel	1.73–2.66 GHz	45 nm	2300	4, 6, 8 / 1	2
2010	z196	IBM	3.8–5.2 GHz	45 nm	1400	4 / 1, 6	1
2010	SPARC T3	Sun	1.6 GHz	45 nm	2000	16 / 1	8
2010	SPARC64 VII+	Fujitsu	2.66–3.0 GHz	45 nm	?	4 / 1	2
2010	Intel "Westmere"	Intel	1.86–3.33 GHz	32 nm	1170	4–6 / 1	2
2011	Intel "Sandy Bridge"	Intel	1.6–3.4 GHz	32 nm	995	2, 4 / 1	(1,) 2
2011	AMD Llano	AMD	1.0–1.6 GHz	40 nm	380	1, 2 / 1	1
2011	Xeon E7	Intel	1.73–2.67 GHz	32 nm	2600	4, 6, 8, 10 / 1	1–2
2011	PowerPC BGQ	IBM	1.6 GHz	45 nm	1470	18 / 1	4
2011	SPARC64 VIIIfx	Fujitsu	2.0 GHz	45 nm	760	8 / 1	2
2011	FX "Bulldozer" Interlagos	AMD	3.1–3.6 GHz	32 nm	1200	4–8 / 2	1
2011	SPARC T4	Oracle	2.8–3 GHz	40 nm	855	8 / 1	8
2012	SPARC64 IXfx	Fujitsu	1.848 GHz	40 nm	1870	16 / 1	2
2012	zEC12	IBM	5.5 GHz	32 nm	2750	6 / 6	1
2012	POWER7+	IBM	3.1–5.3 GHz	32 nm	2100	8 / 1, 2	4
2012	Itanium "Poulson"	Intel	1.73–2.53 GHz	32 nm	3100	8 / 1	2
2013	Intel "Haswell"	Intel	1.9–4.4 GHz	22 nm	1400	4 / 1	2
2013	SPARC64 X	Fujitsu	2.8–3 GHz	28 nm	2950	16 / 1	2
2013	SPARC T5	Oracle	3.6 GHz	28 nm	1500	16 / 1	8
2014	POWER8	IBM	2.5–5 GHz	22 nm	4200	6, 12 / 1, 2	8

See also

• Transistor count per chip, chronology
• Timeline of instructions per second - architectural chip performance chronology

References

• sandpile.org for x86 processor information

• Ogdin 1975, pp. 57–59, 77
• According to Ogdin 1975, the Fairchild PPS-25 was first delivered in 2Q 1971 and the Intel 4004 in 4Q 1971.
• Ogdin 1975, pp. 72, 77
• Ogdin 1975, pp. 70, 77
• Ogdin 1975, pp. 55, 77
• Ogdin 1975, p. 77
• Ogdin 1975, pp. 65, 77
• The Intel 8088 had an 8-bit external data bus but internally used a 16-bit architecture.
• The Motorola 68000 had a 16-bit external data bus but internally used 32-bit registers.