[Hardware] Did you know what the first microprocessor in history was?

[FNX Magokiler]

You have probably never asked yourself, but it is curious to discover what was the first processor that existed and which gave way to what we know today. Could you guess which manufacturer it was? Is it known?

If we go back to the first internet search engine, Google is not, nor is YouTube the first video platform, or Facebook the first social network. The normal thing is that the first invention or discovery comes from the hand of a company or person who did not set up an empire, however, if we talk about microprocessors, things change.

Did Intel make the first microprocessor?
Well yes, it was Intel in 1971 when it presented the world with the first microprocessor, its Intel 4004. That's what it was called. And despite being the first, its characteristics were not all bad, although of course, we cannot compare them with those of today.

This had the capacity to perform 60,000 operations per second, as well as handle up to 640 bytes of memory thanks to its 4 bits and 16 pins that operated at a frequency of 740 KHz.

Its creator was not a single person, as we are used to seeing in this type of news, but there were 3, Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff and Stanley Mazo who jointly manufactured it.

It was a revolution at the time, especially because of the number of transistors and electronic elements it had, something that escapes our minds. Think that currently an Intel Core i9-13900K moves around 14.2 billion transistors, something that can be achieved today, but even if we do not reach these quantities, manufacturing something with such small components in 1971 was quite an achievement .

 

 

Only 6 months later, in 1972, and due to its success, the Intel 8008 was announced, which, as you can deduce from the title, doubled the previous one. In what? Well, in number of transistors, managing to manufacture that microprocessor with no more and no less than 3500. Which raised its power to 200,000 operations per second.

This, logically, promoted a tool for companies to want to have this component, as well as giving people the possibility of owning their first personal computer. Both with individual and business benefits.

At that time, as happens with all inventions, new microprocessors began to be developed by other brands, thus initiating competition and an evolution of this product much faster than would be normal. Something that benefits the user like you and me.

However, we are left with the curious fact that the first company that achieved it was Intel, which continues to fight for leadership in this market, something that does not usually happen and that they knew how to take advantage of that initial push without being left behind in any way. moment.

We'll see how far we can go, technology never stops surprising us. Surely many of those who saw those processors did not imagine that they would currently have millions of times more power. For them, that was unbeatable. What we think now of many inventions.

 

https://hardzone.es/noticias/procesadores/primer-microprocesador-historia/