Types of Processor

Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC)

CISC or Complex Instruction Set Computer is a computer architecture where instructions are such that a single instruction can execute multiple low-level operations like loading from memory, storing into memory, or an arithmetic operation, etc. It has multiple addressing nodes within a single instruction. CISC makes use of very few registers. 

Example of CISC are

• Intel 386
• Intel 486
• Pentium
• Pentium Pro
• Pentium II
• Pentium III
• Motorola 68000
• Motorola 68020
• Motorola 68040 etc.

Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC)

RISC or Reduced Instruction Set Computer is a computer architecture where instruction is simple and designed to get executed quickly. Instructions get completed in one clock cycle this is because of the optimization of instructions and pipelining (a technique that allows for simultaneous execution of parts, or stages, of instructions more efficiently process instructions). RISC makes use of multiple registers to avoid large interactions with memory. It has few addressing nodes. 

Example of RISC are

• IBM RS6000
• MC88100
• DEC Alpha 21064
• DEC Alpha 21164
• DEC Alpha 21264

Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC)

EPIC or Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing permits computers to execute instructions parallel using compilers. It allows complex instructions execution without using higher clock frequencies. EPIC encodes its instruction into 128-bit bundles. each bundle contains three instructions which are encoded in 41 bits each and a 5-bit template field(contains information about types of instructions in a bundle and which instructions can be executed in parallel). 

Example of EPIC is

• IA-64 (Intel Architecture-64)

In this article we will go through the Microprocessor, we will first define what is a Microprocessor, then we will go through its different types with its block diagram and we will see different types of processors, At last, we will conclude our article with some applications and FAQs.