Top Difference Between Microprocessor And Microcontroller
By Sofia
You might have heard about the terms microprocessor and microcontroller. Well, many people do not know that they are very different and not the same thing. Unfortunately, there are people who still believe that microprocessors and microcontrollers are the same. However, they are very different from one another and come with different abilities.
If you are here, it means you have also found out that they are not the same thing. You have visited the right place to find out about them. We have done our research and are going to talk about the difference between microprocessors and microcontrollers.
Stay tuned till the end to find out the details about both of them and learn the biggest differences easily. However, before we learn about the differences in detail, you need to know some details about them.
What Is A Microprocessor?
First, let’s learn about microprocessors in detail to help you get an idea about them. It is one of the most important parts of a CPU that helps the computer work smoothly. The microprocessor contains a CPU and many other parts necessary to complete the process of the CPU. All these parts are connected with each other externally.
They are not made for a particular task; you can use them when the tasks get tricky and complex. Some of the common tasks where it is used most are the developments of games, software, applications, and others that require a high memory.
Here are some common examples that will help you know more about it before we hop on to the difference between microprocessor and microcontroller.
- Industrial And Transportation Devices – Trains, computer servers, planes, high-tech medical instruments, and automobiles.
- Household Devices – Some complex household devices like home computers, home security, and video game systems.
All of these above-mentioned data are complex and contain complicated data.
What Is a Microcontroller?
Unlike the microprocessors, the microcontroller is specially designed to do specific tasks. Also, it can perform an assigned task repeatedly. Once a program is embedded on a microcontroller, you can’t alter it easily. You will need to take the help of special tools to alter it.
Based on the application, the whole process gets fixed in the microcontroller. The output of the chip is based on the input by the creator or the user. The applications connect easily with different concepts. So, here are some of the most common examples from our daily life that you need to know.
- Washing machine
- Calculator
- Robotic Arm
- ATM machine
- Camera
- Oscilloscope
- ECG Machine
- Microwave oven
- Digital multimeter
- Printer
Now that you know about the microprocessor and microcontroller, here are the differences between them that you need to know.
Difference Between Microcontroller Vs. Microprocessor
The above-mentioned information has already helped you to learn a lot about them. But, here are the key differences between microprocessor vs microcontroller given below that will help you learn more. Make sure to go through each of them to find out all the details.
| Microprocessor | Microcontroller |
| The microprocessor is known to be the heart of the computer system. | On the other hand, the microcontroller is known to be the heart of the embedded system. |
| It is only a processor; the I/O components and memory need to connect externally. | The microcontroller contains a processor and I/O components along with the internal memory. |
| Not usable in compact systems. | It can be used in many compact systems. |
| The cost of the whole system is high. | The cost of the whole system is very low. |
| Mostly used in personal systems. | They are used in different devices such as mp3 players, washing machines, and embedded systems. |
| The power consumption of microprocessors is high due to the external components. Therefore, it is not a good choice for devices that run on batteries or any stored power. | Power consumption is lower than microprocessors due to the lower number of external components. Therefore, microcontrollers are perfect for running on devices that run on batteries or stored powers. |
| Do not come with any power-saving features. | Comes with power-saving mode. |
| The chip does not have any ROM, RAM, timers, input/output units, or other peripherals. | Contain a CPU, ROM, RAM, and many other peripherals embedded in the chip. |
| Expensive and complex that comes with a long list of instructions. | Inexpensive, cheap, and comes with fewer instructions. |
Here is the microcontroller and microprocessor difference list that can help you know more about both of them and help you understand their offerings.
Frequently Asked Questions:
There are plenty of differences available between the microprocessor and microcontroller. Here are some of the major ones given below in detail that you need to know. The microprocessor is not usable in compact systems, and the microcontroller is usable in compact systems. The cost of the microprocessor is high and the cost of the microcontroller is low.
Raspberry Pi is a microprocessor board and Arduino is a microcontroller board. Raspberry Pi is a full computer that can easily run using an operating system.
Examples of a microprocessor are Intel 8086, AMD Athlon, Intel Core i7, Intel 8085, Intel 4004, etc. Apart from that, the microprocessor is used in many other trains, planes, computer servers, etc.
The microprocessor speed is more than 1 GHz, while the speed of a microcontroller is around 8 MHz to 50 MHz. So, microprocessors are much faster compared to microcontrollers. It is a key difference between microcontrollers and microprocessors.
Conclusion
Many people make the same mistake of thinking a microprocessor and microcontroller are the same things. However, they are not the same, and their work is also different from one another. In this article, you can look at the difference between microprocessor and microcontroller. It will help you know about both of them and pinpoint the differences.
Based on your requirements and needs, you can choose the best. Apart from differences, this article will also help you provide information about them. If this article has helped you, make sure to share it with others to help them out. Also, share your thoughts about the article in the comment section below to help us improve.
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