The Intel 4004 was the first commercially available microprocessor—a complete CPU on a single chip. Released in 1971, it launched the microprocessor revolution that put computing power in everything from calculators to spacecraft.
Origins
The 4004 was designed by Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff, and Stanley Mazor at Intel for Busicom, a Japanese calculator company. Rather than designing custom chips, Hoff proposed a general-purpose processor that could be programmed for different functions.
Technical Specifications
The 4004 was modest by later standards:
- 4-bit processor
- 2,300 transistors
- 740 kHz clock speed
- 10 micron process
Yet it contained all the fundamental components of a CPU: arithmetic logic unit, control unit, and registers.
Significance
The 4004 proved that a complete processor could fit on a single chip. This enabled:
- Programmable calculators
- Early personal computers
- Embedded systems in appliances
- The entire microprocessor industry
Legacy
Intel went on to dominate the microprocessor market. The 4004’s descendants—the 8080, 8086, and x86 family—became the foundation of the PC industry. The concept of a general-purpose microprocessor, rather than custom hardware, transformed electronics.