The Evolution of Processing Power: From the Intel 4004 to the Intel Core i9-7980XE

TLDRThe Intel 4004, released in 1971, marked the beginning of a new era in integrated electronics. With its 2,300 transistors and impressive processing power, it revolutionized the world of computing. Fast forward to 2017, and the Intel Core i9-7980XE boasts over 80 billion instructions per second, showcasing the incredible evolution of processing power over the years.

Key insights

💡The Intel 4004, released in 1971, introduced the concept of the integrated circuit, paving the way for modern processors.

🚀The Intel 4004 had a processing power of 46,250 to 92,500 instructions per second, a massive leap from ENIAC's 5,000 instructions per second.

💰The Intel 4004 consumed only 1 watt of electricity and cost $5 to produce, whereas ENIAC cost $5.5 million and consumed 180kW of power.

⏰The Intel Core i9-7980XE, released in 2017, can perform over 80 billion instructions per second, a 900,000 times increase in processing power.

🔬Advancements in CPU design, such as increased word sizes and clock rates, have contributed to the exponential growth of processing power.

Q&A

When was the Intel 4004 released?

—The Intel 4004 was released in March 1971.

How many instructions per second could the Intel 4004 execute?

—The Intel 4004 could execute between 46,250 to 92,500 instructions per second.

How much electricity did the Intel 4004 consume?

—The Intel 4004 consumed only 1 watt of electricity.

How much did the Intel 4004 cost to produce?

—The Intel 4004 cost $5 to produce in today's money.

What is the processing power of the Intel Core i9-7980XE?

—The Intel Core i9-7980XE can perform over 80 billion instructions per second.

Timestamped Summary

00:02The Intel 4004, released in 1971, introduced the concept of the integrated circuit and marked the beginning of a new era in integrated electronics.

00:13The Intel 4004 had a processing power of 46,250 to 92,500 instructions per second, a massive leap from ENIAC's 5,000 instructions per second.

00:35The Intel 4004 consumed only 1 watt of electricity and cost $5 to produce in today's money, whereas ENIAC cost $5.5 million and consumed 180kW of power.

01:16Fast forward to 2017, the Intel Core i9-7980XE can perform over 80 billion instructions per second, a 900,000 times increase in processing power.

01:38Advancements in CPU design, such as increased word sizes and clock rates, have contributed to the exponential growth of processing power.

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