Microprocessor Vs Microcontrollers

Which is better: Microcontroller or microprocessor?
Neither. This is an incorrect comparison. Both a microcontroller and a

microprocessor fill different requirements in the embedded system ecosystem.
Both have their merits and demerits. You have to make a decision depending
on your personal needs. And your systems requirements.
Does a microcontroller contain a microprocessor?
Well, yes and no. There’s some nuance to it. A microprocessor contains a
processing unit. However, in addition to that, it also consists an ALU, a stack
pointer, a program counter, and so on. In short, a microprocessor is a
complete functional CPU. Whereas, a microcontroller has a processor inside
it. It does not have a fully-functional CPU as part of its internal circuitry.
What are the advantages of a microcontroller over a
microprocessor?
A comparison between a microcontroller and a microprocessor is not fair.
However, there are certain advantages that a microcontroller offers over a
microprocessor. Suppose that after evaluating your needs, if you have a
choice between choosing a microprocessor and a microcontroller. You should
select the microcontroller. Here’s why:
1. A microcontroller is cheaper. Including it in your project will reduce the

overall cost of your venture considerably.
2. A microcontroller is more compact than a microprocessor. It packs most
of the peripheral systems it needs on the chip itself. For instance, the
ROM, RAM, IO units, etc. are prepackaged unto the die. This makes
your project more compact and easier to carry.
3. A microcontroller is faster in terms of communicating with the peripheral
devices because of the same reason as above.
4. Building on the same form factor advantage, a microcontroller is also
more efficient. It consumes way less power than a microprocessor.
There is no power overhead since there aren’t many external devices to
power. Moreover, modern microcontrollers have power-saving features.
5. A microcontroller is less complex than a microprocessor.
Block diagram of an 8051 microcontroller.
Wonder why we still keep referencing the 8051. Isn’it too old?
Block diagram of the 8085 microprocessor

Is the Arduino a microcontroller? What is the
difference between an Arduino and a microcontroller?
What is a microcomputer, and how does it differ from
a microprocessor and a microcontroller?
A system built around a microprocessor that can be readily used as a
personal computer is known as a microcomputer. The thing is, modern
processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers, SoCs, and development
boards are coming out with a tonne of features. The differential lines between
these technologies are continually blurring and shifting. Don’t get too caught
up in the semantics of what something is called. As technology progresses,
the definitions might keep on changing. There are tens of thousands of CPUs,
processors, and SoCs out there. What matters is how efficiently you are able
to define your purpose. And make a selection that aligns with your goals.
What is the difference between a microcontroller and
a microprocessor? (Tabulated)
Microcontroller Microprocessor
A microcontroller can work as a standalone A microprocessor needs additional peripheral
system components and cannot function on its own
Microcontroller’s processing is slower. With Modern microprocessors are extremely fast with
speeds in the MHz. speeds in the GHz.
A microcontroller is used in application-
specific areas. This means that it is designed A microprocessor has a wide range of uses and
with a specific range or particular is highly configurable by the system designer.
application(s) in mind.
It is cheaper. It is more expensive.
A microcontroller has onboard RAM, ROM, A microprocessor doesn’t have additional
I/O units, timers, etc. onboard components.
Microprocessors are more complex to use
Since everything is on board, the complexity
because you have to set up the peripheral
is less.
components.
Since the complete systems that we build around
Due to the simplicity of the circuit, the power a microprocessor involve many components, the
consumption is low in microcontrollers. power consumption of the system increases
drastically.
The processing speed difference is generally The microprocessor is slower in these two areas.
decreased by two main facts: A Most operations find storage in memory.
microcontroller has more registers, and since Additionally, the communication with
every peripheral system is built in the speed components is slower since they are external to
increases. the microprocessor.
Since the microprocessor is built to be a
Since the microcontroller is application-
powerhouse that can do many general-purpose
specific, it has a smaller instruction set.
tasks, its instruction set is complex.
The microprocessor can handle large amounts of
Along the same lines, the instruction set of a
data. So its instruction set has powerful
microcontroller is good at handling input and
addressing modes to access data from memory
output operations. Consequently, it offers bit
and other instructions to handle large data
as well as byte handling instructions.
volumes.
Example: 8051. Used in commercial Example: 8085. Used in general-purpose
appliances. computing.
Some additional types of computing devices

We are going to take a last gander at some more computing devices and
clarify their features. Because these terminologies get confusing.
1. Microcomputers
• This is a general alternative term for microcontrollers.
• These are generally up to 32-bit devices. We are yet to see a 64-bit
microcontroller mainly because that is a domain that is captured by
microprocessors.
• These are used in things like household items like microwaves and
the likes.
• Examples: 8051 (why is this still used btw?), SDK 85/86, etc.
2. Minicomputers
• If we scale slightly upwards from microcontrollers, we get
minicomputers.
• These are faster than microcomputers but slower than mainframe
computers.
• Minicomputers generally include devices between 32 to 64-bits.
However, they have less memory than mainframe computers.
• Business application computers like servers are known as
minicomputers.
• However, no one uses the term minicomputers anymore. They are
more aptly known as servers.
3. Mainframes
• If we scale even higher up from servers, we get mainframes.
• These are extremely powerful computers that have more than 64-bits
of memory.
• They can fill entire rooms with their massive builds.
• Mainframes have massive amounts of memory.
• Mainframes find applications in the defense sector.
• Example: IBM 4381
4. Supercomputers
• These are the fastest computers ever built.
• They have more than a few processors.
• There are very few of these in the world.
• Generally, we use MIPS (millions of instructions per second) to
gauge the computing powers of computers. However, to measure a
supercomputers’ performance, we use FLOPS (floating-point
operations per second).
• Example: Tianhe 2, IBM’s Summit, and Sierra.

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Which is better: Microcontroller or microprocessor?

Neither. This is an incorrect comparison. Both a microcontroller and a

1. A microcontroller is cheaper. Including it in your project will reduce the

Block diagram of the 8085 microprocessor

Some additional types of computing devices

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