Computers have gone through many changes over time.

The first generation of computers started

around 1940 and since then there have been five generations of computers until 2023. Computers
evolved over a long period of time, starting from the 16th century, and continuously improved
themselves in terms of speed, accuracy, size, and price to become the modern day computer.

2023_03_MicrosoftTeams-image-343.jpg

The different phases of this long period are known as computer generations. The first generation of
computers was developed from 1940-1956, followed by the second generation from 1956-1963, the
third generation from 1964-1971, the fourth generation from 1971 until the present, and the fifth
generation are still being developed.

You can also explore: Different Types Of Computer

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Enter Mobile Number

Before computers, as we know them today, mathematicians and inventors looked for ways to make
calculations easier without using graphing calculators, spreadsheets, computer algebra systems, etc.

You can also explore: Learn About Different Types of Output Devices

In this article, we will discuss the computer generation in great detail. But, before we dive deeper into
the article, let’s first go through the list of topics listed under the table of contents (TOC) we will cover.
Here’s the table:

Table of Contents (TOC)

First Generation of Computers

Second Generation of Computers

Third Generation of Computers

Fourth Generation of Computers

Fifth Generation of Computers

First Generation of Computers

The first generation used vacuum tube technology and were built between 1946 and 1959. Vacuum
tubes were expensive and produced a lot of heat, which made these computers very expensive and only
affordable to large organizations. Machine language was the programming language used for these
computers, and they could not multitask.

The ENIAC was the first electronic general-purpose computer that used 18,000 vacuum tubes and was
built in 1943 for war-related calculations. Examples of the first generation include EDVAC, IBM-650, IBM-
701, Manchester Mark 1, Mark 2, etc.

Here are two of the main advantages of first-generation:

The first generation was tough to hack and was quite strong.

The first generation could perform calculations quickly, in just one-thousandth of a second.

Here are two of the main disadvantages of first-generation:

They consumed high amounts of energy/electricity.

They were not portable due to their weight and size.

For more information, you can also explore: First Generation of Computer

Second Generation of Computers

The second generation of computers was developed in the late 1950s and 1960s. These computers
replaced vacuum tubes with transistors making them smaller, faster and more efficient. This was done
as transistors were more reliable than vacuum tubes, required less maintenance and generated less
heat.
Second-generation computers were smaller and more portable, making them accessible to a wider
audience. Magnetic core memory was also introduced in this generation, which was faster and more
reliable. This laid the foundation for further developments, paving the way for the third generation that
used integrated circuits.

Here are two of the main advantages of first-generation:

They provided better speed and improved accuracy.

Computers developed in this era were smaller, more reliable, and capable of using less power.

Here are two of the main disadvantages of first-generation:

They were only used for specific objectives and required frequent maintenance.

The second generation of computer used punch cards for input, which required frequent maintenance.

For more information, you can also explore: Second Generation of Computer

Third Generation of Computers

The third generation of computers emerged between 1964 and 1971. This generation used microchips
or integrated circuits, making it possible to create smaller, cheaper, and much faster computers.

The third generation of computers was much faster than previous generations, with computational
times reduced from microseconds to nanoseconds. New input devices like the mouse and keyboard
were introduced, replacing older methods like punch cards. New functionalities, like multiprogramming
and time-sharing, and remote processing, were introduced, allowing for more efficient use of computer
resources.

Here are two of the main advantages of first generation:

The use of integrated circuits made them more reliable.

Smaller in size and required less space than previous generations.

Here are two of the main disadvantages of first generation:

Advanced technology was needed to manufacture IC chips.

Formal training was necessary to operate third-gen computers.

For more information, you can also explore: Third Generation of Computer

Fourth Generation of Computers

Fourth generation computers were developed in 1972 after third generation that used microprocessors.
They used Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits, which contained about 5000 transistors capable of
performing complex activities and computations.

Fourth generation computers were more adaptable, had more primary storage capacity, were faster and
more reliable than previous generations, and were also portable, small, and required less electricity.
Intel was the first company to develop a microprocessor used in fourth generation computer.

Fourth generation computers used LSI chip technology and were incredibly powerful but also very small,
leading to a societal revolution in the computer industry. This generation had the first supercomputers,
used complex programming languages like C, C++, DBASE, etc., and could perform many accurate
calculations.

Here are two of the main advantages of first generation:

Fourth generation computers were smaller and more dependable.

GUI (Graphics User Interface) technology was used in this generation to provide users with better
comfort.

Here are two of the main disadvantages of first generation:

They use complex VLSI Chips, and VLSI Chip manufacturing requires advanced technology.
To build these computers, Integrated Circuits (ICs) were required, and to develop those, cutting-edge
technology was needed.

For more information, you can also explore: Fourth Generation of Computer

Fifth Generation of Computers

The fifth generation of computers emerged after the fourth generation and is still being developed.
Computers of fifth generation use artificial intelligence (AI) to perform various tasks. These computers
use programming languages such as Python, R, C#, Java, etc., as input methods.

The fifth generation computers employ ULSI technology (Ultra Large Scale Integration), parallel
processing, and AI to perform scientific computations and develop AI software. They can perform
intricate tasks such as image recognition, human speech interpretation, natural language understanding,
etc. Examples of fifth generation include laptops, desktops, notebooks, chromebooks, etc.

Here are two of the main advantages of first generation:

These computers are lightweight and easy to move around.

They are easier to repair and parallel processing technology has improved in these computers.

Here are two of the main disadvantages of first generation:

Using it for spying on people.

Fear of unemployment due to AI replacing jobs.

For more information, you can also explore: Fifth Generation of Computer

Conclusion

In this article, we have explored what the computer generations is. We have also explored different
computer generations and their main advantages and disadvantages in great detail. If you have any
queries related to the topic, please feel free to send your queries to us in the form of a comment. We
will be happy to help.
Happy Learning!!

FAQs

What are the different generations of computers?

How did the first generation of computers operate and what were their limitations?

What advancements were made in the second generation of computers?

What are the characteristics of third-generation computers?

How did the fourth generation of computers differ from earlier generations?

What defines the fifth generation of computers and its future?

How has the evolution of computer generations impacted society and technology?
What might the future generations of computers look like?

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CONTENTS

KEY CONCEPTS OF COMPUTER STUDIES

Unit 7. Evolution of computers

Topic A: Computer generations

Click play on the following audio player to listen along as you read this section.

Basic Terms
Vacuum tube – an electronic device that controls the flow of electrons in a vacuum. It used as a switch,
amplifier, or display screen in many older model radios, televisions, computers, etc.

Transistor – an electronic component that can be used as an amplifier or as a switch. It is used to control
the flow of electricity in radios, televisions, computers, etc.

Integrated circuit (IC) – a small electronic circuit printed on a chip (usually made of silicon) that contains
many its own circuit elements (e.g. transistors, diodes, resistors, etc.).

Microprocessor – an electronic component held on an integrated circuit that contains a computer’s

central processing unit (CPU) and other associated circuits.

CPU (central processing unit) – It is often referred to as the brain or engine of a computer where most of
the processing and operations take place (CPU is part of a microprocessor).
Magnetic drum – a cylinder coated with magnetic material, on which data and programs can be stored.

Magnetic core – uses arrays of small rings of magnetized material called cores to store information.

Machine language – a low-level programming language comprised of a collection of binary digits (ones
and zeros) that the computer can read and understand.

Assembly language is like the machine language that a computer can understand, except that assembly
language uses abbreviated words (e.g. ADD, SUB, DIV…) in place of numbers (0s and 1s).

Memory – a physical device that is used to store data, information and program in a computer.
Artificial intelligence (AI) – an area of computer science that deals with the simulation and creation of
intelligent machines or intelligent behave in computers (they think, learn, work, and react like humans).

First Generation of Computers

Classification of generations of computers

The evolution of computer technology is often divided into five generations.

Five Generations of Computers

Generations of computers Generations timeline Evolving hardware

First generation 1940s-1950s Vacuum tube based

Second generation 1950s-1960s Transistor based

Third generation 1960s-1970s Integrated circuit based

Fourth generation 1970s-present Microprocessor based

Fifth generationThe present and the future Artificial intelligence based

The main characteristics of first generation of computers (1940s-1950s)

Main electronic component – vacuum tube

Main memory – magnetic drums and magnetic tapes

Programming language – machine language

Power – consume a lot of electricity and generate a lot of heat.

Speed and size – very slow and very large in size (often taking up entire room).

Input/output devices – punched cards and paper tape.

Examples – ENIAC, UNIVAC1, IBM 650, IBM 701, etc.

Quantity – there were about 100 different vacuum tube computers produced between 1942 and1963.

Second Generation of Computers

The main characteristics of second generation of computers (1950s-1960s)

Main electronic component – transistor

Memory – magnetic core and magnetic tape / disk

Programming language – assembly language

Power and size – low power consumption, generated less heat, and smaller in size (in comparison with
the first generation computers).

Speed – improvement of speed and reliability (in comparison with the first generation computers).

Input/output devices – punched cards and magnetic tape.

Examples – IBM 1401, IBM 7090 and 7094, UNIVAC 1107, etc.

Third Generation of Computers

The main characteristics of third generation of computers (1960s-1970s)

Main electronic component – integrated circuits (ICs)

Memory – large magnetic core, magnetic tape / disk

Programming language – high level language (FORTRAN, BASIC, Pascal, COBOL, C, etc.)

Size – smaller, cheaper, and more efficient than second generation computers (they were called
minicomputers).

Speed – improvement of speed and reliability (in comparison with the second generation computers).

Input / output devices – magnetic tape, keyboard, monitor, printer, etc.

Examples – IBM 360, IBM 370, PDP-11, UNIVAC 1108, etc.

Fourth Generation of Computers

The main characteristics of fourth generation of computers (1970s-present)

Main electronic component – very large-scale integration (VLSI) and microprocessor.

VLSI– thousands of transistors on a single microchip.

Memory – semiconductor memory (such as RAM, ROM, etc.)

RAM (random-access memory) – a type of data storage (memory element) used in computers that
temporary stores of programs and data (volatile: its contents are lost when the computer is turned off).
ROM (read-only memory) – a type of data storage used in computers that permanently stores data and
programs (non-volatile: its contents are retained even when the computer is turned off).

Programming language – high level language (Python, C#, Java, JavaScript, Rust, Kotlin, etc.).

A mix of both third- and fourth-generation languages

Size – smaller, cheaper and more efficient than third generation computers.

Speed – improvement of speed, accuracy, and reliability (in comparison with the third generation
computers).

Input / output devices – keyboard, pointing devices, optical scanning, monitor, printer, etc.

Network – a group of two or more computer systems linked together.

Examples – IBM PC, STAR 1000, APPLE II, Apple Macintosh, etc.

Fifth Generation of Computers

The main characteristics of fifth generation of computers (the present and the future)

Main electronic component: based on artificial intelligence, uses the Ultra Large-Scale Integration (ULSI)
technology and parallel processing method.

ULSI – millions of transistors on a single microchip

Parallel processing method – use two or more microprocessors to run tasks simultaneously.

Language – understand natural language (human language).

Power – consume less power and generate less heat.

Speed – remarkable improvement of speed, accuracy and reliability (in comparison with the fourth
generation computers).

Size – portable and small in size, and have a huge storage capacity.

Input / output device – keyboard, monitor, mouse, trackpad (or touchpad), touchscreen, pen, speech
input (recognise voice / speech), light scanner, printer, etc.

Example – desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.

Three women sitting around a table with laptops.

The computer – this amazing technology went from a government/business-only technology to being
everywhere from people’s homes, work places, to people’s pockets in less than 100 years.
Previous/next navigation

Previous: Unit 7. Evolution of computers

Next: Topic B: Computer hardware and software

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HOMECOMPUTERS

What Are The Five Generations Of Computers? (1st To 5th)

Author

Vangie Beal
April 6, 2021

Updated on: July 20, 2022

Woman works at a dual-monitor setup, representing the latest of 5 generations of computers.

Photo Credit: Writix.co.uk

Reviewed by Web Webster

Each generation of computers has brought significant advances in speed and power to computing tasks.
Learn about each of the five generations of computers and major technology developments that have
led to the computer technology that we use today.

The history of computer development is a computer science topic that is often used to reference the
different generations of computing devices. Each computer generation is characterized by a major
technological development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate.

Most major developments from the 1940s to the present day have resulted in increasingly smaller,
cheaper, more powerful, and more efficient computing machines and technology, thus minimizing
storage and increasing portability.

In this definition...

What Are the 5 Generations of Computers?

5 Generations of Computers Checklist

Getting Started: Key Terms to Know

First Generation: Vacuum Tubes (1940–1956)

Second Generation: Transistors (1956–1963)

Third Generation: Integrated Circuits (1964–1971)

Fourth Generation: Microprocessors (1971–Present)

Fifth Generation: Artificial Intelligence (Present and Beyond)

WHAT ARE THE 5 GENERATIONS OF COMPUTERS?

In this Webopedia Study Guide, you’ll learn more about each of the five generations of computers and
the advances in technology that have led to the development of the many computing devices we use
today.

Our journey through the five generations of computers starts in 1940 with vacuum tube circuitry and
goes to the present day and beyond with artificial intelligence (AI) systems and devices.

Let’s take a look…

5 GENERATIONS OF COMPUTERS CHECKLIST

Getting Started: Key Terms to Know

First Generation: Vacuum Tubes

Second Generation: Transistors

Third Generation: Integrated Circuits

Fourth Generation: Microprocessors

Fifth Generation: Artificial Intelligence

GETTING STARTED: KEY TERMS TO KNOW

The following technology definitions will help you to better understand the five generations of
computing:

Computer

Microprocessor

Magnetic drums

Binary

Integrated circuit

Semiconductor

Nanotechnology

Machine language
Assembly language

Artificial intelligence

FIRST GENERATION: VACUUM TUBES (1940–1956)

The first computer systems used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for main memory, and
they were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. These computers were very expensive to operate,
and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, the first computers generated a lot of heat, which was
often the cause of malfunctions. The maximum internal storage capacity was 20,000 characters.

First-generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-level programming language

understood by computers, to perform operations, and they could only solve one problem at a time. It
would take operators days or even weeks to set up a new problem. Input was based on punched cards
and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.

It was in this generation that the Von Neumann architecture was introduced, which displays the design
architecture of an electronic digital computer. Later, the UNIVAC and ENIAC computers, invented by J.
Presper Eckert, became examples of first-generation computer technology. The UNIVAC was the first
commercial computer delivered to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.

Recommended Reading: Webopedia’s ENIAC definition

SECOND GENERATION: TRANSISTORS (1956–1963)

The world would see transistors replace vacuum tubes in the second generation of computers. The
transistor was invented at Bell Labs in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late
1950s. This generation of computers also included hardware advances like magnetic core memory,
magnetic tape, and the magnetic disk.

The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster,
cheaper, more energy-efficient, and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Though the
transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast
improvement over the vacuum tube. A second-generation computer still relied on punched cards for
input and printouts for output.
When Did Computers Start Using Assembly Languages?

Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary language to symbolic, or assembly, languages,
which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level programming languages were
also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the
first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to
magnetic core technology.

The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.

THIRD GENERATION: INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (1964–1971)

The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers.
Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically
increased the speed and efficiency of computers.

Instead of punched cards and printouts, users would interact with a third-generation computer through
keyboards, monitors, and interfaces with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many
different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers, for
the first time, became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their
predecessors.

Did You Know… ? Integrated circuit (IC) chips are small electronic devices made out of semiconductor
material. The first integrated circuit was developed in the 1950s by Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments and
Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor.

FOURTH GENERATION: MICROPROCESSORS (1971–PRESENT)

The microprocessor ushered in the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits
were built onto a single silicon chip. The technology in the first generation that filled an entire room
could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, integrated all the
components of the computer, from the central processing unit and memory to input/output controls, on
a single chip.
In 1981, IBM introduced its first personal computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the
Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas of
life as more and more everyday products began to use the microprocessor chip.

As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks,
which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Each fourth-generation computer also saw the
computer development of GUIs, the mouse, and handheld technology.

FIFTH GENERATION: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (PRESENT AND BEYOND)

Fifth-generation computer technology, based on artificial intelligence, is still in development, though

there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use of parallel
processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. This is also so far the
prime generation for packing a large amount of storage into a compact and portable device.

Quantum computation and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of computers in
years to come. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that will respond to natural
language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.

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Author

Vangie Beal

Vangie Beal is a freelance business and technology writer covering Internet technologies and online
business since the late '90s.

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