This generational list of Intel processors attempts to present all of Intel's processors from the 4-bit 4004 (1971) to the present high-end offerings. Concise technical data is given for each product.
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In this Dossier
4-bit computing in the context of Intel 4004
The Intel 4004, released by the Intel Corporation on November 15, 1971, was the first in a long line of Intel central processing units (CPUs). Priced at US$60 (equivalent to $466 in 2024), the chip marked both a technological and economic milestone in computing.
The 4-bit 4004 CPU was the first significant commercial example of large-scale integration, using the abilities of the MOS silicon gate technology (SGT) to integrate the CPU into a single chip. Compared to the existing technology, SGT enabled twice the transistor density and five times the operating speed, making future single-chip CPUs feasible. The MCS-4 chipset design, of which the 4004 was a part, served as a model on how to use SGT for complex logic and memory circuits, accelerating the adoption of SGT by the world's semiconductor industry.
View the full Wikipedia page for Intel 4004