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What are the differnences between Microcontrollers and Microprocessors?

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Question added by Ahmed Mohammed Merghany , Electrical Engineer , Al-Ramz Electromechanical
Date Posted: 2015/11/27
Deleted user
by Deleted user

  • To keep it simple, memory is outside the chip for microprocessors (mp) and its inside the chip for micrcontrollers(mc)
  • If you are building a system with MC, then no need to buy the basic interfacing devices such as 8255,8259,8251 etc as an MC comes with all of them, whereas for a MP you need to buy all the external interfaces separately and the cost increases
  • An MC is basically used for specific applications such as microwave, washing machines, remote controls etc whereas an MP can be programmed in general
  • memory is expandable for an MC
  • MC's are cheap rather than MP

microcontroller is an embedded system that has inside a microprossesor but microprocessor make a specifid task in microcontroller 

Mirza Hafez
by Mirza Hafez , Telecommunications Engineer , Etisalat

Microntroller having timing action inbuilt in it.In Microcontroller have all inbuilt system in it.

bassem Iben warrad
by bassem Iben warrad , Assistant Professor , Higher Institute of Computer Science and Communication Technologies. Hammam Sousse, Tunisia

A microprocessor is an Integrated Circuit (IC) which has only the Central Processing Unit (CPU) inside it. They lack Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), and other peripherals on the chip. To deploy a microprocessor in a system, the above-mentioned peripherals are required to be connected. The Intel Pentium series, i3, i5, Cortex A8 are popular microprocessors which find their applications in desktop PC’s, Laptops, notepads etc.

Unlike microprocessors, microcontrollers possess a CPU along with RAM, ROM, and other peripherals on the same chip. Therefore, it is also termed as a mini computer. Though the size of RAM and ROM and the processing power is far less as compared to an actual computer, it meets all the characteristics of a complete computer. Popular microcontrollers in the market are 8051, STM32, PIC32, Arduino, ATMEL etc.

Pallavi Kulkarni
by Pallavi Kulkarni , Assistant Instructor , BVV Sangha’s Basaveshwar Engineering College

Microprocessor has a single memory which includes the program memory and data memory, microcontrollers  has a separate program and data memory. microprocessors has several instructions for moving data from external memory to CPU, The microcontrollers has one or two instructions for moving data from external memory to CPU.The microprocessor has different IC's for memory and I/O's, where as the microcontrollers has in built memory and I/Os. In a microprocessor few pin are multifunctioned, in microcontrollers large numbers of pins are multifunctioned.

ghassen hadded
by ghassen hadded , sr java/jee developer , thales

Microprocessor is an IC which has only the CPU inside them i.e. only the processing powers such as Intel’s Pentium 1,2,3,4, core 2 duo, i3, i5 etc. These microprocessors don’t have RAM, ROM, and other peripheral on the chip. A system designer has to add them externally to make them functional. Application of microprocessor includes Desktop PC’s, Laptops, notepads etc.   But this is not the case with Microcontrollers. Microcontroller has a CPU, in addition with a fixed amount of RAM, ROM and other peripherals all embedded on a single chip. At times it is also termed as a mini computer or a computer on a single chip. Today different manufacturers produce microcontrollers with a wide range of features available in different versions.

Kaushik vasani
by Kaushik vasani , trinee , vector india

microcontroller is computer on chip,where microprocessor is chip on compter

microcontroller used in smart watch where microprocessor used in mobile ,

 

Sabheeh Ali
by Sabheeh Ali , Electronics/Control Engineer , Marine Services Co. Ltd.

Micro-controller is used for specific/dedicated purpose like a line folowing robot or a CNC machine as it have built-in RAM, ROM, Analog to Digital converter etc while on the other hand micro-processor is used for more general purpose like your computer system in which you can enhance your system by upgrading RAM, Sound card, Graphics card etc

Anuraj S
by Anuraj S , Jr.Embedded Engineer , Ronics Labz

Microcontrollers are IC's which have inbuilt CPU, RAM, ROM and I/O peripherals so it can't be upgraded if needed but microprocessors are IC's which have only CPU inside it so it can be upgraded. 

shabnam yaseen
by shabnam yaseen , software developer , Smadurk Infotech Pvt Lmt

microprocessor is an IC which has only CPU inside them. microprocessor dont have RAM, ROM and other peripheral on the chip. A system designer has to add them externally to make them functional.

But microcontroller has a CPU, in addition with fixed amount of RAM, ROM and other peripherals embedded on a single chip.

Main difference between MICROCONTROLLER and MICROPROCESSOR is 

            MICROPROCESSOR:A  CPU  built ina single VLSI chip is known as MICROPROCESSOR,and here for any extra memory we need external usage,

            MICROCONTROLLER:In MICROCONTROLLER all the peripherals built in a single chip like I/O PORTS,REGISTERS,RAM ,ROM,ALU,TIMERS,COUNTERS.

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