Nowadays everyday life is dominated by computers. They are now present in almost every electronic device of daily use. For example, fridges, televisions, fans, etc. The evolution of the computer started in the sixteenth century. A number of improvements have been made in terms of cost as well as processing since then. These improvements are classified into generations according to the similarities of development. In this regard, there are five computer generations. Let us discuss them all one by one.
Generations of Computer:
01. First Generation of Computers with vacuum tubes:
- They were called first-generation computers since they used vacuum tubes.
- They were used only for a specific purpose like solving a system of linear equations. General-purpose uses are not available for them.
- ENIAC and EDSAC were some examples of it.
- They were huge. So, they were not portable and were high maintenance.
- For programming the machine, they used machine language.
02. Second Generation of Computers with Transistors:
- They are called transistor computers because they use discrete transistors rather than vacuum tubes.
- Memory chips with magnetic cores were used as a storage medium.
- There were many machines built under this category like Harwell CADET, and IBM 608.
- They were smaller in size as well as more reliable than the first generation of computers.
- They used both assembly language and machine language for programming the machine.
- A punch card was used as an input device.
- They were also mostly specific-purpose computers and could not be used for general purposes.
03. Third Generation of Computers with Integrated Circuits:
- They used integrated circuits, to replace transistors.
- They were very small in size as compared to previous generations.
- General purposes can also be served by them.
- Very high speed as compared to previous generations.
- Used high-level language for programming the machine.
- They used less energy as compared to previous generations, had fans for cooling, higher storage capacity than the previous generations.
- Input devices were a keyboard and mouse.
04. Fourth Generation of the computer with very large-scale integrated chips (VLSI):
- VLSI replaced the integrated chips.
- Computer Devices become handheld and thus smaller. Using these devices is now more convenient due to their portability.
- Computers become cheap and thus affordable.
- Internet became a thing of home.
- Memory becomes smaller in size but higher in capacity.
- A computer’s processing power has increased, and results are more accurate.
05. Fifth Generation of computers with ultra-large-scale integration technology (ULSI):
- ULSI replaced the VLSI, so they are also called the ULSI computers.
- It would be easy to fit them on your palm since they are so small.
- Among the most prominent features of this generation is multitasking.
- Artificial intelligence is now embedded in computers. So, computers are smarter than ever. Life is now reliant on them in almost every aspect.
- However, this generation also came with the boon of cybercrimes.
Generation of Processors:
Thus, there has been a significant improvement in computer systems with each generation. However, this classification is according to the hardware only. As well as processing through generations of processors, computers are also constantly evolving. Processors are the center of a computer. They perform the most tasks in a computer system. In today’s world, there are two major manufacturers of processors. These are Intel and AMD(Advanced micro devices). These processors come in many generations. A processor’s performance improves with each generation. Let us now discuss the generations of processors.
Let’s discuss all the generations of processors one by one.
01. First-Generation Processors:
This generation started with 8-bit processors. But later 16-bit processors also came. They were mostly from intel. Some examples of them are 4004, 8080, 8086, 8087, 8088, 80186, and 80188 Processors.
The processors of the next generation are based on their technology. Let’s now discuss some of the first-generation processors. 8088 and 8086 were the first 16-bit processors after many 8-bit processors. The 16-bit registers, 16-bit instruction sets, and 16-bit external data paths make them a step ahead of their time. For the same reason, it had a high cost too.
02. Second Generation of Processors:
However, many first-generation processors lacked the required support components. So, 80186 and 80188 processors were then introduced to provide them with a support system. Also, 8087 coprocessors were introduced to support the mathematical computations. This led to the birth of second-generation processors.
Second-generation processors enhanced the speed significantly. Also, 16-bit processors became the norm. The 80186 and 80188 processors in the previous generation suffered from compatibility problems. However, processors of this generation overcame this problem. Some of the examples were 80286 and 80287.
03. Third-Generation Processors:
They carried the most significant changes among all the generations. Moreover, they mostly had 32-bit processors. Also, they were ahead of their time and took a decade to be accepted as common. The 80386 was the most common processor of all. These processors were able to shift to protected mode through software only unlike the previous processors which required a reset. There is also a new mode called virtual real mode that they introduced. this enabled the multiple copies of DOS to run simultaneously on the processor.
04. Fourth-Generation Processors:
These processors have another name, Haswell microarchitecture generation of processors. Also, they were 64-bit multi-core processors. were built on 22nm processor technology. Moreover, They had a 2.3 to 3.2- GHz clock speed. It also used FinFET technology for less power consumption. Some examples of them are Intel Core i7 – 4785 and T processors.
05. Fifth-Generation Processors:
These processors have another name, Broadwell processors. Some examples of it are 80660, 80669, and 80682. it added support for both encodings as well as decoding. They gave a huge boost to graphics thus setting the base for the Internet of Things. An excellent visual experience was provided by it. The security was strong silicon level. High power efficiency was maintained through the power gates and states.
06. Sixth-Generation Processors:
These processors have another name, Skylake processors. The technology used to manufacture them was 14nm. So, they had better CPU performance with low power consumption. The major examples of this series of processors were 80662 and 80673. As a result of these processors, performance was improved, 64 GB memory was supported, and transfer speeds were enhanced. A stunning visual experience was provided by the ultra-HD 4K technology. A variety of software guard extensions, memory protection extensions, and device protection technology were used to increase security.
07. Seventh-Generation Processors:
These processors have another name, Kaby Lake processors. Moreover, these processors were also based on the 14nm manufacturing technology. Hyperthreading was introduced for the first time with this processor generation. Intel Celeron G3930 was the leading processor of this generation. They allow for stunning ultra 4K HDR premium content visuals. A virtual reality experience can be enjoyed with it. A 14nm process is also used to design them. The power efficiency of these processors has improved dramatically since the last generation. You can choose from dual-core processors and quad-core processors from them. These processors also support the existing IP designs, advanced security with extended product supply, and IOT use conditions.
08. Eighth-Generation Processors:
These processors have another name, Coffee Lake processors. These processors carry the 14nm process node refinement. They support increased transistor gate pitch with six hyper-thread cores. With these processors, you get better processing power due to the use of up to six cores. Examples of it are core i7-8700 K. Handheld devices such as notebooks and tablets can be used. These processors offer almost ten hours of battery life. Handheld devices such as notebooks and tablets can use them. They support turbo boost technology that enables them to run at high speeds and power with up to eight threads each.
09. Ninth-Generation Processors:
It was the most powerful generation of that time. This generation of processors was suitable for both gamers and content creators, budding talents at the end of the last decade. The new i9-9900k processor was behind this generation. It had the support of 16 MB of cache and turbo boost 2.0 technology. These processors also had the support of 16-way multitasking led by hyperthreading technology. Thus, they were very high in performance.
10. Tenth-Generation Processors:
These processors are the basis of the two different sets of micro-architectures. Skylake and Sunny Cove. They have the support of Thunderbolt 3 technology, intel Wi-Fi 6, and 4K HDR intelligent system optimization. They have Optane memory that supports high responsiveness. There is now a greater connection between wireless devices and wired devices thanks to WiFi 6 technology. Desktops to have the Thermal Velocity Boost with intel smart cache, which has boosted its performance by miles.
11. Eleventh-Generation Processors:
These processors run on Artificial intelligence. They provide 20 PCle 4.0 and %GHz lanes for the graphics. Eight threads and four cores are used in the processor. Memory is characterized by the Optane H10 memory with solid-state storage to boost performance. Moreover, Memory is as big as 16 GB.
12. Twelfth-Generation Processors:
They have another name, Alder Lake Processors. Performance cores and efficient cores are combined in these processors. AI has become more advanced in this generation. Business performance is led by the Intel vPro platform. They support both DDR5 and PCLe 5.0. A new six-wide instruction coder fetched 32 bytes of instructions per cycle, and 12 execution ports are available.
13. Thirteenth-Generation Processors:
It’s the latest generation of processors. These processors are also a hybrid of sixteen efficient cores and eight performance cores. It’s the most superior performance among all the generations.
Hence, generation means different in terms of the computer system. However, in modern times generation word is a synonym with the processor’s generation. With every generation, the processors have evolved and become more advanced.