Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11The Intel 4004 is generally considered the first complete CPU built on a single chip and the first commercially available microprocessor. Intel announced it as a stand-alone product on November 15, 1971. That answer depends on what “first CPU chip” means: earlier systems had processor functions implemented across multiple chips.
What does “first CPU chip” mean?
The phrase can refer to different milestones: the first processor design, the first working processor system, or the first complete CPU integrated onto one silicon chip. For the last meaning—and for the first commercially available microprocessor—the best-supported answer is Intel’s 4004. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History describes it as the first complete CPU on one chip and dates its release to November 15, 1971 (Smithsonian collection record).
This does not mean the 4004 was the first processor of any kind, the first electronic computer, or a complete computer on a chip. Processor functions had been implemented before with multi-chip designs. The Computer History Museum, for example, identifies the Garrett AiResearch MP944 as a six-chip set designed for the F-14A Central Air Data Computer (Computer History Museum).
Why was the Intel 4004 created?
In 1969, Japanese calculator maker Busicom, also known as Nippon Calculating Machine Corporation, commissioned Intel to develop custom chips for its 141-PF printing calculator. The original proposal called for 12 custom chips. Intel redesigned the plan as a four-chip set, with the 4004 serving as the programmable CPU (Intel’s 4004 timeline).
#1 Best Overall
- 10 cores (6 P-cores plus 4 E-cores) and 16 threads
- Performance hybrid architecture integrates two core microarchitectures, prioritizing and distributing workloads to optimize performance
- Up to 4.7 GHz unlocked. 20MB Cache
- Compatible with Intel 600-series (with potential BIOS update) and 700-series chipset-based motherboards
- PCIe 5.0 and 4.0 support. DDR4 and DDR5 Memory support. RM1 thermal solution included. Discrete graphics required.
The 4004 could be programmed to perform the calculator’s operations, while the other chips in the set provided supporting functions. Intel’s account notes that the chips could also be used for operations in other devices (Intel’s 4004 timeline). The CPU itself was one component of a system—not the calculator, nor a complete computer by itself.
Key facts about the 4004
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chip | Intel 4004 |
| Commercial announcement | November 15, 1971; Intel’s timeline identifies this as the announcement of the 4004 as a stand-alone product (Intel). |
| Role | Programmable CPU in a four-chip set developed for Busicom’s 141-PF printing calculator (Intel). |
| Processor width | 4-bit, according to Intel (Intel). |
| Transistor count | 2,300, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s collection record (Smithsonian). |
The project’s contributors included Intel engineers Marcian E. “Ted” Hoff, Federico Faggin, and Stan Mazor, as well as Busicom engineer Masatoshi Shima. Intel credits Hoff with the architectural concept and Faggin with leading later design work (Intel project history).
Rank #2
- Intel Core i5-12400F Desktop Processor 6 (6P plus0E) Cores Up to 4.4 GHz Turbo Frequency LGA1700 600 Series Chipset 65W Processor Base Power
- Item Package Dimension: 4.92L x 4.33W x 3.18H inches
- Item Package Weight - 0.99 Pounds
- Item Package Quantity - 1
- Product Type - COMPUTER PROCESSOR
Was the 4004 the first microprocessor?
It is accurate to call the 4004 the first commercially available microprocessor and the first complete CPU integrated on one chip, as Intel and the Smithsonian do (Intel Newsroom; Smithsonian). It is less accurate to say it was simply “the first processor,” without defining the term, because earlier multi-chip systems performed processor functions.
The distinction is integration: the 4004 put a complete CPU on one chip, even though it operated as part of a four-chip calculator system. A CPU or microprocessor is not automatically a complete computer; a complete system also needs supporting components and connections.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Quick Recap
Best Value
- Game and multitask without compromise powered by Intel’s performance hybrid architecture on an unlocked processor.
- Discrete graphics required
- Compatible with Intel 600 series and 700 series chipset-based motherboards
- Intel and reg; Core and reg; i5 processor offers hyper-threading architecture that delivers high performance for demanding applications with improved onboard graphics and turbo boost
- The processor features Socket LGA-1700 socket for installation on the PCB
Rank #4
- 10 cores (6 P-cores plus 4 E-cores) and 16 threads. Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 730 included.
- Performance hybrid architecture integrates two core microarchitectures, prioritizing and distributing workloads to optimize performance
- Up to 4.7 GHz unlocked. 20MB Cache
- Compatible with Intel 600-series (with potential BIOS update) and 700-series chipset-based motherboards
- PCIe 5.0 and 4.0 support. Intel Optane Memory support. RM1 thermal solution included.
Rank #3
- Intel Core i5 2.50 GHz processor offers hyper-threading architecture that delivers high performance for demanding applications with improved onboard graphics and turbo boost
- The processor features Socket LGA-1700 socket for installation on the PCB
- Its 18 MB of L3 cache is good enough to carry routine data and process them in a flash giving you fast and smooth performance
- Built-in Intel UHD Graphics 730 controller for improved graphics and visual quality. Supports up to 4 monitors.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
