Difference between microprocessors and microcontrollers

Are you getting confused between microprocessors and microcontrollers?

Today  I will tell you the main differences these two processors have in comparison with each other on the basis of the following things.

Let’s start the comparison between these thumb-nail size electronic chips…….

System used

  • Micro-processor is generally used in computer systems.
  • Micro-controller is generally used in embedded systems.

Memory and I/O unit

  • Micro-processor’s memory and I/O unit are external to the system.
  • Micro-controllers memory and I/O unit is connected with other components in the system itself.

System size

  • Micro-processor has a large system size due to the fact that memory and I/O unit is connected externally.
  • Micro-controller has compact system size and thus can be used in places where are very little is available.

System cost

  • Overall cost of Micro-processor system is high.
  • Micro-controller system has very low cost.

Power consumption

  • Micro-processor system has high power consumption due to the fact that it has both external and internal components.
  • Micro-controller system has low power consumption.

Power saving mode

  • Most of the Micro-processor systems don’t have power saving modefeature.
  • Most of the Micro-controller systems have idle and power saving modefeature which insures low power consumption.

Architecture

  • Micro-processors are based on “Von-Neumann” architecture.
  • Micro-controllers are based on “Harvard” architecture.

In a basic manner you can take Micro-controller as Micro-controller= Micro-processor + few basic components. But this doesn’t mean Micro-controller can do heavy tasks or multi-tasking. For these things we will need Micro-processor, but when there is a need of compact system with simple task we use Micro-controller.

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