Intel 8080

Uncommon card · No. 139492

The Intel 8080 is an 8-bit microprocessor produced by Intel, first released in April 1974. It served as the successor to the 8008, despite not being binary compatible with it. Originally intended for use in embedded systems such as calculators, cash registers, computer terminals, and industrial robots, the 8080 became a popular processor used across a wide range of devices, and contributed to the rise of the microcomputer industry. Several key design choices contributed to the 8080's success. Its 40‑pin package simplified interfacing compared to the 8008's 18‑pin design, enabling a more efficient data bus. The transition to NMOS technology provided faster transistor speeds than the 8008's PMOS, also making it TTL compatible. An expanded instruction set and a full 16-bit address bus allowed the 8080 to access up to 64 KB of memory, quadrupling the capacity of its predecessor. A broader selection of support chips further enhanced its functionality. Many of these improvements stemmed from...

Read on Wikipedia · Image The Science Museum UK, CC BY 4.0