25 Microchips That Shook the World

[philip2009]

Among the many great chips that have emerged from fabs during the half-century reign of the integrated circuit, a small group stands out. Their designs proved so cutting-edge, so out of the box, so ahead of their time, that we are left groping for more technology clichés to describe them. Suffice it to say that they gave us the technology that made our brief, otherwise tedious existence in this universe worth living.

Full article ...

Interesting list, some chips familiar, others not so much.

 

[Ziggy]

That is possibly the nerdiest "best of" list I've ever seen, but it's fantastic.

 

[philip2009]

Back in the 80's hardcore computing geeks dreamed of the Transputer. The kind of CPU you really believed would shake the world one day.

 

[Emlyn_Dewar]

Good list that, an interesting read.

 

[Scania]

Interesting read, I was hoping to see the Intel 8271 in that list, I lusted after one for years for my BBC Micro (it was an FDC - Floppy Disc Controller) that said, by the time I got one, it was overpriced and outclassed.

 

[Sankari]

^^ Good chips, would list again.

 

[Flukester]

good read, but like one other comment on the site, no 7400 logic series of ICs.. a major mistake surely

good to see the 68000 CPU in there

 

[RetiredGreyFox]

Where is the Fairlight Synthesizer chip?
I remember stories in the 80s that the Russians were ordering Fairlights just for the processors.

 

[starfighter]

It is too early in the morning and I need food, I thought you were on about McCain MicroChips when I read the title, yumm.

I'm gonna go get a bacon butty methinks.

 

[OzyOly]

Glad to see the Z80 is there.

 

[p4radox]

Interesting read, thanks OP.

Good to see the Tripath chip making an appearance with "big" names like the 555 and 741.

 

[Cosimo]

What an interesting list and read. I will come back and have a look at the rest of that report.

 

[platypus]

Very interesting read, thanks .

 

[Nicksy]

Great article. I miss my Rio pmp300, the first commercial mp3 player. (My battery compartment catch broke!)

 

[Mr. Anderson]

is the 555 timer chip in it? That is my favourite chip

 

[Jonny69]

Behold my geekiness. Out of that list I have used the NE555 Timer (1971), PIC 16C84 (1993), 741 Op-Amp (1968) and TDA2822 amplifier which could be an early form of the TA2020 AudioAmplifier (1998). Had no idea they were all that old when I was using them

 

[GingerNinja1989]

Odd how they list the 8088 rather than the 8086 IMO.

 

[p4radox]

TDA2822 amplifier which could be an early form of the TA2020 AudioAmplifier (1998).

The TA2020 is unique because it's a class D amplifier, the TDA2822 looks like it's a fairly standard linear power amp.

 

[dangerstat]

Great read thanks for posting this

 

[Chaos]

Looks interesting will have a read later.