Microprocessor

nilutpal

What is the difference between microprocessor and microcontroller?



Regards,
nilutpal

Slowhand

A microprocessor is, for all intents and purposes, the 'brain' of a device that carries out all the instructions of a computer program. It's the core of a computer, responsible for all the calculations and number-crunching the computer does. (Don't confuse this with RAM, which stores active programs for the CPU to process.)

A microcontroller is an integrated circuit that contains all the basic elements of a fully functioning computer - a CPU, memory, etc. - (basically a system on a chip,) that's often times used in things that require a simple computer dedicated to specific tasks,like in a remote control, in a car, or in embedded devices like smartphones and medical equipment.

There are some great articles on Wikipedia on both microprocessors and microcontrollers.