What is Difference between Microprocessor and Microcontroller?
Microprocessor is just a processor with having I/O components & Memory connected externally and Microcontroller consists of external processor having I/O components and internal memory.
Before Discussing the Difference let’s discuss about Microprocessor and Microcontroller
Microprocessor is a Central Processing Unit that is contained on a single silicon chip. All the computation work like Adding, Dividing, Multiplying and Subtracting are done by Microprocessor. Its speed is measured in the term of cycle per second or megahertz (MHz).
Microcontroller is an embedded system that contains processor, memory along with peripherals. It is mostly automatic control electric device like cameras, cellphones, washing machines, microwave ovens etc.
Microprocessor V/S Mircocontroller
| Microprocessor | Microcontroller |
| Microprocessor is a central processing unit that is contained on a silicon chip and also known as heart of computer | Micro Controller is an embedded system that has processor, memory along with other peripherals and also known as Heart of embedded system |
| Microprocessor is just a Processor with having Memory and I/O Components connected externally | RMicrocontroller contains external processor with I/O components and internal memory |
| The circuit of Microprocessor takes large space because I/O and Memory are connected externally to it | The circuit size of Microcontroller is small as the I/O and Memory already present in it. |
| The cost of entire microprocessor system is high | The cost of entire microcontroller system is low |
| The power consumption of Microprocessor is high because of externally connected components. | The power consumption of Micro Controller system is less |
| Microprocessors cannot be used on the devices running on stored powers (batteries) because of high power consumption | Micro Controller can be used on the devices running on stored powers because of low power consumption |
| Most of Microprocessor devices don’t have additional power saving option | Most of the Microcontroller devices have additional power saving options like power saving mode and idle mode |
| Microprocessors are comparatively slow because of externally connected components. | Microcontroller are faster as compare to Microprocessor because all components are connected internally and no external operation is required. |
| Because of less registers, maximum operation in Microprocessor are memory based | Microcontroller contains more number of register and hence maximum operations are register based |
| The Microprocessors follow non Neumann architecture and hence both data and programs are stored in same memory | The Microcontroller follow Harvard architecture and hence data memory and memory are stored in different memory module |