Types of Silicon Chips: Microprocessors, SoCs, and Custom ICs Explained

Types of Silicon Chips: Microprocessors, SoCs, and Custom ICs Explained

Silicon chips are the tiny powerhouses that run virtually every modern electronic device—from smartphones and laptops to industrial machines and satellites. While all silicon chips are made from the same base material, their structure, functionality, and applications differ significantly. This article dives deep into the three major types of silicon chips : Microprocessors , System-on-Chips (SoCs) , and Custom Integrated Circuits (Custom ICs) . 🔍 What Are Silicon Chips? Silicon chips , also known as integrated circuits (ICs) or semiconductors , are electronic circuits built on thin slices of purified silicon. These circuits contain millions to billions of microscopic components like transistors, resistors, and capacitors that process and store data. 🧠 1. Microprocessors (CPUs) Definition A microprocessor is a general-purpose digital processor that executes instructions from a computer program. It's often referred to as the CPU (Central Processing Unit) . Key Features Executes arithmetic and …