User:Superleaf1995/Explaining the architectures

An architecture is a type of CPU. There are 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, 64-bit and even 128-bit architectures, distinguished by RISC or CISC instruction sets. The most prevalent of them all were Intel's x86 architecture.

x86

The most used architecture in computers. Devices using it includes:

• Original Xbox
• Xbox One
• PlayStation 4
• First and second generation of ASUS Zenfone Android phones
• Most PCs and Macs

Itanium

HP and Intel's failed attempt at making a 64-bit architecture before Intel finally switching to the x86-64 architecture with EM64T. Devices using it includes:

• HP Integrity line of servers
• Fujitsu PRIMEQUEST line of workstation produced from 2005 to 2011
• Some SGI workstation produced from 2001

ARM

The most popular architecture for embedded devices. Devices using it includes:

• Game Boy Advance
• Wii (Hollywood GPU only)
• Nintendo Switch
• Panasonic/Goldstar 3DO
• Raspberry Pi and other single-board computers
• Most Android and iOS phones
• Palm phones running Palm OS 5 or above (also includes Palm Tungsten line of phones)
• TI-Nspire line of graphing calculators
• M1 Macs

PowerPC

Devices using it includes:

• Macintoshes produced from the year 1994 to 2006
• Xbox 360
• PlayStation 3
• GameCube
• Wii
• Wii U

MIPS

Devices using it includes:

• PlayStation 1
• PlayStation 2
• Nintendo 64
• Most old SGI workstations
• Most routers

Motorola 68000 series

90's favorite architecture. Devices using it includes:

• Sega Genesis
• Commodore Amiga
• Atari Jaguar and ST
• Palm phones running Palm OS 4 or below
• Macintoshes produced from the year 1984 to 1994

IBM System/390

Devices using it includes:

• IBM ES/9000 series
• IBM 9672 series

MOS 6502

A very old one. 16-bit devices may use 16-bit WDC 65C816 superset of the MOS 6502 architecture. Devices using it includes:

• NES/Famicom
• SNES/Super Famicom
• Apple ][ (including Apple //c and Apple IIgs)
• Commodore PET, VIC-20 and 64
• Atari 2600, 5200, 7600 and Atari 8-bit computers

Zilog Z80

One of Texas Instrument's favorite architecture. Devices using it includes:

• ZX Spectrum
• MSX
• TRS-80
• Game Boy and Game Boy Color (using a custom Z80-based CPU)
• Sega Master System
• Sega Genesis (sound processing only)
• Old TI graphing Calculators