7 CPU Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for cpus as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 7 cpu manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked cpu companies as of April, 2024: 1.Qualcomm, 2.ARM, 3.Renesas Electronics Corporation..
Table of Contents
What Is a CPU?
CPU stands for central processing unit, and in a strict sense, it is one of the components of a microprocessor that plays a central role in arithmetic processing. However, in the current situation, CPU is more often used almost synonymously with a microprocessor.
The components of a computer can be categorized into CPU, memory, graphics and HDD drive units, and input/output devices, such as Ethernet communication interfaces.
In the early days of computers, these components were disparate and were combined to make a computer.
Among these components, the CPU is a device that reads and executes a set of instructions stored in memory one by one based on the means of reading and executing instructions it has inside.
With the subsequent rapid development of semiconductor technology, the memory, graphics, and various interface functions that were previously outside of the CPU have been incorporated into the CPU, along with the progress and sophistication of semiconductor microfabrication, contributing greatly to the miniaturization and weight reduction of devices.
Usage of CPUs
CPUs are installed in all computers.
From supercomputers to high-performance computers for business use, consumer computers, and even the notebook PCs, smartphones, and tablet devices that we often use in our daily lives, all contain CPUs, although the scale of these devices differs.
CPUs are also found in a wide variety of consumer and professional devices.
These include televisions, recorders, audio equipment, cars, motorcycles, and various measuring instruments for professional use. Many of the CPUs installed in these devices are also called single-chip microcomputers, and they contribute to the miniaturization of devices by incorporating peripheral hardware and other components that are optimized for their respective fields and applications.
Principle of CPUs
The initial role of CPUs was to read instructions from memory, decode them, and execute them.
Execution means performing operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and returning the results to memory.
Inside the CPU, there is a predefined set of instructions that can be understood and what must be done for each instruction. The instructions in memory are sequentially read by the CPU from the smallest address in memory and executed one after another.
According to the results of the operations, data is output to or read from peripheral devices.
In addition, if a graphics function is built in, data is written to the graphics. The graphics function is then displayed on a connected LCD display or monitor.
If an Ethernet communication function is built in, it takes in packet data sent to itself on the network, analyzes and calculates the data internally, and outputs the data back to the network.
CPU Architecture
CPUs have different basic designs, called architectures, depending on the product. The architecture is the most fundamental part of a CPU and is designed to determine how instructions are processed at the hardware level.
CPUs use the main memory and internal cache to perform operations, but the processing methods and operation rules differ depending on the architecture. Since these differences affect the application level, which is a more superficial layer, the OS and various applications must be designed in accordance with the CPU architecture.
There are generations of CPU architectures, which are generally updated every few years. Since architecture has a significant impact on CPU performance, it is a good idea to check which architecture the CPU is based on when selecting a CPU.
CPU Heat Exhaustion
To maximize the performance of a CPU, heat removal is very important. To prevent this, it is necessary to devise a way to exhaust heat.
Generally, a fan is attached to the CPU to exhaust heat, and grease is applied to the contact points between the CPU and the fan to improve thermal conductivity. This improves the heat removal performance of the fan. The grease needs to be reapplied periodically to maintain the performance.
Instead of attaching a fan to the CPU, a water-cooling method, called water cooling, is sometimes used. The water-cooling method is more effective in cooling and effective for PCs with high specifications. However, it should be noted that water cooling is expensive and there is a risk of coolant leakage in the event of a malfunction.
In addition to exhausting heat from the CPU itself, it is also important to exhaust heat from the case to the outside so that heat does not accumulate inside the case. If parts are densely packed inside the case or the amount of air exhausted from the case to the outside is small, no matter how much the CPU is cooled, only limited effects can be obtained.
List of 7 CPU Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- Japan
- United Kingdom
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Qualcomm
Processors
Manufacturer Overview
Qualcomm, a company founded in 1985 and headquartered in San Diego, California, is a supplier of wireless telecommunication products and services. The company offers a wide range of products, including integrated circuits and system software for mobile devices and other wireless products. It also provides processors and software, to enable the development of smart devices and applications. It supports the development of 5G, 4G, CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA, and WCDMA mobile communications standards. The company won the "Best Mobile Processor" award at the Global Mobile Awards for its Snapdragon 888 processor. It serves various industries such as Mobile, IoT, Automotive, and more.
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Intel Corporation
Processors
Manufacturer Overview
Intel Corporation, an American company founded in 1968 and headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is a manufacturer and supplier specializing in the design and production of semiconductor microprocessors. The company's product portfolio includes processors, graphics processing units, software, wireless products, and various other items. These products find applications in education, transportation, financial services, retail, and government. The company offers customer services including technical support, software development, cloud services, security services, and research and development collaboration. The company has manufacturing facilities, research and development centers, sales offices, and partnerships with businesses and organizations across various continents.
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Renesas Electronics Corporation.
Microcontrollers & Microprocessors (MCUs, MPUs)
Manufacturer Overview
Renesas Electronics Corporation was established in 2002 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Renesas is a global research, design, and manufacturer of semiconductors used in industries spanning automotive, consumer electronics, the internet of things, power & energy, and industrial sectors. Renesas manufactures both analog and digital products. Analog products include amplifiers, audio & video devices, data converters, PLC, and switches & multiplexers. Digital products include microcontrollers, memory components, sensors, wireless connectivity products, and others. Renesas also offers design resources such as kits, development tools, partner programs, and design tools.
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ARM
Cortex-A
Manufacturer Overview
ARM, previously known as Advanced RISC Machines, is a British multinational semiconductor and software design company that designs and licenses intellectual property for computer processors and related technology. Established in 1990, ARM does not manufacture its own chips but licenses its processor designs and technologies to semiconductor companies and manufacturers. These companies then use ARM's IP to develop their customized chips, leveraging ARM's architecture and ecosystem. ARM CPUs and NPUs include Cortex-A, Cortex-M, Cortex-R, Neoverse, Ethos, and SecurCore. These processors are designed for various application domains, from low-power microcontrollers to high-powered processors for servers and mobile devices.
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STMicroelectronics
Microcontrollers & Microprocessors
Manufacturer Overview
ST Micro Electronics is a global semiconductor company serving customers with innovations to have a positive impact on people's lives. Their product line is micro electronic systems, such as switches, controllers, sensors and drivers. The main selling point of ST Micro Electronics is its provision of sustainable products, and introducing their electronics to create a more sustainable world. The company, as well as providing the electronic devices, also provides software and support, ensuring that all fields are covered to provide a fully provide a supported and strong relationship with their customer base. ST Micro Electronics believe that technology plays a key role in helping to solve environmental and social challenges, which is why their semiconductor technologies start with their employees, their customers and partners.
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Texas Instruments
Microcontrollers (MCUs) & processors
Manufacturer Overview
Texas Instruments Incorporated was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Texas Instruments is a producer of high tech equipment for industrial, automotive, personal electronics, communications equipment industries. Texas Instruments designs, manufactures, and sells semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers in the United States and internationally. Texas Instruments operates in two segments: analog and embedded processing. The Analog segment offers power products, including battery-management solutions, DC/DC switching regulators, power switches, linear regulators, voltage references, and lighting products. The Embedded Processing segment offers microcontrollers that are used in fields such as electronic equipment and digital signal processors for mathematical computations.
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Advanced Micro Devices, Inc
Ryzen™ 7000 Series Desktop Processors
Manufacturer Overview
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Established in 1969 and based in Santa Clara, California, is a manufacturer and supplier of semiconductor solutions. The company's product range includes GPU Accelerators, Adaptive SoCs for Data Center, Adaptive SoCs for Edge, System-on-Modules (SOMs), and Laptop Processors. These products support data centers, artificial intelligence, and gaming. The company serves cloud computing, data centers, gaming, and embedded systems industries. In addition to products, it offers services such as ROCm Developer Hub, Vitis AI Development Platform, ZenDNN Inference Libraries, and Video AI Analytics.
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CPU Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of April 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qualcomm |
37.5%
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| 2 | ARM |
16.5%
|
| 3 | Renesas Electronics Corporation. |
14.4%
|
| 4 | Intel Corporation |
9.7%
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| 5 | Advanced Micro Devices, Inc |
8.7%
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| 6 | STMicroelectronics |
7.5%
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| 7 | Texas Instruments |
5.7%
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Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the cpu page as of April 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- Renesas Electronics Corporation.: 21,017
Newly Established Company
- Renesas Electronics Corporation.: 2002 (22 years ago)
- Qualcomm: 1985 (39 years ago)
- Advanced Micro Devices, Inc: 1969 (55 years ago)
Company with a History
- Texas Instruments: 1930 (94 years ago)
- Intel Corporation: 1968 (56 years ago)
- Advanced Micro Devices, Inc: 1969 (55 years ago)
CPU Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
Global Distribution of CPU Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
|
2 | 50.0% |
Japan
|
1 | 25.0% |
United Kingdom
|
1 | 25.0% |
