6502 vs. Modern Processors

Comparing the 6502 with the modern processors: key difference the MOS 6502 processor, as we mentioned before released in 1975, was a game changer in the early days of computing. It was cheap and very efficient to use. It has been used in classic machines like the Apple II, Commodore 64, and NES. Modern processors are much faster and also more complex. In this blog I’m going to compare the 6502 with today’s CPUs and see what the differences are.

1. Instruction Set

The 6502 has a simple and small instruction set (only 65 instructions) and a few ways to access memory; however, modern processors (the ones we see these days) have hundreds of instructions, which makes them more powerful but also more complicated.

2. Speed and Performance

The 6502 runs at 1-2 MHz, while modern processors operate at gigahertz (GHz) speeds and often feature multiple cores. Multiple cores refer to the individual processing units within a modern CPU—basically meaning the CPU has more than one brain to handle tasks and each core can work on different tasks simultaneously.

3. Memory Limits

The 6502 is an 8-bit processor with a 16-bit address bus, which you can think of as a map that helps the processor find memory locations; it can access up to 64KB of memory. Modern CPUs have 64-bit addressing, which allows them to use terabytes of memory.

4. Execution

The 6502 executes instructions line by line (or step-by-step), with each instruction taking a fixed number of cycles. In contrast, modern processors use pipelining and other techniques to execute instructions out of order to speed up processing.

5. Single vs. Multicore Processing

The 6502 has one core and runs only one instruction at a time. However, modern CPUs have multiple cores, which means they can process several instructions concurrently. This makes modern CPUs much more efficient at multitasking.

6. External Chips vs. Internal Features

The 6502 required an extra chip for graphics or sound, but today’s CPUs usually have built-in graphics and memory controllers.

7. Power and Heat

The 6502 used very little power, whereas modern CPUs generate a lot of heat and require fans or other cooling solutions to keep them running efficiently.

Conclusion

Based on the differences discussed above, we can conclude that the 6502 is much simpler than modern processors. Thankfully, modern hardware is powerful enough to recreate the 6502 experience, ensuring that classic computing lives on for future generations and giving us a chance to see where it all started.