Supersized chip family gathers for the 54th anniversary of the Intel 4004 CPU — 4001 ROM, 4002 RAM, and 4003 shift registers feature in a reconstructed Busicom

by

Supersized chip family gathers for the 54th anniversary of the Intel 4004 CPU — 4001 ROM, 4002 RAM, and 4003 shift registers feature in a reconstructed Busicom

Modern technology means the 130x scale discrete transistor 4004 CPU runs at twice the speed of the real thing.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works .

(Image credit: Klaus Scheffler on www.4004.com ) A sneak preview of a complete MCS-4 computer, built from discrete transistors, has been shown off to mark the recent Intel 4004 anniversary . In the picture below, you can see the calculator interface flanked by seven hand-wired ‘chips’ that implement the entire original Busicom 141-PF calculator logic in hardware. That means those framed PCBs you see are supersized remakes of the Intel 4004 CPU (the largest at center), plus 4001 ROM, 4002 RAM modules, and 4003 shift registers.

The pictured supersized calculator, recently completed by Klaus Scheffler and Lajos Kintli, is set to go on exhibition at the Enter Museum in Switzerland sometime next year. It will be an interactive exhibit, with flowcharts and register valuations, as well as the physical calculator keypad being available to prod, we assume.

This fascinating project began several years ago, with the development team starting with the CPU at its heart – the legendary 4-bit Intel 4004 . Remember, Intel designed this ‘first commercial microprocessor’ specifically for the Busicom calculator, which came out in 1971. So, it is apt that the whole Intel 4000 family has now been remade for posterity, to support a working supersized calculator.

Best PC builds for gaming 2025: From $500 budgets to $4,000+

Key considerations

  • Investor positioning can change fast
  • Volatility remains possible near catalysts
  • Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows

Reference reading

More on this site

Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.

Related posts:

  1. Intel’s revolutionary 54-year-old 4004 chip was the world’s first programmable microchip — 2,300-transistor 10,000nm processor exposed
  2. Intel’s revolutionary 54-year-old 4004 chip was the world’s first programmable microchip — 2,300-transistor 10,000nm processor exposed
  3. Intel’s revolutionary 54-year-old 4004 chip was the world’s first programmable microchip — 2,300-transistor 10,000nm processor exposed
  4. Intel’s revolutionary 54-year-old 4004 chip was the world’s first programmable microchip — 2,300-transistor 10,000nm processor exposed

Leave a Comment