Microcontroller vs Microprocessor
A microcontroller is a complete system on a chip; a microprocessor needs external memory and peripherals.
Beginner
| Microcontroller | Microprocessor | |
|---|---|---|
| Memory | on-chip flash + RAM | external RAM and storage |
| Typical clock | 8–600 MHz | 1–5 GHz |
| Power | µW–mW | watts |
| OS | bare metal or RTOS | Linux, Windows |
| Examples | ATmega328P, STM32, ESP32 | Raspberry Pi's SoC, Intel Core |
Choose an MCU for real-time control and battery life; choose a processor (Linux board) for heavy computing, cameras, networking stacks and displays.
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