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8-, 16-, or 32-Bit Busses

A microprocessor can be characterized by the width of its internal and external buses. The width of the internal bus determines the largest number that can be transferred or processed in a single clock cycle. The width of the external bus determines the number of memory addresses accessible by the processor. A wider bus is faster and more convenient for the programmer. A narrower bus is cheaper and requires simpler external hardware with fewer wires and connections.



Doug Gingrich
Tue Jul 13 16:55:15 EDT 1999