| Aspect | Microprocessor | Microcontroller |
| What it is | CPU only on a chip | CPU + RAM + ROM/flash + I/O on one chip |
| Memory and I/O | External chips needed | Built in |
| Use | General-purpose computers | Dedicated embedded tasks |
| Speed | High (GHz) | Lower (MHz) |
| Power and cost | Higher | Lower |
| Examples | Intel Core, AMD Ryzen | 8051, AVR (Arduino), PIC, STM32 |
— rhs