16-bit computing

In computer architecture, 16-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are 16 bits (2
octets) wide. Also, 16-bit CPU and ALU architectures are those that are based on registers, address buses, or
data buses of that size. 16-bit microcomputers are computers in which 16-bit microprocessors were the norm.

A 16-bit register can store 216 different values. The signed range of integer values that can be stored in 16 bits
is −32,768 (−1 × 215 ) through 32,767 (215 − 1); the unsigned range is 0 through 65,535 (216 − 1). Since 216 is
65,536, a processor with 16-bit memory addresses can directly access 64 KB (65,536 bytes) of byte-
addressable memory. If a system uses segmentation with 16-bit segment offsets, more can be accessed.

Contents
16-bit architecture
16/32-bit Motorola 68000 and Intel 386SX
16-bit application
List of 16-bit CPUs
See also
References

16-bit architecture
The MIT Whirlwind (c. 1951)[1][2] was quite possibly the first-ever 16-bit computer. Other early 16-bit
computers (c. 1965–70) include the IBM 1130,[3] the HP 2100,[4] the Data General Nova,[5] and the DEC
PDP-11.[6]

Early multi-chip 16-bit microprocessors (c. 1973–76) include the five-chip National Semiconductor IMP-16
(1973),[7] the two-chip NEC μCOM-16 (1974),[8][7] the three-chip Western Digital MCP-1600 (1975), and
the five-chip Toshiba T-3412 (1976).[7]

Early single-chip 16-bit microprocessors (c. 1975–76) include the Panafacom MN1610 (1975),[9][10][7]
National Semiconductor PACE (1975), General Instrument CP1600 (1975), Texas Instruments TMS9900
(1976),[7] Ferranti F100-L, and the HP BPC. Other notable 16-bit processors include the Intel 8086, the Intel
80286, the WDC 65C816, and the Zilog Z8000. The Intel 8088 was binary compatible with the Intel 8086,
and was 16-bit in that its registers were 16 bits wide, and arithmetic instructions could operate on 16-bit
quantities, even though its external bus was 8 bits wide.

A 16-bit integer can store 216 (or 65,536) distinct values. In an unsigned representation, these values are the
integers between 0 and 65,535; using two's complement, possible values range from −32,768 to 32,767.
Hence, a processor with 16-bit memory addresses can directly access 64 KB of byte-addressable memory.

16-bit processors have been almost entirely supplanted in the personal computer industry, and are used less
than 32-bit (or 8-bit) CPUs in embedded applications.
16/32-bit Motorola 68000 and Intel 386SX

The Motorola 68000 is sometimes called 16-bit because its internal and external data buses were 16 bits wide;
however, it could be considered a 32-bit processor in that the general purpose registers were 32 bits wide and
most arithmetic instructions supported 32-bit arithmetic. The 68000 was a microcoded processor with three
internal 16-bit ALUs. Only 24 bits of the program counter (PC) were available on original DIP packages, with
up to 16 megabytes of addressable RAM. 68000 software is 32-bit in nature and forward-compatible with
other 32-bit processors in the same family.[11] The 68008 was a version of the 68000 with an 8-bit external
data path and 1-megabyte addressing for the 48-pin DIP version, and 4 megabytes for the 52-pin PLCC
version. Several Apple Macintosh models--e.g., the LC series--used 32-bit 68020 and 68030 processors on a
16-bit data bus to save cost.

Similar analysis applies to Intel's 80286 CPU replacement, called the 386SX, which is a 32-bit processor with
32-bit ALU and internal 32-bit data paths with a 16-bit external bus and 24-bit addressing of the processor it
replaced.

16-bit application
In the context of IBM PC compatible and Wintel platforms, a 16-bit application is any software written for
MS-DOS, OS/2 1.x or early versions of Microsoft Windows which originally ran on the 16-bit Intel 8088 and
Intel 80286 microprocessors. Such applications used a 20-bit or 24-bit segment or selector-offset address
representation to extend the range of addressable memory locations beyond what was possible using only 16-
bit addresses. Programs containing more than 216 bytes (65,536 bytes) of instructions and data therefore
required special instructions to switch between their 64-kilobyte segments, increasing the complexity of
programming 16-bit applications.

List of 16-bit CPUs

Angstrem Honeywell
1801 series CPU Honeywell Level 6/DPS 6
Data General IBM
Nova 1130/1800
Eclipse System/7
Digital Equipment Corporation Series/1
PDP-11 (for LSI-11, see Western Digital, System/36
below) Infineon
DEC J-11 XE166 family
DEC T-11 C166 family
EnSilica C167 family
eSi-1600 XC2000
Ferranti Intel
Ferranti F100-L Intel 8086/Intel 8088
Ferranti F200-L Intel 80186/Intel 80188
General Instrument Intel 80286
CP1600 Intel MCS-96
Hewlett-Packard Lockheed
HP 21xx/2000/1000/98xx/BPC MAC-16
HP 3000 MIL-STD-1750A
 Motorola Ricoh
Motorola 68HC12 Ricoh 5A22 (WDC 65816 clone used in
Motorola 68HC16 SNES)
National Semiconductor Texas Instruments
IMP-16 Texas Instruments TMS9900
PACE/INS8900 TI MSP430
NEC Toshiba
μCOM-16 T-3412
NEC V20 and V30 Western Design Center
Panafacom WDC 65816/65802
MN1610 Western Digital
Renesas MCP-1600 (used in the DEC LSI-11)
Renesas M16C (16-bit registers, 24-bit Xerox
address space) Alto
Zilog
Zilog Z8000

See also
Microprocessor § 16-bit designs
Influence of the IBM PC on the personal computer market § Before the IBM PC's introduction
74181 (key component of some early 16-bit and other CPUs)
Audio bit depth – as 16-bit is the most common bit depth used, e.g. on CD audio.

References
1. "Year 1951" (http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/?year=1951). Computer History Museum.
(see also "Year 1943" (http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/?year=1943).).
2. Digital Press, Digital at Work (http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/accession/10263035
0) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20130702225119/http://www.computerhistory.org/colle
ctions/accession/102630350) 2013-07-02 at the Wayback Machine, Pearson, 1992, ISBN 1-
55558-092-0, pp. 4, 23.
3. "The IBM 1130 computing system" (http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/1130/1130_intr
o.html). IBM Archives.
4. "HP 2116" (http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/minicomputers/11/337/2385). Computer
History Museum.
5. "Data General Nova minicomputer" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130517042928/http://www.c
omputerhistory.org/collections/accession/102646102). Computer History Museum. Archived
from the original (http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/accession/102646102) on 2013-
05-17. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
6. Pearson, Jamie Parker (September 1992). Digital at work: snapshots from the first thirty-five
years. Digital Press. pp. 58–61. ISBN 978-1-55558-092-6.
7. Belzer, Jack; Holzman, Albert G.; Kent, Allen (1978). Encyclopedia of Computer Science and
Technology (https://books.google.com/books?id=iBsUXrgKBKkC&pg=PA402). Volume 10 -
Linear and Matrix Algebra to Microorganisms: Computer-Assisted Identification. CRC Press.
p. 402. ISBN 9780824722609.
 8. "1970s: Development and evolution of microprocessors" (https://web.archive.org/web/2019062
7161417/http://www.shmj.or.jp/english/pdf/ic/exhibi748E.pdf) (PDF). Semiconductor History
Museum of Japan. Archived from the original (http://www.shmj.or.jp/english/pdf/ic/exhibi748E.p
df) (PDF) on 2019-06-27. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
9. "16-bit Microprocessors" (http://www.cpu-museum.com/161x_e.htm). CPU Museum. Retrieved
5 October 2010.
10. "History" (http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/en/profile/history.html). PFU. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
11. Motorola M68000 Family, Programmer's Reference Manual (http://cache.freescale.com/files/arc
hives/doc/ref_manual/M68000PRM.pdf) (PDF). Motorola, Inc. 1992. sec. 2.4, pp. 2–21.

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