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MIPS stands for millions of instructions per second and microprocessor without pipeline phase interlocking. The former is commonly used to determine a computer’s processor speed, while the latter is a type of reduced instruction set computer (RISC) microprocessor used in some computers and embedded systems. MIPS ratings can be affected by external factors and are not always descriptive of a processor’s performance. MIPS processors were heavily used in the 1980s for desktop systems but moved to embedded systems after Microsoft® announced it would no longer support a wide range of RISC chips.
MIPS is short for two different computing terms; millions of instructions per second and microprocessor without pipeline phase interlocking. First use is a common method of determining a computer’s processor speed. Generally, the more MIPS it can run, the faster it runs. The second use is for a specific type of microprocessor common in some computers and embedded systems made from the early 1980s onwards. This system is a variety of reduced instruction set computer (RISC), a design that reduces the complexity of its processor to speed up the system.
The million-instructions-per-second version of MIPS is generally the most common version. A processor’s speed is often expressed in this value, so any sort of benchmarking or advertising site for the chip will typically have a MIPS rating. While this information is interesting, it is rarely as descriptive as processor manufacturers want users to believe.
There are a wide variety of factors that can affect how quickly a processor performs calculations. Factors external to the processor can affect the speed and type of instructions delivered; this, in turn, changes the speed at which processes are executed. Also, when two processors of different architectures are compared, the actual MIPS rating is almost meaningless.
The MIPS rating for home computers has come a long way since its early stages. In the 1970s, most computers handled between 5 and 1 million instructions per second. During the 1980s and 1990s, this number increased to over 1,200. Over the next 10 years, the education rate went as high as 140,000, although most home computers are 60 to 70,000.
The second common meaning for MIPS is a specific type of microprocessor. This meaning is less known to the public, but is very common in some fields of engineering. A MIPS processor is a basic RISC system. These processors have many of the more complex features removed to increase their raw processing power. The basic idea is that they can operate faster without the added functionality interrupting them.
These chips were used heavily in the 1980s for desktop systems. The situation came to an abrupt halt when Microsoft® announced that its operating system would no longer support a wide range of RISC chips. While other operating systems still used RISC technology, MIPS moved to embedded systems.
Embedded systems are small, integrated computers that run advanced gadgets and devices, such as game consoles, phones, and car computers. The MIPS processor is suitable for this type of design, as it is already stripped down to the essentials. Many embedded system manufacturers found that these chips could be used in their systems with little modification.
