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Home / Glossary / SoC
Glossary · Device

SoC

System on Chip

In plain language

A whole computer built onto a single chip.

The metaphor

Like a studio flat where kitchen, bedroom and bathroom share one room.

Going deeper

How it works

  • Processor, memory and other parts are on one piece of silicon.
  • Phones, tablets and many laptops use them.
  • They save power and space.
  • Parts cannot be upgraded separately.
In practice
  • A phone runs on one.
  • A router uses one inside.
  • A new laptop has one chip instead of several.

A question owners ask

Does it affect what I buy?

Yes slightly. Memory and storage are often fixed at purchase, so buy what you need for a few years.

Related terms
BIOSBasic Input/Output SystemCCTVClosed-circuit TelevisionCSUChannel Service UnitEndpointESNElectronic Serial NumberFirmwareFPGAField Programmable Gate ArrayGPSGlobal Positioning System

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