RISC and CISC 1

RISC and CISC in Computer Organization

RISC is the way to make hardware simpler whereas CISC is the single instruction that
handles multiple work. RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) architecture examples
include ARM, MIPS, Power Architecture (including PowerPC), SPARC, and RISC-V. These
processors are used in a wide range of devices, from smartphones and tablets (ARM) to
networking equipment and routers (MIPS).

Examples of RISC Architectures:

 ARM: Widely used in mobile devices, embedded systems, and microcontrollers.

 RISC-V: An open-source architecture gaining popularity for its flexibility and customizability.
 MIPS: Used in various embedded systems and network devices.
 PowerPC: Found in some gaming consoles and high-performance computing systems.

Reduced Instruction Set Architecture (RISC)

The main idea behind this is to simplify hardware by using an instruction set composed of a
few basic steps for loading, evaluating, and storing operations just like a load command will
load data, a store command will store the data.

A RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) instruction set typically includes simpler, more
frequently used instructions that can be executed in a single clock cycle. Examples of RISC
instructions include: LOAD, STORE, ADD, SUBTRACT, AND, OR, XOR,
BRANCH, JUMP. These instructions generally operate on registers rather than directly on
memory locations, requiring separate load and store instructions for memory access.
Characteristics of RISC
 Simpler instruction, hence simple instruction decoding.
 Instruction comes undersize of one word.
 Instruction takes a single clock cycle to get executed.
 More general-purpose registers.
 Simple Addressing Modes.
 Fewer Data types.
 A pipeline can be achieved.
Advantages of RISC
 Simpler instructions: RISC processors use a smaller set of simple instructions,
which makes them easier to decode and execute quickly. This results in faster
processing times.
 Faster execution: Because RISC processors have a simpler instruction set, they can
execute instructions faster than CISC processors.
 Lower power consumption: RISC processors consume less power than CISC
processors, making them ideal for portable devices.
Disadvantages of RISC
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 More instructions required: RISC processors require more instructions to perform

complex tasks than CISC processors.
 Increased memory usage: RISC processors require more memory to store the
additional instructions needed to perform complex tasks.
 Higher cost: Developing and manufacturing RISC processors can be more
expensive than CISC processors.

Complex Instruction Set Architecture (CISC)

The main idea is that a single instruction will do all loading, evaluating, and storing operations
just like a multiplication command will do stuff like loading data, evaluating, and storing it,
hence it's complex.
Characteristics of CISC
 Complex instruction, hence complex instruction decoding.
 Instructions are larger than one-word size.
 Instruction may take more than a single clock cycle to get executed.
 Less number of general-purpose registers as operations get performed in
memory itself.
 Complex Addressing Modes.
 More Data types.
Advantages of CISC
 Reduced code size: CISC processors use complex instructions that can perform
multiple operations, reducing the amount of code needed to perform a task.
 More memory efficient: Because CISC instructions are more complex, they
require fewer instructions to perform complex tasks , which can result in
more memory-efficient code.
 Widely used: CISC processors have been in use for a longer time than RISC
processors, so they have a larger user base and more available software.
Disadvantages of CISC

 Slower execution: CISC processors take longer to execute instructions because

they have more complex instructions and need more time to decode them.
 More complex design: CISC processors have more complex instruction sets, which
makes them more difficult to design and manufacture.
 Higher power consumption: CISC processors consume more power than RISC
processors because of their more complex instruction sets.
A CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer) instruction set example is the x86 instruction set,
found in many Intel and AMD processors. It's characterized by complex instructions that can
perform multiple operations in a single step, often involving memory access directly within the
instruction. Examples of x86 Instructions:
 MUL [memory_address], register: Multiplies the value in a register by the value stored in the
specified memory location, storing the result in the register.
 ADD [memory_address1], [memory_address2]: Adds the values at two memory locations and
stores the result in one of the memory locations.
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 MOV AX, [BX+SI+offset]: Moves a value from a memory location (calculated using base,
index, and offset) into register AX.

CPU Performance
Both approaches try to increase the CPU performance
 RISC: Reduce the cycles per instruction at the cost of the number of instructions
per program.

CPU Time
 CISC: The CISC approach attempts to minimize the number of instructions per
program but at the cost of an increase in the number of cycles per instruction.
Earlier when programming was done using assembly language, a need was felt to make
instruction do more tasks because programming in assembly was tedious and error-prone due
to which CISC architecture evolved but with the uprise of high-level language dependency on
assembly reduced RISC architecture prevailed.
Example:
Suppose we have to add two 8-bit numbers:
 CISC approach: There will be a single command or instruction for this like ADD
which will perform the task.
 RISC approach: Here programmer will write the first load command to load data
in registers then it will use a suitable operator and then it will store the result in the
desired location.
So, add operation is divided into parts i.e. load, operate, store due to which RISC programs are
longer and require more memory to get stored but require fewer transistors due to less comp lex
command.
R ISC vs CISC
RISC CISC

Focus on software Focus on hardware

Uses both hardwired and microprogrammed

Uses only Hardwired control unit
control unit

Transistors are used for storing complex

Transistors are used for more registers
Instructions

Fixed sized instructions Variable sized instructions

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RISC CISC

Can perform only Register to Register Can perform REG to REG or REG to MEM
Arithmetic operations or MEM to MEM

Requires more number of registers Requires less number of registers

Code size is large Code size is small

An instruction executed in a single clock

Instruction takes more than one clock cycle
cycle

Instructions are larger than the size of one

An instruction fit in one word.
word

Simple and limited addressing modes. Complex and more addressing modes.

RISC is Reduced Instruction Cycle. CISC is Complex Instruction Cycle.

The number of instructions are less as The number of instructions are more as
compared to CISC. compared to RISC.

It consumes the low power. It consumes more/high power.

RISC is highly pipelined. CISC is less pipelined.

RISC required more RAM . CISC required less RAM.

Here, Addressing modes are less. Here, Addressing modes are more.