RISC and CISC in Computer Organization
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.
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
• 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.
Mr. Buddhadev Sasmal
MTech, M.Sc., GATE, NET, SET
Assistant Professor
Midnapore City College
Mob: 9382048960
• 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.
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.
Mr. Buddhadev Sasmal
MTech, M.Sc., GATE, NET, SET
Assistant Professor
Midnapore City College
Mob: 9382048960
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
complex command.
RISC vs CISC
RISC CISC
Focus on software Focus on hardware
Uses only Hardwired control unit Uses both hardwired and microprogrammed
control unit
Transistors are used for more registers Transistors are used for storing complex
Instructions
Fixed sized instructions Variable sized instructions
Can perform only Register to Register Can perform REG to REG or REG to MEM or
Arithmetic operations 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
An instruction fit in one word. Instructions are larger than the size of one
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.
Mr. Buddhadev Sasmal
MTech, M.Sc., GATE, NET, SET
Assistant Professor
Midnapore City College
Mob: 9382048960
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.
RISC Instruction Format
Mr. Buddhadev Sasmal
MTech, M.Sc., GATE, NET, SET
Assistant Professor
Midnapore City College
Mob: 9382048960
