Exploring the Evolution of Generations of Computers

Computers have gone through many changes over time. The first generation of computers started around 1940 and since then there have been five generations of computers until 2024. Computers evolved over a long period of time, starting from the 16th century, and continuously improved themselves in terms of speed, accuracy, size, and price to become the modern day computer.

The different phases of this long period are known as computer generations. The first generation of computers was developed from 1946-1959, followed by the second generation from the 1950s-1960s, the third generation from 1964-1971, the fourth generation from 1971-2010, and the period from 2010 to till date and beyond is roughly considered as the period of the fifth generation of computers. In this article, we will discuss the computer generation in great detail. But before we dive deeper into the article, let’s first go through the key highlights:

Generation	Time Period	Evolved Hardware	Key Changes
First Generation	1946 - 1959	Vacuum tubes	Large computers using vacuum tubes. Limited processing speed and storage.
Second Generation	1950s - 1960s	Transistors	Transistors replaced vacuum tubes, making computers smaller, faster, and more reliable.
Third Generation	1964 - 1971	Integrated circuits	Integrated Circuits (ICs) made computers even smaller, faster, and more affordable.
Fourth Generation	1971 - 2010	Microprocessors	Microprocessors enabled personal computers. The internet and networking became widely used.
Fifth Generation	2010 - Present & Beyond	AI hardware, neural networks	AI, cloud computing, and IoT advanced computing. Quantum computing promises much higher power.

Table of Contents (TOC)

• First Generation of Computers
• Second Generation of Computers
• Third Generation of Computers
• Fourth Generation of Computers
• Fifth Generation of Computers

First Generation of Computers

The first generation used vacuum tube technology and were built between 1946 and 1959. Vacuum tubes were expensive and produced a lot of heat, which made these computers very expensive and only affordable to large organizations. Machine language was the programming language used for these computers, and they could not multitask.

The ENIAC was the first electronic general-purpose computer that used 18,000 vacuum tubes and was built in 1943 for war-related calculations. Examples of the first generation include EDVAC, IBM-650, IBM-701, Manchester Mark 1, Mark 2, etc.

Here are two of the main advantages of first generation:

• The first generation was tough to hack and was quite strong.
• The first generation could perform calculations quickly, in just one-thousandth of a second.

Here are two of the main disadvantages of first generation:

• They consumed high amounts of energy/electricity.
• They were not portable due to their weight and size.

For more information, you can also explore: First Generation of Computer

Second Generation of Computers

The second generation of computers was developed in the late 1950s and 1960s. These computers replaced vacuum tubes with transistors making them smaller, faster and more efficient. This was done as transistors were more reliable than vacuum tubes, required less maintenance and generated less heat.

Second-generation computers were smaller and more portable, making them accessible to a wider audience. Magnetic core memory was also introduced in this generation, which was faster and more reliable. This laid the foundation for further developments, paving the way for the third generation that used integrated circuits.

Here are two of the main advantages of second generation:

• They provided better speed and improved accuracy.
• Computers developed in this era were smaller, more reliable, and capable of using less power.

Here are two of the main disadvantages of second generation:

• They were only used for specific objectives and required frequent maintenance.
• The second generation of computer used punch cards for input, which required frequent maintenance.

For more information, you can also explore: Second Generation of Computer

Third Generation of Computers

The third generation of computers emerged between 1964 and 1971. This generation used microchips or integrated circuits, making it possible to create smaller, cheaper, and much faster computers.

The third generation of computers was much faster than previous generations, with computational times reduced from microseconds to nanoseconds. New input devices like the mouse and keyboard were introduced, replacing older methods like punch cards. New functionalities, like multiprogramming and time-sharing, and remote processing, were introduced, allowing for more efficient use of computer resources.

Here are two of the main advantages of third generation:

• The use of integrated circuits made them more reliable.
• Smaller in size and required less space than previous generations.

Here are two of the main disadvantages of third generation:

• Advanced technology was needed to manufacture IC chips.
• Formal training was necessary to operate third-gen computers.

For more information, you can also explore: Third Generation of Computer

Fourth Generation of Computers

Fourth generation computers were developed in 1972 after third generation that used microprocessors. They used Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits, which contained about 5000 transistors capable of performing complex activities and computations.

Fourth generation computers were more adaptable, had more primary storage capacity, were faster and more reliable than previous generations, and were also portable, small, and required less electricity. Intel was the first company to develop a microprocessor used in fourth generation computer.

Fourth generation computers used LSI chip technology and were incredibly powerful but also very small, leading to a societal revolution in the computer industry. This generation had the first supercomputers, used complex programming languages like C, C++, DBASE, etc., and could perform many accurate calculations.

Here are two of the main advantages of fourth generation:

• Fourth generation computers were smaller and more dependable.
• GUI (Graphics User Interface) technology was used in this generation to provide users with better comfort.

Here are two of the main disadvantages of fourth generation:

• They use complex VLSI Chips, and VLSI Chip manufacturing requires advanced technology.
• To build these computers, Integrated Circuits (ICs) were required, and to develop those, cutting-edge technology was needed.

For more information, you can also explore: Fourth Generation of Computer

Fifth Generation of Computers

The fifth generation of computers emerged after the fourth generation and is still being developed. Computers of fifth generation use artificial intelligence (AI) to perform various tasks. These computers use programming languages such as Python, R, C#, Java, etc., as input methods.

The fifth generation computers employ ULSI technology (Ultra Large Scale Integration), parallel processing, and AI to perform scientific computations and develop AI software. They can perform intricate tasks such as image recognition, human speech interpretation, natural language understanding, etc. Examples of fifth generation include laptops, desktops, notebooks, chromebooks, etc.

Here are two of the main advantages of fifth generation:

• These computers are lightweight and easy to move around.
• They are easier to repair and parallel processing technology has improved in these computers.

Here are two of the main disadvantages of fifth generation:

• Using it for spying on people.
• Fear of unemployment due to AI replacing jobs.

For more information, you can also explore: Fifth Generation of Computer

Interested in knowing about future computer generation, i.e., Sixth generation? If yes, read the Sixth Generation of Computers article. 

Conclusion

In this article, we have explored what computer generations is. We have also explored different computer generations and their main advantages and disadvantages in great detail.

Intrested in this domain, acquire in-depth knowledge of Computer Networking by enrolling in top Networking & Hardware Online Courses & Certifications from the best colleges in India today to take the next step in your career!

Must Read: