from simply adding stack instructions to the 8008 to a complete departure from all previous Intel architectures. The final design was a compromise between the proposals.

The conception of the 8080 began in the summer of 1971, when Intel wrapped up development of the 4004 and were still working on the 8008. After rumors about the "CPU on a chip" came out, Intel started to see interest in the microprocessor from all sorts of customers.