Best Microprocessor Design Books of 2025

Chip War is an insightful book that delves into the decades-long battle for control of microchip technology, which has become the world's most critical resource. The book highlights how the US has historically held the lead in chip design and manufacturing, but its edge is slipping as competitors in Taiwan, Korea, Europe, and China are catching up. The book explains how chips have become the foundation of military, economic, and geopolitical power, and how this technology has contributed to America's global dominance. This book is a must-read for those interested in understanding the current state of politics, economics, and technology.

The Arduino Cookbook is an essential guide for anyone looking to experiment with the popular Arduino microcontroller and programming environment. The third edition includes practical examples and guidance to help readers begin, expand, and enhance their projects. With over 200 tips and techniques, the book covers a wide range of topics, including IoT solutions, environmental monitors, and products that respond to touch, sound, heat, and light. The book is written by two experts in the field, Michael Margolis and Brian Jepson, who provide valuable insights into their decades of experience. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for engineers, designers, artists, students, and hobbyists alike.

The "Modern Computer Architecture and Organization" book is a practical guide that provides a comprehensive understanding of digital device architectures, including x86, ARM, and RISC-V processors, iPhones, and high-performance gaming PCs. The book covers the fundamentals of computer systems, including transistors, logic gates, sequential logic, and instruction pipelines. The author also explains the design principles underlying the domains of cybersecurity, blockchain, and bitcoin mining, and self-driving vehicles. By the end of the book, readers will have a thorough understanding of modern processors and computer architecture. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for software developers, systems designers, and computer architecture students who want to learn about digital device architectures.

Computer Organization and Design RISC-V Edition: The Hardware Software Interface is an award-winning textbook that continues to present the most comprehensive and readable introduction to computer science. With the RISC-V open source instruction set architecture, readers can learn about the first open source architecture designed for use in modern computing environments. The online companion website offers advanced content, appendices, glossary, references, links to software tools, and more. Written by David Patterson, a widely acclaimed computer science professor, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in computer hardware design. Overall, it is a well-written and informative guide that provides a great introduction to the topic.

Computer Organization and Design MIPS Edition: The Hardware/Software Interface is an award-winning textbook that offers a comprehensive introduction to computer science. Written by David A. Patterson and John Hennessy, the book is widely used by students as a market-leading title for computer organization courses. The sixth edition includes new sections on Domain Specific Architectures (DSA) and updates on all real-world examples, making it relevant for a new generation of students. The book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in computer hardware design.

Programming Massively Parallel Processors: A Hands-on Approach is a concise and practical guide that introduces the basic concepts of parallel programming and GPU architecture. It explores various techniques for constructing and optimizing parallel programs, covering topics such as performance, floating-point format, and dynamic parallelism in depth. The book also includes case studies that demonstrate the development process, from computational thinking to effective and efficient parallel programs. This updated edition features expanded content on threads and CUDA, making it an excellent resource for both students and professionals interested in GPU parallel programming.

"Game Feel" is a must-read for game designers looking to create immersive experiences. The book delves into the importance of "feel" and sensation in game design, covering topics such as sound, metaphor, and perception. The associated website provides a playset with ready-made tools to design feel in games, allowing readers to experience and apply the concepts discussed in the book. The book also features quotes from game design luminaries such as Jonathan Blow and Derek Yu. Overall, "Game Feel" is a valuable resource for game designers seeking to enhance the player experience and create successful games.

The Digital Design and Computer Architecture, RISC-V Edition is an engaging and hands-on approach to learning digital logic design. The book takes readers from the basics of digital logic to the design of a RISC-V microprocessor, with SystemVerilog and VHDL integrated throughout the text. The companion website offers practical examples of how to use SparkFun’s RED-V RedBoard to communicate with peripheral devices. This book is an excellent resource for students taking a course on digital logic and computer architecture or those interested in microprocessor design.

Clocking in Modern VLSI Systems (Integrated Circuits and Systems) is a book that offers an in-depth understanding of clock design in modern VLSI systems. The author shares his experience in designing and implementing clock generation and distribution systems for the Alpha 21364 microprocessor. The book covers traditional and innovative clocking systems, their performance, and the challenges faced in designing them. It is a must-read for anyone interested in microprocessor design and clocking systems. Overall, Clocking in Modern VLSI Systems is a comprehensive guide that provides valuable insights into clock design and is highly recommended for professionals and students alike.

Computer Organization and Design, Fifth Edition, is a must-read for anyone interested in computer organization. The book covers the fundamentals of hardware technologies, assembly language, computer arithmetic, pipelining, memory hierarchies, and more. It explores the generational change with updated content featuring tablet computers, cloud infrastructure, and the ARM and x86 architectures. The book uses a MIPS processor core to present the concepts. The addition of a new concrete example, "Going Faster," throughout the text demonstrates optimization techniques, and there is a new discussion of the Eight Great Ideas of computer architecture. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for professionals, students, and anyone interested in computer design and organization.