The MOS 6502: From Motorola Defection to Apple Glory
2025-09-16
This article recounts the legendary story of the MOS Technology MCS 6502 microprocessor, a ubiquitous chip of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Frustrated with Motorola's pricing of the 6800, engineers like Chuck Peddle and Bill Mensch defected to MOS Technology, designing and producing the 6502. Its low cost and high performance led to widespread adoption in 8-bit systems, culminating in its use in Apple computers, making it an iconic chip of the personal computer era. The article details the 6502's manufacturing process, from design to production, and how MOS Technology overcame technical and market challenges to achieve success.
Tech
microprocessor