I have my own opinions but I figured I would look at what others think and get some ideas. https://spectrum.ieee.org/static/chip-hall-of-fame Acorn Computers ARM1 Processor Reading this on the smartphone? Then you’re using a direct descendant of this processor right now Atmel ATmega8 The chip at the heart of the original Arduino was created by two annoyed students Computer Cowboys Sh-Boom Processor You’ve never heard of it. But this processor’s high-speed architecture has been duplicated in every modern computer Intel 8088 Microprocessor The “castrated” processor that birthed the IBM PC Microchip Technology PIC 16C84 Microcontroller Adding easily reprogrammable onboard memory to store software revolutionized microcontrollers MOS Technology 6502 Microprocessor
From the heroic age of 8-bit CPUs, this processor powered the Apple II, Commodore 64, BBC Micro, and more
Motorola MC68000 Microprocessor The processor that powered the original Macintosh, as well as the beloved Amiga computers Sun Microsystems SPARC Processor Using an unproven new architecture, this processor put Sun Microsystems on the map Texas Instruments TMS32010 Digital Signal Processor This chip put digital signal —specialists in handling the messy world outside the computer—on the map Texas Instruments TMS9900 An ambitious failure, this processor powered the first 16-bit home computer Transmeta Corp. Crusoe Processor Ahead of its time, this chip heralded the mobile era when energy use, not processing power, would become the most important spec Zilog Z80 Microprocessor Another legend from the 8-bit era, this processor powered the first portable computer as well as the beloved “Trash”-80 Intel 4004 Microprocessor The first CPU-on-a-chip was a shoe-string crash project RCA CDP 1802 Despite bad management, the first CMOS microprocessor went all the way to Jupiter Nvidia NV20 The first configurable graphics processor opened the door to a machine-learning revolution