An SoC is an integrated device that houses all the necessary circuits and parts on a single chip for an electrical system. It can be compared to a conventional computer system, which consists of a variety of unique components. For instance, a desktop computer might have a chipset with multiple buses connecting the Processor, video card, and sound card. These parts are assembled into a singular processor by a SoC.

A system on a semiconductor has the main benefit of requiring less real room than a traditional system. SoCs can be used to build completely working systems that are a small portion of the size of their conventional versions by fusing several components together. Examples include mobile phones, laptops, and accessories like wearables that can be worn. A main CPU, graphics processor, DAC, ADC, flash memory, and voltage regulator, for instance, might be found on a wristwatch SoC. These parts are all contained on a single device that is about the size of a quarter.

The biggest drawback of a Processor is also its bulk. The computing power and storage are constrained because every component is crammed onto a single integrated circuit. A high-end PC with a specialized graphics processor and HDD, for instance, will function far better than a smartphone from the same age. However, improvements in mobile computing technology allow for contemporary cellphones to deliver speed that is comparable to that of high-end PCs from just a few years ago.