Everything on that calculator PCB can now fit into a single chip on today’s designs. Point being, the rate at which technology and PCB design itself is advancing is impressive.

In the calculator, we probably have 30+ transistors, but on a single chip on the motherboard, you’ll find over a million transistors.

PCB comparison between a 1968 calculator and today’s modern motherboards. The other is a typical high density motherboard that you’ll see in computers today.

One is an older board for a calculator made in the 1960s. Take for example the two circuit boards shown below. What was once assembled easily by hand soon gave way to microscopic components that required the precision and efficiency of machinery. Over time, PCBs have evolved as a tool for optimizing the manufacturing of electronics. What we’ll be covering in this blog is not a complete history, but rather the sweeping moments that transformed PCBs into what they are today. In our little corner of the world, we can trace the history of PCBs back over 130 years, when the great industrial machine of the world was just kicking into motion. Like many other great inventions in history, the printed circuit board (PCB) that we know today was built on a foundation of advancements throughout history. The Wayback Machine: A History of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) from Past to Present