* On average, a 2MHz 6502 can make 2 memory accesses per microsecond, while a 4MHz Z80 can only make 1.
This highlights the design differences between the 6502 and Z80. The 6502 focused on efficiency, dedicating its limited transistor budget to the ALU and fast memory access. In contrast, the Z80 neglected these and used way more transistors to add extra registers and complex instructions. Conversely, the rich Z80's features, like the alternate register set and 16-bit stack, enable the development of complex software.
The 6502 comes in a 40-pin DIP package. It has been produced by various manufacturers and used in a wide range of applications, from gaming consoles like the [[Atari 2600|Atari VCS]], [[Atari Lynx]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] and [[PC-Engine]] to personal computers like the [[Apple II]], [[BBC Micro]], [[Oric]], [[VIC20]] and [[Commodore 64]].