16-bit

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"16-bit" redirects here. For the color encoding, see Highcolor.

For the era of computer gaming commonly referred to as "16-bit", see History of video game consoles (fourth generation).

Microprocessors
4-bit	8-bit	16-bit	24-bit	31-bit	32-bit	48-bit	64-bit	128-bit
Applications
8-bit		16-bit		31-bit	32-bit		64-bit
Data Sizes
4-bit	8-bit	16-bit			32-bit		64-bit	128-bit
nibble byte octet word dword qword

In computer architecture, 16-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are at most 16 bits (2 octets) wide. Also, 16-bit CPU and ALU architectures are those that are based on registers, address buses, or data buses of that size.

Prominent 16-bit processors include the pdp-11, Intel 8086, Motorola 68000, Intel 80286 and the WDC 65C816. The Motorola 68000 was 16-bit in that its data buses were 16 bits long; however, it was 32-bit in that the general purpose registers were 32 bits long and most arithmetic instructions supported 32-bit arithmetic, and 24-bit in that addresses were 24 bits long.

A 16-bit integer can store 2¹⁶ (or 65536) unique values. In an unsigned representation, these values are the integers between 0 and 65535; using two's complement, possible values range from −32768 to 32767.

16-bit processors have been almost entirely supplanted in the personal computer industry, but remain in use in a wide variety of embedded applications. For example the 16-bit XAP processor is used in many ASICs.

The 16-bit processor of the Sega Genesis was a highly advertised feature of the video game system. Due to the saturation of this advertising, the 1989-1995 era of video game consoles (the release of the 16-bit Sega Genesis to the release of the 32-bit Sega Saturn and Sony Playstation in the United States) is often called "the 16-bit era".

[edit] Extension to 32-bit

In the mid-90s, software and hardware extenders such as Sega 32X, DOS/4GW, Super FX and similar products came out to remedy the bit limitations of the performance of computer and video games. Doom was a commonly chosen game for this technique.

16-bit to 32-bit extension hardware and software:
	DOS/4GW | PMODE | Super FX | Sega 32X | Win32s