The Research & Development window as of 0.2.8
Research & Development (or R&D for short) was added in 0.2.7, replacing the old Research. It's accessible at all times, but it's only possible to start a new research once the previous one has finished or was canceled. It is possible to stop researching a technology by right-clicking its name at the top of the UI, however only the base cost will be refunded.
There are currently 101 technologies available (86 CPU and 15 Tech). In order to unlock new research, you must accumulate a certain amount of CPU experience and be in the right year. In some cases there is also an additional prerequisite technology.
Research is grouped into 2 tabs: CPU and Technology. Below is a list of all unlockable research.
CPU Research[]
This category contains all package, maximum clock speed, and CPU multi-core technologies.
- Cost refers to the initial sum you have to pay before the research process can start. It may be affected by the difficulty setting. It's also the only cost that will be refunded after canceling research,
- Res. Points is the amount of research points you must generate to finish researching the given technology. (See: Budget),
- Req. Exp. is the amount of CPU experience you must have before the research unlocks. 1 level is 100 experience,
- Min. Year is the earliest year the technology unlocks, provided you've got enough experience,
- X is the x position of the research in the R&D window relative to the beginning, measured in full box widths with margins (i.e. technologies with X=1 and X=2 will be placed next to each other with a gap of 17 pixels, close to the left window edge).
| Technology | Cost ($) | Res. Points | Req. Exp | Min. Year | X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Development | 5,000 | 100 | - | - | 1 |
| 14 pin DIP | Unlocked by default after researching CPU Development | 2.2 | |||
| 200kHz max clock speed | 2.2 | ||||
| 400kHz max clock speed | 3,000 | 60 | - | - | 3.4 |
| 18 pin DIP | 7,200 | 76 | - | - | 3.4 |
| 750kHz max clock speed | 10,000 | 70 | 20 | - | 4.7 |
| 24 pin DIP | 13,000 | 90 | 20 | - | 4.6 |
| 32 pin DIP | 16,500 | 110 | 77 | 1971 | 6.5 |
| 900kHz max clock speed | 12,000 | 90 | 46 | 1971 | 6.4 |
| 1.5MHz max clock speed | 16,000 | 120 | 96 | 1972 | 9.2 |
| 48 pin DIP | 22,000 | 140 | 110 | 1972 | 8.1 |
| 24 pin PLCC[^ 1] | 35,000 | 200 | 180 | 1973 | 8.1 |
| 2.5MHz max clock speed | 23,000 | 160 | 145 | 1974 | 11 |
| 32 pin PLCC | 35,000 | 140 | 200 | 1974 | 9.4 |
| 48 pin PLCC | 35,000 | 155 | 210 | 1975 | 10.8 |
| 56 pin DIP | 26,000 | 155 | 150 | 1975 | 10 |
| 64 pin DIP | 29,000 | 175 | 190 | 1975 | 11.5 |
| 4MHz max clock speed | 30,000 | 205 | 210 | 1976 | 12.6 |
| 56 pin PLCC | 36,000 | 175 | 235 | 1976 | 12.2 |
| 6.5MHz max clock speed | 40,000 | 255 | 270 | 1977 | 14 |
| 64 pin PLCC | 38,000 | 205 | 260 | 1977 | 13.6 |
| 72 pin DIP | 33,000 | 200 | 220 | 1977 | 13 |
| 72 pin PLCC | 43,000 | 230 | 287 | 1977 | 15.1 |
| 9MHz max clock speed | 52,000 | 295 | 310 | 1977 | 15.9 |
| 84 pin PLCC | 48,000 | 240 | 315 | 1978 | 16.7 |
| 12MHz max clock speed | 64,000 | 345 | 375 | 1979 | 17.6 |
| 48 pin PGA[^ 2] | 90,000 | 280 | 430 | 1979 | 16.7 |
| 60 pin PGA | 130,000 | 200 | 440 | 1979 | 18.1 |
| 96 pin PLCC | 51,000 | 250 | 345 | 1979 | 18.6 |
| 116 pin PLCC | 58,000 | 262 | 400 | 1980 | 20.2 |
| 78 pin PGA | 145,000 | 210 | 490 | 1980 | 19.5 |
| 15MHz max clock speed | 80,000 | 380 | 480 | 1981 | 19.2 |
| 96 pin PGA | 150,000 | 250 | 505 | 1981 | 21 |
| 112 pin PGA | 150,000 | 275 | 560 | 1982 | 22.6 |
| 136 pin PGA | 150,000 | 300 | 580 | 1982 | 24.2 |
| 136 pin PLCC | 66,000 | 270 | 440 | 1982 | 21.8 |
| 156 pin PLCC | 75,000 | 290 | 500 | 1983 | 23.3 |
| 20MHz max clock speed | 105,000 | 425 | 530 | 1983 | 21.2 |
| 152 pin PGA | 125,000 | 330 | 630 | 1984 | 25.7 |
| 25MHz max clock speed | 125,000 | 460 | 580 | 1984 | 22.9 |
| 176 pin PGA | 129,000 | 355 | 660 | 1985 | 27.3 |
| 182 pin PLCC | 80,000 | 305 | 570 | 1985 | 24.9 |
| 200 pin PGA | 135,000 | 375 | 700 | 1986 | 28.9 |
| 208 pin PLCC | 85,000 | 328 | 615 | 1986 | 26.6 |
| 30MHz max clock speed | 150,000 | 485 | 700 | 1986 | 24.4 |
| 224 pin PGA | 144,000 | 400 | 730 | 1987 | 30.4 |
| 240 pin PLCC | 91,000 | 350 | 680 | 1987 | 28.2 |
| 35MHz max clock speed | 195,000 | 490 | 780 | 1987 | 25.8 |
| 248 pin PGA | 160,000 | 425 | 780 | 1988 | 31.9 |
| 40MHz max clock speed | 212,000 | 500 | 810 | 1989 | 26.8 |
| 48MHz max clock speed | 225,000 | 510 | 840 | 1989 | 28 |
| 282 pin PGA | 162,800 | 450 | 830 | 1990 | 33.5 |
| 60MHz max clock speed | 250,000 | 555 | 866 | 1991 | 29.4 |
| 320 pin PGA | 175,000 | 480 | 885 | 1992 | 35 |
| 70MHz max clock speed | 277,000 | 590 | 920 | 1993 | 31.2 |
| 380 pin PGA | 181,000 | 500 | 930 | 1994 | 36.4 |
| 95MHz max clock speed | 294,000 | 630 | 955 | 1994 | 32.7 |
| 130MHz max clock speed | 312,000 | 675 | 1040 | 1995 | 34.5 |
| 210MHz max clock speed | 333,000 | 705 | 1060 | 1996 | 36.2 |
| 456 pin PGA | 170,000 | 520 | 977 | 1996 | 38 |
| 335MHz max clock speed | 349,000 | 750 | 1090 | 1997 | 37.9 |
| 486MHz max clock speed | 380,000 | 795 | 1116 | 1998 | 39.7 |
| 544 pin PGA | 173,000 | 510 | 1010 | 1998 | 39.8 |
| Experimental dual-core[^ 3] | 500,000 | 800 | 1090 | 1998 | 39 |
| 618 pin PGA | 180,000 | 515 | 1044 | 1999 | 41.7 |
| 760MHz max clock speed | 415,000 | 850 | 1200 | 1999 | 41.5 |
| 1.1GHz max clock speed | 440,000 | 910 | 1230 | 2000 | 43.5 |
| 1.4GHz max clock speed | 520,000 | 920 | 1290 | 2000 | 45.2 |
| Basic dual-core | 430,000 | 900 | 1160 | 2000 | 42.1 |
| 1.8GHz max clock speed | 310,000 | 910 | 1320 | 2001 | 46.9 |
| 754 pin PGA | 190,000 | 525 | 1090 | 2001 | 44.2 |
| 2.1GHz max clock speed | 300,000 | 920 | 1340 | 2002 | 48.5 |
| 2.5GHz max clock speed | 700,000 | 920 | 1365 | 2002 | 50 |
| 870 pin PGA | 197,000 | 542 | 1114 | 2002 | 47 |
| Dual-core | 520,000 | 1050 | 1440 | 2002 | 46.6 |
| 2.7GHz max clock speed | 320,000 | 930 | 1406 | 2003 | 51.8 |
| 3GHz max clock speed | 250,000 | 950 | 1420 | 2003 | 53.2 |
| 3.4GHz max clock speed | 340,000 | 990 | 1456 | 2004 | 54.8 |
| 940 pin PGA | 207,000 | 555 | 1220 | 2004 | 50 |
| 1086 pin PGA | 250,000 | 570 | 1284 | 2005 | 55 |
| 3.8GHz max clock speed | 390,000 | 1010 | 1480 | 2005 | 56.5 |
| Triple-core | 900,000 | 1070 | 1500 | 2005 | 57 |
| 1207 pin PGA | 275,000 | 586 | 1340 | 2006 | 58 |
| 4GHz max clock speed | 442,000 | 1040 | 1540 | 2006 | 58.2 |
| Quad-core | 700,000 | 1030 | 1637 | 2006 | 60.4 |
| 1366 pin PGA | 300,000 | 600 | 1400 | 2007 | 60 |
Technology Research[]
This category contains all technological process technologies and the multi-core enhancement technology.
| Technology | Cost ($) | Res. Points | Req. Exp | Min. Year | X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 µm process | 5,000 | 100 | - | - | 1 |
| 6 µm process | 10,000 | 240 | 110 | 1973 | 2.5 |
| 3 µm process | 18,000 | 300 | 260 | 1975 | 4 |
| 1.5 µm process | 40,000 | 380 | 420 | 1981 | 5.5 |
| 1 µm process | 60,000 | 440 | 510 | 1983 | 7 |
| 800 nm process | 104,000 | 496 | 650 | 1986 | 8.5 |
| 600 nm process | 140,000 | 560 | 760 | 1990 | 10 |
| 350 nm process | 170,000 | 580 | 900 | 1993 | 11.5 |
| 250 nm process | 200,000 | 620 | 1010 | 1996 | 13 |
| 180 nm process | 222,000 | 680 | 1078 | 1999 | 14.5 |
| 130 nm process | 260,000 | 780 | 1190 | 2001 | 16 |
| 90 nm process | 290,000 | 895 | 1300 | 2003 | 17.5 |
| 65 nm process | 322,000 | 955 | 1434 | 2005 | 19 |
| 45 nm process | 380,000 | 1010 | 1600 | 2007 | 20.5 |
| Multi-core enhancement[* 1] | 885,000 | 900 | 1800 | 2008 | 21.5 |
- ↑ Requires dual-core to be researched.
Budget[]
R&D budget as of 0.2.8
R&D Budget is accessible by clicking the dollar sign in the top-right corner of the window.
The amount of money you've allocated for your daily budget will be deducted only if you're currently researching and can afford it. If you have less money available, the research will pause, and automatically resume when you have enough money.
In the beginning, the maximum amount is $500 which yields 2.27 RP/day. The default value is $175 which amounts to 1 RP/day. Maximum budget increases by $250 every 5 years up until Y2000, when it starts to increase by $325 instead.