UMakhalipha
uMakhalipha uyisilekeleli esiyisicikizi esiphathwayo esivube izinsebenzo zocingo oluluntinti nezesicikizi ensizeni eyodwa. Omakhalipha bahlukaniseka kalula phakathi komakhalekhukhwini abavamile ngezigcoyi eziqinile kanye nezihlelo ngqala ezibanzi, ezifakwe uhlelokusebenza, uxhakaxholo (kuhlanganisa nokuphequlula ulwebu oyaceni oluluntinti), kanye nensebenzo yezinsizagcezi (multimedia) ezifana (nomculo, imibukiso, izithwebuli, nemifeketho), ezifakwe kanye nezinsebenzi zocingo ezifana nokushayela ngezwi, nomqhafazo. Omakhalipha imvama baqukethe amazubela entandelo ehlayiziwe (integrated circuit (IC) chips), ezifaka neziNzwi ezinhlobonhlobo.
Omakhalipha bokuqala babehuhiswa ngokuyinhloko endayini yohwebo, ngemizamo yokuvala isikhenke sensebenzo yezilekeleli zezezibhangqiwe ezisetshenziswa umuntu ezixhaswe Ubuchwepheshe bokhukhu, kodwa ezilinganiselwe ngenxa yokuba izigaxa ezinkulu ngokwesimo, nokuba besiphathanzuba esivutha isikhathi esincane, namaxhoxho wokhukhu wenzuko alusilili, kanye nokuba semuva kwezinkonzo zemininingo ezingenantambo. Lezi zinkinga zaxazululeka lapho kungeniswa ama-transistor amancane (ngokomthetho ka-Moore), nesiphathanzuba eziphuculiwe somthanya, amaxhoxho wemininingo yezezibhangqiwe esheshayo (ngokomthetho ka-Edholms).