ABSTRACT Both buffered and unbuffered CMOS B-series gates, inverters, and high-current IC products are available from TI. Each product classification has application advantages in appropriate logic-system designs. Many CMOS suppliers have concentrated on promoting buffered B-series products, with applications literature focusing on the attributes and use of the buffered types. This practice has left an imbalance in the understanding and application of both buffered and unbuffered gates. In some instances, customers are not using unbuffered products when they are the best choice for the intended application. This application report offers clarification of the relative merits of the buffered and unbuffered CMOS devices. This application report was acquired by TI from Harris Semiconductor Corporation and edited and reformatted in December 2001. This application report is adapted from AN6558.1, published by Harris (1992), which, in turn, was adapted from ICAN-6558, published by RCA (1983).