03-12-2012, 11:35 AM
The x86 processors
[attachment=42205]
The x86 processors
The first x86 processor was developed in 1979 by Intel and was called the 8088. This processor then went through six different generations. Tens of millions of these x86 processors are now being sold each year. Numerous clones of these x86 processors have been made but only Cyrix, AMD, and Centaur are still able to compete.
8086 and 8088
The 8088 and the 8086 could run the same programs but one couldn't fit into the other's socket. The 8086 got its success mainly from the IBM-PC although IBM preferred implementing the 8088 into its computers because it was less expensive and less complex. When the IBM-PC appeared, Intel Corporation was only at its beginnings therefore, it couldn't produce it's processors quickly enough for an expanding company such as IBM. Therefore, to increase the production of processors, Intel sold the fabrication rights to several companies including AMD, Harris, Hitachi, IBM, and Siemens. Depending on the manufacturer, the 8086 and 8088 processors would run at a speed ranging from 4MHz to 16MHz.
The 8086 developed its clones. The first were made by NEC in 1985. The 8088's clone was the V20, the 8086's clone was the V30. These ran roughly 20% faster than the 8088 and 8086 when working at the same clock speed (i.e.MHz).
80186 and 80188
The 80186 and the 80188, were very advanced for their time but they were not adopted by hardware manufacturers. Though this chip didn't have much success as the main CPU it enjoyed a huge success as an embedded processor (a processor which you cannot remove, usually found in small electronic components such as a disk driver or disk controller). You might still find some of these processors in your computer. Depending on the manufacturer, you could find 80186/80188 processors running at a speed ranging between 6 and 40MHz.
80286
This was the first time that Intel didn't produce simultaneously a 16-bit bus version (ending with a 6) and an 8-bit bus version (ending with an 8). The 80286's speed could range between 6MHz and 25MHz depending on the manufacturer. It didn't go faster than the 80186 but it had several improvements (a little too complex to explain). This processor was used in the IBM PC-AT in 1985 (three years after the introduction of the 80286).\
80386
The 80386 was introduced by Intel in 1985. It had several significant improvements compared to its ancestors (it was a 32-bit processor). Although it wasn't adopted immediately by computer manufacturers, it enjoyed a long life span. The 80386 was later renamed 80386 DX, for Intel developed another 80386 processor, the 80386 SX. This was a downgraded version of the 80386 DX. Intel developed other processors belonging to the 80386 family, the 80376 and the 80386 LS. The success of the 80386 led other companies to emerge on the processor market, developing their own 80386 clones, such as the Am386, the 486 by Cyrix (this was a 386 pin-compatible CPU but was called a 486, a nomenclature Cyrix still uses). This competition lead Intel to use some business practices which many considered as anti-competitive or even illegl.
80486
The 80486's major improvement over the 80386 was the integration of an 80387 math coprocessor into the 80486. Intel followed the pattern of the 80386 for the 80486 by introducing a 80486SX and renaming its original processor 80486DX. The difference between the two was the presence or absence of the math coprocessor (in the earlier versions of the SX, the math-coprocessor was present but didn't function). Intel then introduced the 80487SX (a math coprocessor) which was used as an expensive upgrade for the 80486SX making it a 80486DX. This 80487SX was in fact a fully operational 80486DX on which a few pins had been relocated so as not to allow the customer to use the cheaper 80486DX as an upgrade. The 80487SX in fact electronically disabled the 80486SX and just took its place making the 80486SX a useless space consumer. Unfortunately the customer never realized or suspected the existence of this twisted game established by Intel. Several other versions of the 80486 were introduced, the 80486SL, the 80486DX2 and the 80486DX4 (these doubled and tripled the core clock frequency). The 80486 also had its clones such as the AMD Am486 and the Cyrix 5x86.
[attachment=42205]
The x86 processors
The first x86 processor was developed in 1979 by Intel and was called the 8088. This processor then went through six different generations. Tens of millions of these x86 processors are now being sold each year. Numerous clones of these x86 processors have been made but only Cyrix, AMD, and Centaur are still able to compete.
8086 and 8088
The 8088 and the 8086 could run the same programs but one couldn't fit into the other's socket. The 8086 got its success mainly from the IBM-PC although IBM preferred implementing the 8088 into its computers because it was less expensive and less complex. When the IBM-PC appeared, Intel Corporation was only at its beginnings therefore, it couldn't produce it's processors quickly enough for an expanding company such as IBM. Therefore, to increase the production of processors, Intel sold the fabrication rights to several companies including AMD, Harris, Hitachi, IBM, and Siemens. Depending on the manufacturer, the 8086 and 8088 processors would run at a speed ranging from 4MHz to 16MHz.
The 8086 developed its clones. The first were made by NEC in 1985. The 8088's clone was the V20, the 8086's clone was the V30. These ran roughly 20% faster than the 8088 and 8086 when working at the same clock speed (i.e.MHz).
80186 and 80188
The 80186 and the 80188, were very advanced for their time but they were not adopted by hardware manufacturers. Though this chip didn't have much success as the main CPU it enjoyed a huge success as an embedded processor (a processor which you cannot remove, usually found in small electronic components such as a disk driver or disk controller). You might still find some of these processors in your computer. Depending on the manufacturer, you could find 80186/80188 processors running at a speed ranging between 6 and 40MHz.
80286
This was the first time that Intel didn't produce simultaneously a 16-bit bus version (ending with a 6) and an 8-bit bus version (ending with an 8). The 80286's speed could range between 6MHz and 25MHz depending on the manufacturer. It didn't go faster than the 80186 but it had several improvements (a little too complex to explain). This processor was used in the IBM PC-AT in 1985 (three years after the introduction of the 80286).\
80386
The 80386 was introduced by Intel in 1985. It had several significant improvements compared to its ancestors (it was a 32-bit processor). Although it wasn't adopted immediately by computer manufacturers, it enjoyed a long life span. The 80386 was later renamed 80386 DX, for Intel developed another 80386 processor, the 80386 SX. This was a downgraded version of the 80386 DX. Intel developed other processors belonging to the 80386 family, the 80376 and the 80386 LS. The success of the 80386 led other companies to emerge on the processor market, developing their own 80386 clones, such as the Am386, the 486 by Cyrix (this was a 386 pin-compatible CPU but was called a 486, a nomenclature Cyrix still uses). This competition lead Intel to use some business practices which many considered as anti-competitive or even illegl.
80486
The 80486's major improvement over the 80386 was the integration of an 80387 math coprocessor into the 80486. Intel followed the pattern of the 80386 for the 80486 by introducing a 80486SX and renaming its original processor 80486DX. The difference between the two was the presence or absence of the math coprocessor (in the earlier versions of the SX, the math-coprocessor was present but didn't function). Intel then introduced the 80487SX (a math coprocessor) which was used as an expensive upgrade for the 80486SX making it a 80486DX. This 80487SX was in fact a fully operational 80486DX on which a few pins had been relocated so as not to allow the customer to use the cheaper 80486DX as an upgrade. The 80487SX in fact electronically disabled the 80486SX and just took its place making the 80486SX a useless space consumer. Unfortunately the customer never realized or suspected the existence of this twisted game established by Intel. Several other versions of the 80486 were introduced, the 80486SL, the 80486DX2 and the 80486DX4 (these doubled and tripled the core clock frequency). The 80486 also had its clones such as the AMD Am486 and the Cyrix 5x86.