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In the 486, the SX was also the low end version, but instead of having a narrower bus interface it lacked a FPU.
by jabl 5y ago
In the 486, the SX was also the low end version, but instead of having a narrower bus interface it lacked a FPU.
- Lio 5y agoAs I remember it, it was the same die for all 486s but the SX had the FPU disabled. I'm sure this was done for marketing in some cases but I think Intel also worked out how to reclaim chips were the FPU was damaged as well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_80486SX https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_80486SX
- whoopdedo 5y agoExcept in the case of the Cyrix 486s which had 80486-like instructions but in a 386 package. (Cyrix's business up until then was selling 387-compatible coprocessors, so perhaps there was some motivation to keep the demand for 386 motherboards up.)
- LargoLasskhyfv 5y agoIntel gave away keychains with that die embedded in clear plastics at a german computer exhibition :-)
- monocasa 5y agoAnd the 487 FPU chip for them was actually a 486DX that just disabled the 486SX.