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The development of all the main CPU families from 1980s on went much the same way: 16-bit, discrete CPU, optional FPU, optional MMU. 32-bit, integrated CPU +
by lproven 3y ago
The development of all the main CPU families from 1980s on went much the same way:
16-bit, discrete CPU, optional FPU, optional MMU.
32-bit, integrated CPU + MMU, optional FPU.
32-bit, integrated CPU + MMU + FPU.
32-bit, integrated CPU + MMU + FPU + L1 cache
32-bit, integrated CPU + MMU + FPU + L1 cache, on-package L2 cache.
32-bit, integrated CPU + MMU + FPU + L1 + L2 cache.
64-bit, integrated CPU + MMU + FPU + L1 + L2 cache.
64-bit, dual integrated CPU + MMU + FPU + L1 + L2 cache.
That's about where it starts to lose coherency. There were dual-core 32-bit chips and so on. I'm also eliding changes in core design such as scalar, superscalar, decomposition into micro-operations, micro-op resequencing, etc. because:
[1] it muddies the waters.
[2] if people can't remember the difference between a 387 and a 487 then this will go way over their heads. :-(