Visit the
Molecular Expressions Website

Galleria
Photo Gallery
Silicon Zoo
Chip Shots
Screen Savers
Museum
Web Resources
Primer
Java Microscopy
Win Wallpaper
Mac Wallpaper
Publications
Custom Photos
Image Use
Contact Us
Search
Home

Integrated Circuit Image Gallery

Cyrix 6x86 Microprocessor

Although Intel never produced chips termed 586s or 686s, the Cyrix 6x86 microprocessors were designed to compete with the Pentium 166 and the Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) K5 PR166, the so-called "Pentium killer". As with the AMD K5 and K6, Cyrix 6x86s received a P-rating that enabled the consumer to compare these clones to Intel Pentium performance, although internally, they are very different designs and not always compatible.

As the sixth x86-core chip generation fitted with 3 million transistors, Cyrix nicknamed the 6x86 the M1 (perhaps after the tank). The Cyrix 6x86 and 6x86L (low voltage) processors feature 16-kilobyte unified cache memories while the 6x86MX model has a 64-kilobyte cache. Utilizing doubling and tripling bus-to-core clock multipliers, Cyrix achieved higher performance with a smaller architecture. Featuring a 64-bit external data bus and a 32-bit internal address bus, bus speeds of 50 to 75 MHz were accelerated to 100 to 150 MHz clock speeds. By combining the best aspects of both reduced instruction set computing (RISC) specifications to reduce instruction cycle times and complex instruction set computing (CISC) specifications, the Cyrix 6x86 microprocessors excelled in performance through the superpipelined core.

Cyrix, a California Silicon Valley upstart, along with fellow clone masters Advanced Micro Devices, employed the reverse engineering concepts pioneered by the Japanese semiconductor industry to match and then leapfrog rival Intel's microprocessor innovations. Originally, Intel clones were built not on imitation, but rather on insecurity. IBM's huge financial risk with their barrier-breaking personal computers could not be allowed to depend solely on a fledgling Intel. Big Blue insisted that Intel license their patented designs to other worldwide manufacturers, so that the computer domineer would be guaranteed supply of the critical central processing units. Under a rather unique arrangement, Cyrix designed the chips and IBM manufactured them, with both marketing semiconductors carrying their own brand names.

Cyrix, with its partner IBM, continued the line with the 6x86L and 6x86MX processors with power ratings up to 233 MHz clock speeds, more refined fabrication techniques (from 0.65 down to 0.35 micron technology), and lower power dissipations. To avoid potential compatibility problems with older software, a hardware test without any modifications identifies a Cyrix 6x86 CPU as an unknown type of 486 chip, while the 6x86MX will be identified as a Pentium Pro model.

Contributing Authors

Omar Alvarado, Thomas J. Fellers and Michael W. Davidson - National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, 1800 East Paul Dirac Dr., The Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32310.


BACK TO THE INTEGRATED CIRCUIT IMAGE GALLERY

BACK TO THE DIGITAL IMAGE GALLERIES

Questions or comments? Send us an email.
© 1995-2022 by Michael W. Davidson and The Florida State University. All Rights Reserved. No images, graphics, software, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders. Use of this website means you agree to all of the Legal Terms and Conditions set forth by the owners.
This website is maintained by our
Graphics & Web Programming Team
in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Last Modification Friday, Nov 13, 2015 at 02:19 PM
Access Count Since September 17, 2002: 11961
Visit the website of our partner in introductory microscopy education: