Pentium microprocessor: Difference between revisions

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The '''Pentium family of computer chips''' are a widely used brand of [[single chip computer]]s, manufactured by [[integrated circuit]] manufacturer [[intel (manufacturer)|intel]].
The '''Pentium microprocessor''' is a brand of [[single chip computer]] that was introduced in 1993 by [[integrated circuit]] manufacturer [[Intel]]. It was the fifth generation of the [[x86]] series which had begun in 1978 with the [[Intel 8086]]. It was considerably more powerful than its predecessors which had less than ten thousand [[transistor]]s incorporated on their surfaces – the earliest Pentiums had over a million.


The Pentium family are lineal descendants of intel's earlier successful designs, the [[intel 4004]], [[intel 8008]], [[intel 8080]], [[intel 8086]], [[intel 80286]], [[intel 386]] and [[intel 486]] brands.  Where the 4004, 8008 and 8080 had less than ten thousand transistors incorporated on their surface the earliest pentiums had over a million transistors.
Competing manufacturers had brought out [[pin compatible]] chips which had the same names as the Intels and, as they executed the same [[instruction set]], could be substituted for them. The next chip in the Intel series was to be named the [[Intel 80586|80586]] but Intel chose to call it the Pentium as the name could be trade-marked to stop competitors from copying it. The most successful rival to the earliest Pentiums was the [[AMD K6]] series.


Competing manufacturers had brought out [[pin compatible]] chips -- chips that executed the same [[instruction set]], and could be plugged in, in place of intel chips, and had given their chips the same names as the intel chips.  Rather than naming their next chip in the series the [[intel 80586]] intel chose to pick a made name that could be trade-marked.  They chose "pentium", so no competitor could give a competing chip the same name.
Intel named their succeeding chips the [[Pentium 2]], [[Pentium 3]] and [[Pentium 4]]. The original is now called the [[Pentium 1]]. After Pentium 4, the last generation of the family (released in 2005) was named [[Pentium D]]. Its clock rate ranged from 2.66 GHz to 3.73 GHz.
 
The most successful rival to the earliest Pentiums was the [[AMD K6]] series.
 
Rather than choose new names for the chips that succeeded the Pentium, they named the succeeding chips, the [[Pentium 2]], [[Pentium 3]] and [[Pentium 4]]. The original Pentiums are now called the [[Pentium 1]] to distinguish them from their successors.
 
After Pentium 4, last generation of Pentium family named [[Pentium D]] was released in 2005 until 2008. Clock rate ranged from 2.66 GHz to 3.73 GHz.

Revision as of 12:45, 12 July 2023

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The Pentium microprocessor is a brand of single chip computer that was introduced in 1993 by integrated circuit manufacturer Intel. It was the fifth generation of the x86 series which had begun in 1978 with the Intel 8086. It was considerably more powerful than its predecessors which had less than ten thousand transistors incorporated on their surfaces – the earliest Pentiums had over a million.

Competing manufacturers had brought out pin compatible chips which had the same names as the Intels and, as they executed the same instruction set, could be substituted for them. The next chip in the Intel series was to be named the 80586 but Intel chose to call it the Pentium as the name could be trade-marked to stop competitors from copying it. The most successful rival to the earliest Pentiums was the AMD K6 series.

Intel named their succeeding chips the Pentium 2, Pentium 3 and Pentium 4. The original is now called the Pentium 1. After Pentium 4, the last generation of the family (released in 2005) was named Pentium D. Its clock rate ranged from 2.66 GHz to 3.73 GHz.