         IntelDX4 Processor Technical Backgrounder
                         March 1994
                     Intel Corporation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
IntelDX4 Processor: World's Fastest 486 for Desktops and Mobiles

The new IntelDX4 processor is the fastest member of the Intel486
microprocessor family. The IntelDX4 processor provides 100- and 83-MHz
execution speeds for desktop systems and 100- and 75-MHz execution speeds
for mobiles in a way that makes it easy for system manufacturers to
deliver cost-effective, high-performance systems. With the widespread
acceptance of Microsoft Windows and IBM OS/2, high-performance IntelDX4
processor-based systems are required to meet the needs of these powerful
new operating systems and associated applications. As users turn to
multitasking environments such as OS/2 2.0, UNIX or Windows NT, these
applications and environments will drive a migration towards higher speed
desktop systems that deliver the required levels of performance. The
IntelDX4 processor allows system manufacturers to deliver this
high-performance cost effectively.

The IntelDX4 processor: 

* is functionally identical to and 100 percent binary compatible
  with the original Intel486 DX microprocessor
* is designed for 100/33, 100/50, 83/33 and 75/25 internal
  frequency/external bus options
* incorporates the same RISC technology central-processing unit
  (CPU), a floating-point unit (FPU) and memory management unit
  (MMU)
* has an on-chip 16KB unified code and data cache allowing
  a one-clock instruction rate to be maintained while the
  external burst bus maintains data throughput even with
  inexpensive DRAMs (the IntelDX4 processor cache is 8KB larger
  than that of the IntelDX2 microprocessor)
* incorporates SL technology, which includes system management
  mode, stop clock, 3.3 volt technology and static operation

The IntelDX4 processor responds to the growing need for cost-effective,
higher performance systems by:

* providing system manufacturers with a powerful engine for
  delivering high-performance 100-, 83- and 75-MHz systems while
  taking advantage of existing cost-effective Intel486 family
  designs
* simplifying users' buying decisions, because users can more
  confidently invest in high-speed platforms based on proven
  Intel486 technology
* providing users with affordable high-performance systems that
  are upgradable to a future Pentium OverDrive processor
* enabling system manufacturers to design low-power mobile
  and Energy Star-compliant desktop systems

IntelDX4 Processor-Based Systems are Cost-Effective and Easy to Design

The IntelDX4 processor provides desktop system manufacturers with the best
value in 486 computing and notebook manufacturers with a powerful engine
for developing high-performance mobile computers with long battery life.
The IntelDX4 processor's speed multiplication technology allows system
manufacturers to use the same bus frequency as existing designs while the
internal processor frequency increases. Therefore, the IntelDX4 processor
provides fast time to market and improved price/performance ratios, since
system manufacturers can utilize existing 25-, 33- and 50-MHz designs as
well as take advantage of other Intel486 microprocessor support chips.

The IntelDX4 Processor is Manufactured on 0.6 Micron Technology

The IntelDX4 processor is built on Intel's new 3.3 volt, 0.6 micron process
technology, making it possible to integrate the 1.6 million transistors on
the die. The IntelDX4 processor will run up to 100-MHz speeds at 3.3 volts
while consuming about than four watts of power on typical applications.
The 3.3 volt IntelDX4 processor has 5 volt tolerant input buffers to
enable the processor to interact with existing 5 volt system logic and 5
volt memory components. The addition of a new 3.3 volt input to the
processor is the only design change required for existing 5 volt-Intel486
microprocessor-based desktop designs. This feature will allow system
manufacturers to provide IntelDX4 processor-based systems with minimum
redesign at little cost premium to existing Intel486 microprocessor-based
desktops.

For 3.3 volt notebooks, the IntelDX4 processor operates in its native 3.3
volt environment which provides notebook users with both desktop
performance and long battery life.

The IntelDX4 Processor is Pin-Compatible with Existing Intel486
Microprocessors

The IntelDX4 processor is offered in both a 1 68-pin PGA package as well as
a thermally enhanced 208-pin SQFP package. The IntelDX4 processor pinout
is a superset of the existing Intel486 microprocessor pinout making it
pin-compatible with existing Intel486 microprocessors. This means that
system manufacturers can design the IntelDX4 processor into existing
Intel486 microprocessor-based systems to make affordable systems readily
available with little additional design work required.

The IntelDX4 Processor Is Enhanced with Energy-Efficient SL Technology

The IntelDX4 processor includes all the SL technology features like static
design, Stop Clock, Auto Halt Power Down, Auto Idle Power Down, I/O
restart and Intel's System Management Mode (SMM). The IntelDX4 processor
is based on a fully static design which enables the processor to operate
at 0-MHz, while maintaining its state and consuming minimal power. Stop
Clock and Auto Halt are the hardware and software mechanisms that are used
to operate the internal processor core at 0-MHz, low-power state where it
consumes only 50-75 milliamps. In addition, Stop Clock allows the external
clock frequency to be changed, either to operate the processor at a
different frequency or at 0-MHz, where the processor consumes 500-1000
microamps.

The Auto Idle feature allows the IntelDX4 processor to operate in a
non-clock multiplied mode when it is idle during a memory cycle, waiting
for I/O or memory to respond. On average, this Auto Idle Power Down
feature saves at least 10 percent processor power consumption with no
impact to performance. By utilizing SL technology, IntelDX4
processor-based systems can operate well within the guidelines set for
Energy Star compliance by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
provide long battery life in mobile computers.

Intel's SMM also provides the system designer with the ability to build
software-controlled features into a system at the hardware/firmware level.
Thus system management becomes transparent to the operating system and
application software.

High-Performance IntelDX4 Processor-Based System Designs

The 100-MHz IntelDX4 processor provides up to a 50 percent improvement over
the current 66-MHz IntelDX2 microprocessor. The processor has a SPECint92
rating of 51.38, a SPECfp92 rating of 26.59 and an iCOMP index rating of
435. The specific amount of system-level performance improvement depends
on the application and system design.

As a high-speed microprocessor, the IntelDX4 processor operates at a
maximum efficiency in a correspondingly high-performance system design.
This means system manufacturers can deliver near zero wait-state systems
that take full advantage of the IntelDX4 processor when they incorporate
high-speed design elements such as second-level cache, PCI local bus,
burst memory controllers and write buffers. For example, second-level
cache helps eliminate wait states by providing the IntelDX4 processor's
16KB on-chip cache with a high-speed pool of data. If an application or
operating system causes the IntelDX4 processor to access off-chip data,
the second-level cache can supply the data immediately -- rather than
forcing the microprocessor to wait for slower system memory to provide the
data. By minimizing the delay due to off-chip access, second-level cache
is one way system manufacturers can squeeze the maximum performance out of
a system design based on the IntelDX4 processor.

IntelDX4 Processor-Based Desktop Systems are Upgradable with Pentium
Processor Technology

Users' performance needs increase over time with new software requiring
more processor horsepower. IntelDX4 processor-based desktop systems give
users investment protection today by offering upgradability to a higher
level of performance in the future. IntelDX4 processor-based systems can
be upgraded with a future Pentium OverDrive Processor which will be based
on state-of-the-art Pentium processor technology. The Pentium OverDrive
Processor will be designed to provide up to an additional 50-percent
performance boost. Intel Verification Labs provides testing services to
system manufacturers to ensure that they meet the requirements for the
upgrade processor.

Summary

IntelDX4 processor-based systems offer the best value in 486 desktop
computing by delivering up to 50 percent more performance than Intel486
DX2 processor-based systems for minimal increase in system cost. Since
this new processor is easy to design into existing Intel486
microprocessor-based systems, PC manufacturers can quickly bring cost
effective systems to market today.

 ============================================================
 From the  'New Product Information'  Electronic News Service
 ============================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the
 above mentioned company. For additional details, contact 
 the company at the address or telephone number indicated.
 OmniPage Pro is now used for converting all printed input! 
 ============================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  U.S.A.
 Email: RBakerPC (AOL/Delphi), rbakerpc@delphi.com (Internet)
 ============================================================
