8086: The First PC processor

Ad

The 8086 was the first x86 processor—Intel had already released the 4004, the 8008, the 8080 and the 8085. This 16-bit processor could manage 1 MB of memory using an external 20-bit address bus. The clock frequency chosen by IBM (4.77 MHz) was fairly low, though the processor was running at 10 MHz by the end of its career.

The first PCs used a derivative of this processor, the 8088, which had only an 8-bit (external) data bus. An interesting aside is that the control systems in the US space shuttles use 8086 processors and NASA was forced to buy some from eBay in 2002 since Intel could no longer supply them.

Intel 8086
Code name N/A
Date released 1979
Architecture 16 bits
Data bus 16 bits
Address bus 20 bits
Maximum memory 1 MB
L1 cache no
L2 cache no
Clock frequency 4.77-10 MHz
FSB same as clock frequency
FPU 8087
SIMD no
Fabrication process 3,000 nm
Number of transistors 29,000
Power consumption N/A
Voltage 5 V
Die surface area 16 mm²
Connector 40-pin


Talkback
harwooda 04/08/2008 10:15
Hide
-0+
harwooda
Wasn’t one of the key features of the Pentium Pro line of processors the increase in IRQs to 256 rather than the 16 of the previous generations?

In the days of virtual IRQs assigned by windows it's easy to forget the headache of trying to install multiple interface cards without running out of resources.
blind_arrow 05/08/2008 04:27
Hide
-0+
blind_arrow
am I mistaken? or the Maximum memory figures are wrong? 4096MB or is it KB on 386, 486 and Pentium MMX class CPU's. and 64MB on P-II and so on.
JDocs 05/08/2008 09:39
Hide
-0+
JDocs
Modern Intel CPU: P1-> P3 -> P4M -> C2D -> C2Q
Modern AMD CPU: P1(Intel) -> P3(Intel) -> K8 -> K10
Next gen CPU: Modified P1

The Pentium 1 & 3 are possibly the most widely base processor in modern computing. Even AMD's chips are based on them.
Anonymous 06/08/2008 01:22
Hide
--1+
Hmm....
Interesting...AMD chips based on P3... EHEHEHEHHEHEHE

I think you need a...khhmmm...LIFE

:D

cheers
Wikkus 14/08/2008 12:57
Hide
-0+
Wikkus
Nice article that made me a little bit misty-eyed and nostalgic (being of the original 8086 generation) :D

Did a bit of a clear-out of my parts boxes not so long ago and found a couple of PPro's, a 486DX2/66, a 386SX and a 386DX. Threw them out but perhaps should have built a little shrine? ;p

Cheers.
evolucion888 19/08/2008 04:44
Hide
-0+
evolucion888
There are some errors in the article, Pentium M Dothan had a 2.26GHz model which is not mentioned there, they had a VCore of 1.356V and a TDP of 27W, not 36W like stated here, also it's die size is 88mm2, not 87mm2, it also came as a socket 478 which was incompatible with the Pentium 4 socket 478 due to it's electrical differences.

Note You are going to post a comment as anonymous.



  •
Submit my comment
Google Ads