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The AMD Am386 DX Processor
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The Am386 CPU was released by AMD in 1991. A 100%-compatible clone of the Intel 80386 design, it sold millions of units and positioned AMD as a legitimate competitor to Intel, rather than just a second source for Intel's x86 CPUs.
While the CPU was essentially ready to be released prior to 1991, Intel kept it tied up in court. AMD had previously been a second-source manufacturer of Intel's designs, and AMD's interpretation of the contract was that it covered all of them. Intel, however, claimed that the contract only covered the 80286 and prior processors. After a few years in the courtrooms, AMD finally won the case and the right to sell their Am386. This paved the way for competition in the CPU market and thus lowered the cost of owning a PC. |
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The AMD Am386SX Processor
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In 1991 AMD introduced advanced versions of the 386SX processor - not a second source production of the Intel chip, but a reverse engineered pin compatible version. In fact, it was AMD's entry in the x86 market other than as a second source for Intel. AMD 386SX processors were available
at faster clock speeds at the time they were introduced and still cheaper than the Intel 386SX.
Produced in 0.8 µm technology and using a static core their clock speed could be dropped down to 0 MHz, consuming just some mWatts. Power
consumption was up to 35% lower than with Intel's design and even lower than the 386SL's, making the AMD 386SX the ideal chip for both desktop and
mobile computers. The SXL versions featured advanced power management functions and used even less power.
References: Am386SX/SXL/SXLV Datasheet |
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