2.03 What is the difference between the 386SX/386DX and 486SX/486DX?
Description
This item is from the PC Hardware FAQ, by Willie Lim and Ralph Valentino with numerous contributions by others. (v1.25).
2.03 What is the difference between the 386SX/386DX and 486SX/486DX?
[From: jabram@ichips.intel.com (Jeff Abramson)]
The Intel386DX contains full 32 bit buses for external data, internal data, and address. The Intel386SX contains a smaller 16 bit external data bus, and a smaller 24 bit address bus.
The Intel486DX contains a floating point unit, the Intel486SX does not. A common rumor is that the 486SX is simply a DX part that has a failure in the floating point unit, so it has been disabled and the part has been produces as an SX. This was true for early production parts and samples, but not for the mass produces SX parts that we see today.
Continue to:
My Books
