
IntelDX4 is a
clock-tripled i486
The Intel 486, officially named i486 and also known as 80486, is a microprocessor. It is a higher-performance follow-up to the Intel 386. The i486 was introduced in 1989. It represents the fourth generation of binary compatible CPUs following ...
microprocessor
A microprocessor is a computer processor where the data processing logic and control is included on a single integrated circuit, or a small number of integrated circuits. The microprocessor contains the arithmetic, logic, and control circu ...
with 16-kB Level 1 cache.
[http://www.pld.ttu.ee/~prj/486dev.pdf ] Intel named it DX4 (rather than ''DX3'') as a consequence of
litigation
-
A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil actio ...
with
AMD over
trademark
A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from oth ...
s. The product was officially named IntelDX4, but
OEMs continued using the i486 naming convention.
Intel produced IntelDX4s with two
clock speed
In computing, the clock rate or clock speed typically refers to the frequency at which the clock generator of a processor can generate pulses, which are used to synchronize the operations of its components, and is used as an indicator of th ...
steppings: A 75-
MHz version (3× 25 MHz multiplier), and a 100-MHz version (3× 33.3 MHz). Both chips were released in March 1994. A version of IntelDX4 featuring write-back cache was released in October 1994. The original write-through versions of the chip are marked with a laser-embossed “&E,” while the write-back-enabled versions are marked “&EW.”
i486 OverDrive editions of IntelDX4 had locked multipliers, and therefore can only run at 3× the external clock speed. The 100-MHz model of the processor had an
iCOMP rating of 435, while the 75-MHz processor had a rating of 319. IntelDX4 was an OEM-only product, but the DX4 Overdrive could be purchased at a retail store.
The IntelDX4 microprocessor is mostly
pin-compatible
In electronics, pin-compatible devices are electronic components, generally integrated circuits or expansion cards, sharing a common footprint and with the same functions assigned or usable on the same pins. Pin compatibility is a property de ...
with the
80486
The Intel 486, officially named i486 and also known as 80486, is a microprocessor. It is a higher-performance follow-up to the Intel 386. The i486 was introduced in 1989. It represents the fourth generation of binary compatible CPUs following the ...
, but requires a lower 3.3-V supply. Normal 80486 and DX2 processors use a 5-V supply; plugging a DX4 into an unmodified socket will destroy the processor. Motherboards lacking support for the 3.3-V CPUs can sometimes make use of them using a voltage regulator (VRM) that fits between the socket and the CPU. The DX4 OverDrive CPUs have VRMs built in.
Specifications
References
{{Intel processors, discontinued
DX4
IntelDX4 is a clock-tripled i486 microprocessor with 16-kB Level 1 cache.http://www.pld.ttu.ee/~prj/486dev.pdf Intel named it DX4 (rather than ''DX3'') as a consequence of litigation with AMD over trademarks. The product was officially na ...
de:Intel i486#Intel DX4