The Forgotten CPUs: Uncovering the Hidden Gems of PC Processors

💎The NEC v20 was a powerful and versatile CPU from the 1980s that showcased advanced features such as an emulation mode for Intel 8080 and compatibility with CPM operating system.

💡Microsoft's Mach 10 and Mach 20 were expansion cards released in the late 1980s. They featured CPUs and additional features like a mouse port, offering improved performance and functionality.

🔌The Mach 10 and Mach 20 were designed to be plugged into the CPU socket and expansion slots of existing systems, providing an upgrade without replacing the entire computer.

🚀The Cyrix 6x86 was a drop-in replacement for original Pentium CPUs, offering faster integer performance but lacking in floating-point performance. It found success in the budget CPU market.

💔Despite their unique features and potential, the NEC v20, Microsoft's Mach series, and Cyrix 6x86 CPUs faced challenges in the market and eventually faded into obscurity.

What made the NEC v20 CPU unique?

—The NEC v20 CPU was unique because it had more transistors and an additional internal data bus compared to the Intel 8088. It also featured an emulation mode for Intel 8080, allowing it to run programs designed for that architecture.

What features did Microsoft's Mach 10 and Mach 20 offer?

—The Mach 10 and Mach 20 were expansion cards that featured CPUs. They also provided additional features like a mouse port, allowing users to add functionality to their systems without replacing the entire computer.

What was the purpose of the Mach 20's granddaughter board?

—The Mach 20's granddaughter board added 3.5 Megs of RAM to the system, providing additional memory for running resource-intensive software like Windows 2.0 and OS/2.

Why did the Cyrix 6x86 CPU fall behind in performance?

—The Cyrix 6x86 CPU suffered in floating-point performance, which became increasingly important as more games and applications utilized the floating-point units of contemporary CPUs, like the Pentium.

What challenges did these CPUs face in the market?

—These CPUs faced challenges ranging from legal issues to technological limitations. For example, the NEC v20 was involved in a patent lawsuit with Intel, and the Mach 20's specific OS 2 had performance problems. The Cyrix 6x86 couldn't keep up with the increasing demand for floating-point performance.

00:00The video explores high-end CPUs of the past that are often forgotten.

00:21The NEC v20, a versatile CPU from 1984, featured advanced features and compatibility with CPM operating system.

02:30Microsoft's Mach 10 and Mach 20 were expansion cards released in the late 1980s, offering improved performance and additional features.

04:01The Cyrix 6x86 was a drop-in replacement for original Pentium CPUs, offering faster integer performance but lacking in floating-point performance.

04:50Despite their unique features and potential, these CPUs faced challenges in the market and eventually faded into obscurity.