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References: AMD K6-III Tech Docs
References: AMD K6-III Tech Docs
It achieved the
distinction of being the fastest x86 processor on the market on release, and
remained highly competitive for a considerable time afterwards.
In conception, the design was simple: it was a K6-2 with an additional L2 cache. The
original K6-2 had a 64 KB primary cache and a much larger amount of motherboard-
mounted cache (usually 512 KB or 1 MB but varying depending on the choice of
main board). In contrast the competing Intel parts used 32 KB of L1 cache and
either 128 KB of full-speed secondary cache integrated into the CPU itself (Celeron)
or 512 KB of half-speed cache mounted on a processor daughter board (Pentium
II, Pentium III). The K6-III, however, used both methods: it had 64 KB primary
cache, a massive 256 KB on-chip, full-speed secondary cache (similar to the
Celeron's but twice the size), and the variable size motherboard mounted cache on
the Socket 7 main board became a tertiary level.
In execution, however, the design was not simple: with 21.4 million transistors, it
was a very large chip to manufacture with early 1999 technology, and the K6 core
design did not scale well past 500 MHz. Nevertheless, the K6-III 400 sold well, and
the K6-III 450 was clearly the fastest x86 chip on the market on introduction,
comfortably outperforming AMD's K6-2s and Intel's Pentium IIs.
AMD-K6-III/350AFK
AMD-K6-III/400AHX
AMD-K6-III/450AHX
The K6-2+ is a revised version of the K6-III. Essentially, the K6-2+ is a K6-III with a
128 KB L2 cache made on a new 180nm production process. It was also the first
processors to be available with the PowerNow! power saving technology. Essentially,
the power savings were achieved with a combination of frequency (through
adjusting multipliers) and voltage reduction.
References: AMD K6-2+ Data Sheet [pdf] c't about first availability in Germany
AMD-K6-2+/500ACZ
AMD A80486DX2-66NV8T
Enhanced Am486, 8 KB write-through cache
AMD Am486DE2-66V8TGC
Enhanced Am486, 8 KB write-through cache, commercial range 0 - +85�C
References: Datasheet
AMD A80486DX2-66SV8B
Enhanced Am486, SMM, 8 KB write-back cache
AMD Am486DX2-66V16BGC
Enhanced Am486, 16 KB write-back cache, commercial range 0 - +85�C
References: Datasheet
AMD A80486DX2-80 V8T
Enhanced Am486 with ICE microcode, 8 KB write-through cache
AMD A80486DX4-90NV8T
Enhanced Am486, 8 KB write-through cache
AMD A80486DX4-100NV8T
Enhanced Am486, 8 KB write-through cache
AMD Am486DX4-100V16BGC
Enhanced Am486, 16 KB write-back cache, commercial range 0 - +85�C
AMD Am486DX4-100SV16BGI
Enhanced Am486, 16 KB write-back cache, SMM, industrial range -40 - +100°C