WinChip

Last updated
WinChip
KL IDT WinChip Marketing Sample.jpg
IDT WinChip Marketing sample
General information
Launched1997;28 years ago (1997)
Discontinued1999;26 years ago (1999)
Marketed by IDT
Designed by Centaur Technology
CPUID code0540h, 0541h, 0585h, 0587h, 058Ah, 0595h
Performance
Max. CPU clock rate 180 Mhz to 266 Mhz
FSB speeds60  MT/s to 100 MT/s
Cache
L1 cache 64 KiB (C6, W2, W2A and W2B)
128 KiB (W3)
L2 cacheMotherboard dependent
L3 cachenone
Architecture and classification
Technology node 0.35 μm to 0.25 μm
Microarchitecture Single, 4-stage, pipeline in-order execution
Instruction set x86-16, IA-32
Physical specifications
Cores
  • 1
Packages
Sockets
Products, models, variants
Core names
  • C6
  • W2, C6+
  • W2A
  • W2B
  • W3
Brand name
  • WinChip
History
Successor Cyrix III

The WinChip series is a discontinued low-power Socket 7-based x86 processor that was designed by Centaur Technology and marketed by its parent company IDT.

Contents

Overview

Design

The design of the WinChip was quite different from other processors of the time. Instead of a large gate count and die area, IDT, using its experience from the RISC processor market, created a small and electrically efficient processor similar to the 80486, because of its single pipeline and in-order execution microarchitecture. It was of much simpler design than its Socket 7 competitors, such as AMD K5/K6, which were superscalar and based on dynamic translation to buffered micro-operations with advanced instruction reordering (out of order execution).

Use

WinChip was, in general, designed to perform well with popular applications that did few floating point calculations, if any. This included operating systems of the time and the majority of software used in businesses. It was also designed to be a drop-in replacement for the more complex, and thus more expensive, processors it was competing with. This allowed IDT/Centaur to take advantage of an established system platform (Intel's Socket 7).

Later developments

WinChip 2, an update of C6, retained the simple in-order execution pipeline of its predecessor, but added dual MMX/3DNow! processing units that could operate in superscalar execution. [1] This made it the only non-AMD CPU on Socket 7 to support 3DNow! instructions. WinChip 2A added fractional multipliers and adopted a 100 MHz front side bus to improve memory access and L2 cache performance. [2] It also adopted a performance rating nomenclature instead of reporting the real clock speed, similar to contemporary AMD and Cyrix processors.

Another revision, the WinChip 2B, was also planned. This featured a die shrink to 0.25 μm, but was only shipped in limited numbers. [3]

A third model, the WinChip 3, was planned as well. This was meant to receive a doubled L1 cache, but the W3 CPU never made it to market. [3]

Performance

Although the small die size and low power-usage made the processor notably inexpensive to manufacture, it never gained much market share. WinChip C6 was a competitor to the Intel Pentium and Pentium MMX, Cyrix 6x86, and AMD K5/K6. It performed adequately, but only in applications that used little floating point math. Its floating point performance was simply well below that of the Pentium and K6, being even slower than the Cyrix 6x86. [4]

Decline

The industry's move away from Socket 7 and the release of the Intel Celeron processor signalled the end of the WinChip. In 1999, the Centaur Technology division of IDT was sold to VIA. Although VIA branded the processors as "Cyrix", the company initially used technology similar to the WinChip in its Cyrix III line. [5]

Data

Winchip C6 (0.35 μm)

IDT WinChip C6 KL IDT WinChip C6.jpg
IDT WinChip C6
IDT WinChip C6 die shot IDT WinChip C6 die.JPG
IDT WinChip C6 die shot
Processor
model		Frequency FSB Mult. L1 cache TDP CPU core voltage Socket Release datePart number(s)Introduction price
WinChip 180180 MHz60 MT/s 364 KiB 9.4 W3.45—3.6 V13 October 1997DS180GAEM$90
WinChip 200200 MHz66 MT/s364 KiB10.4 W3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 5
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
13 October 1997DS200GAEM$135
WinChip 225225 MHz75 MT/s364 KiB12.3 W3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
13 October 1997PSME225GA
WinChip 240240 MHz60 MT/s464 KiB13.1 W3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 5
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
November 1997?PSME240GA

WinChip 2 (0.35 μm)

IDT WinChip2 KL IDT WinChip2.jpg
IDT WinChip2
Processor
model		Frequency FSB Mult. L1 cache TDP CPU core voltage Socket Release datePart number(s)Introduction price
WinChip 2-200200 MHz66 MT/s 364 KiB 8.8 W3.45—3.6 V3DEE200GSA
3DFF200GSA
WinChip 2-225225 MHz75 MT/s364 KiB10.0 W3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
3DEE225GSA
WinChip 2-240240 MHz60 MT/s464 KiB10.5 W3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 5
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
3DEE240GSA
WinChip 2-250250 MHz83 MT/s364 KiB10.9 W3.45—3.6 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 ?

WinChip 2A (0.35 μm)

IDT WinChip2A KL IDT WinChip2A.jpg
IDT WinChip2A
IDT WinChip2A die shot IDT WinChip 2A die.JPG
IDT WinChip2A die shot
Processor
model		Frequency FSB Mult. L1 cache TDP CPU core voltage Socket Release datePart number(s)Introduction price
WinChip 2A-200200 MHz66 MT/s 364 KiB 12.0 W3.45—3.6 VMarch 1999?3DEE200GTA
WinChip 2A-233233 MHz66 MT/s3.564 KiB13.0 W3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 5
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
March 1999?3DEE233GTA
WinChip 2A-266233 MHz100 MT/s2.3364 KiB14.0 W3.45—3.6 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
March 1999?3DEE266GSA
WinChip 2A-300250 MHz100 MT/s2.564 KiB16.0 W3.45—3.6 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
3DEE300GSA

WinChip 2B (0.25 μm)

IDT WinChip2 W2B KL IDT WinChip2 W2B.jpg
IDT WinChip2 W2B
Processor
model		Frequency FSB Mult. L1 cache TDP CPU core voltage Socket Release datePart number(s)Introduction price
WinChip 2B-200200 MHz66 MT/s 364 KiB 6.3 W2.7—2.9 V3DFK200BTA
WinChip 2B-233200 MHz100 MT/s264 KiB6.3 W2.7—2.9 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • PPGA 296

WinChip 3 (0.25 μm)

Processor
model		Frequency FSB Mult. L1 cache TDP CPU core voltage Socket Release datePart number(s)Introduction price
WinChip 3-233200 MHz66 MT/s 3128 KiB  ? W2.7—2.9 V
WinChip 3-266233 MHz66 MT/s3.5128 KiB8.4 W2.7—2.9 V
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
Samples onlyFK233GDA
WinChip 3-300233 MHz100 MT/s2.33128 KiB8.4 W2.7—2.9 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
Samples onlyFK300GDA
WinChip 3-300266 MHz66 MT/s4128 KiB9.3 W2.7—2.9 V
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
WinChip 3-333250 MHz100 MT/s2.5128 KiB8.8 W2.7—2.9 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
WinChip 3-333266 MHz100 MT/s2.66128 KiB9.3 W2.7—2.9 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "PROCESSOR Version A Data Sheet" (PDF). January 1999. Archived from the original on March 22, 2003. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  2. ↑ Hare, Chris. "Processor Speed Settings". Archived from the original on 28 April 2007. Retrieved 24 April 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "IA-32 implementation: Centaur WinChip 2". SandPile.org. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2007.
  4. ↑ Pabst, Thomas (9 October 1997). "The IDT WinChip C6 CPU". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 29 April 2007.
  5. ↑ Witheiler, Matthew (5 January 2001). "The New VIA Cyrix III: The Worlds First 0.15 Micron x86 CPU". AnandTech. Retrieved 29 April 2007.
  6. 1 2 3 "IA-32 implementation: Centaur WinChip". Sandpile. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  7. 1 2 3 "PROCESSOR Data Sheet for WinChip 2 version B" (PDF). April 1999. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 "PROCESSOR Data Sheet" (PDF). April 1999. Archived from the original on June 14, 2001. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
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