Microprocessors
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13.12.2 Pentium Pro Microprocessor
Pentium Pro is a sixth-generation x86 architecture microprocessor (P6 core) from Intel. It was originally
intended to replace the earlier Pentium series of microprocessors in a full range of applications, but was
later reduced to a narrow role as a server and high-end desktop chip. The Pentium Pro was capable of
both dual- and quad-processor configurations. The Pentium Pro achieves a performance approximately
50 % higher than that of a Pentium of the same clock speed. In addition to its new way of processing
instructions, the Pentium Pro incorporates several other technical features including superpipelining, an
integrated level 2 cache, 32-bit optimization, a wider address bus, greater multiprocessing, out-of-order
completion of instructions, a superior branch prediction unit and speculative execution.
13.12.3 Pentium II Series
Pentium II is an x86 architecture microprocessor introduced by Intel in the year 1997. It was based on
a modified version of the P6 core improved 16-bit performance and the addition of the MMX SIMD
instruction set. The Pentium II series of processors are available in speeds of 233, 266, 300, 330, 350,
400 and 450 MHz. Some of the product highlights include the use of Intel’s 0.25 m manufacturing
process for increased processor core frequencies and reduced power consumption, the use of MMX
bus (DIB) architecture to increase bandwidth and performance over single-bus processors, a 32 kB
nonblocking level 1 cache, a 512 kB unified, nonblocking level 2 cache and data integrity and reliability
features.
13.12.4 Pentium III and Pentium IV Microprocessors
Pentium III is an x86 architecture microprocessor from Intel, introduced in the year 1999. Initial
versions were very similar to the earlier Pentium II. The most notable difference is the addition
of SSE instructions and the introduction of a serial number which was embedded in the chip
during the manufacturing process. Pentium III processors are available in speeds of 650, 667, 700,
733, 750, 800, 850 and 866 MHz and 1 GHz. The Pentium III processor integrates PC dynamic
execution microarchitecture, DIB architecture, a multitransaction system bus and Intel’s MMX media
enhancement technology. In addition to these features, it offers Internet streaming and single-instruction
multiple-data (SIMD) extension. It has 70 new instructions to enable advanced imaging, 3D, streaming
audio and video and speech recognition. Pentium III processors were superseded by Pentium IV.
Pentium IV is a seventh-generation x86 architecture microprocessor from Intel. It uses a new CPU
design, called the netburst architecture. The netburst microarchitecture featured a very deep instruction
pipeline, with the intention of scaling to very high frequencies. It also introduced the SSE2 instruction
set for faster SIMD integer and 64-bit floating-point computation. It operates at frequencies of over
1 GHz.
13.12.5 Pentium M, D and Extreme Edition Processors
Pentium M is an x86 architecture microprocessor from Intel, introduced in the year 2003. It forms
part of the Intel Centrino platform. The processor was originally designed for use in laptop personal
computers (thus the ‘M’ for mobile).
Pentium D is a series of microprocessors from Intel introduced in the year 2005. Pentium D was
the first multicore CPU along with the Pentium Extreme Edition. It is the final processor to carry the
559
13.12.2 Pentium Pro Microprocessor
Pentium Pro is a sixth-generation x86 architecture microprocessor (P6 core) from Intel. It was originally
intended to replace the earlier Pentium series of microprocessors in a full range of applications, but was
later reduced to a narrow role as a server and high-end desktop chip. The Pentium Pro was capable of
both dual- and quad-processor configurations. The Pentium Pro achieves a performance approximately
50 % higher than that of a Pentium of the same clock speed. In addition to its new way of processing
instructions, the Pentium Pro incorporates several other technical features including superpipelining, an
integrated level 2 cache, 32-bit optimization, a wider address bus, greater multiprocessing, out-of-order
completion of instructions, a superior branch prediction unit and speculative execution.
13.12.3 Pentium II Series
Pentium II is an x86 architecture microprocessor introduced by Intel in the year 1997. It was based on
a modified version of the P6 core improved 16-bit performance and the addition of the MMX SIMD
instruction set. The Pentium II series of processors are available in speeds of 233, 266, 300, 330, 350,
400 and 450 MHz. Some of the product highlights include the use of Intel’s 0.25 m manufacturing
process for increased processor core frequencies and reduced power consumption, the use of MMX
bus (DIB) architecture to increase bandwidth and performance over single-bus processors, a 32 kB
nonblocking level 1 cache, a 512 kB unified, nonblocking level 2 cache and data integrity and reliability
features.
13.12.4 Pentium III and Pentium IV Microprocessors
Pentium III is an x86 architecture microprocessor from Intel, introduced in the year 1999. Initial
versions were very similar to the earlier Pentium II. The most notable difference is the addition
of SSE instructions and the introduction of a serial number which was embedded in the chip
during the manufacturing process. Pentium III processors are available in speeds of 650, 667, 700,
733, 750, 800, 850 and 866 MHz and 1 GHz. The Pentium III processor integrates PC dynamic
execution microarchitecture, DIB architecture, a multitransaction system bus and Intel’s MMX media
enhancement technology. In addition to these features, it offers Internet streaming and single-instruction
multiple-data (SIMD) extension. It has 70 new instructions to enable advanced imaging, 3D, streaming
audio and video and speech recognition. Pentium III processors were superseded by Pentium IV.
Pentium IV is a seventh-generation x86 architecture microprocessor from Intel. It uses a new CPU
design, called the netburst architecture. The netburst microarchitecture featured a very deep instruction
pipeline, with the intention of scaling to very high frequencies. It also introduced the SSE2 instruction
set for faster SIMD integer and 64-bit floating-point computation. It operates at frequencies of over
1 GHz.
13.12.5 Pentium M, D and Extreme Edition Processors
Pentium M is an x86 architecture microprocessor from Intel, introduced in the year 2003. It forms
part of the Intel Centrino platform. The processor was originally designed for use in laptop personal
computers (thus the ‘M’ for mobile).
Pentium D is a series of microprocessors from Intel introduced in the year 2005. Pentium D was
the first multicore CPU along with the Pentium Extreme Edition. It is the final processor to carry the