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WinChip

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WinChip
IDT WinChip Marketing sample
General information
Launched1997; 27 years ago (1997)
Discontinued1999; 25 years ago (1999)
Marketed byIDT
Designed byCentaur Technology
CPUID code0540h, 0541h, 0585h, 0587h, 058Ah, 0595h
Performance
Max. CPU clock rate180 Mhz to 266 Mhz
FSB speeds60 MT/s to 100 MT/s
Cache
L1 cache64 KiB (C6, W2, W2A and W2B)
128 KiB (W3)
L2 cacheMotherboard dependent
L3 cachenone
Architecture and classification
Technology node0.35 μm to 0.25 μm
MicroarchitectureSingle, 4-stage, pipeline in-order execution
Instruction setx86-16, IA-32
Physical specifications
Cores
  • 1
Packages
Sockets
Products, models, variants
Core names
  • C6
  • W2, C6+
  • W2A
  • W2B
  • W3
Brand name
  • WinChip
History
SuccessorCyrix 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.

Overview

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Design

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Winchip C6 (0.35 μm)

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IDT WinChip C6
IDT WinChip C6 die shot
  • All models supported MMX[6]
  • The 88 mm2 die was made using a 0.35 micron 4-layer metal CMOS technology.[6]
  • The 64 Kib L1 Cache of the WinChip C6 used a 32 KB 2-way set associative code cache and a 32 KB 2-way set associative data cache.[6]
Processor
model		 Frequency FSB Mult. L1 cache TDP CPU core voltage Socket Release date Part number(s) Introduction price
WinChip 180 180 MHz 60 MT/s 3 64 KiB 9.4 W 3.45—3.6 V
13 October 1997 DS180GAEM $90
WinChip 200 200 MHz 66 Mt/s 3 64 KiB 10.4 W 3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 5
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 13 October 1997 DS200GAEM $135
WinChip 225 225 MHz 75 MT/s 3 64 KiB 12.3 W 3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 13 October 1997 PSME225GA
WinChip 240 240 MHz 60 MT/s 4 64 KiB 13.1 W 3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 5
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 November 1997? PSME240GA

WinChip 2 (0.35 μm)

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IDT WinChip2
  • All models supported MMX[3] and 3DNow![3]
  • The 95 mm2 die was made using a 0.35 micron 5-layer metal CMOS technology.[3]
  • The 64 Kib L1 Cache of the WinChip 2 used a 32 KB 2-way set associative code cache and a 32 KB 4-way set associative data cache.
Processor
model		 Frequency FSB Mult. L1 cache TDP CPU core voltage Socket Release date Part number(s) Introduction price
WinChip 2-200 200 MHz 66 MT/s 3 64 KiB 8.8 W 3.45—3.6 V
3DEE200GSA
3DFF200GSA
WinChip 2-225 225 MHz 75 MT/s 3 64 KiB 10.0 W 3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 3DEE225GSA
WinChip 2-240 240 MHz 60 MT/s 4 64 KiB 10.5 W 3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 5
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 3DEE240GSA
WinChip 2-250 250 MHz 83 MT/s 3 64 KiB 10.9 W 3.45—3.6 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 ?

WinChip 2A (0.35 μm)

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IDT WinChip2A
IDT WinChip2A die shot
  • All models supported MMX[1] and 3DNow![1]
  • The 95 mm2 die was made using a 0.35 micron 5-layer metal CMOS technology.[3]
  • The 64 Kib L1 Cache of the WinChip 2A used a 32 KB 2-way set associative code cache and a 32 KB 4-way set associative data cache.[1]
Processor
model		 Frequency FSB Mult. L1 cache TDP CPU core voltage Socket Release date Part number(s) Introduction price
WinChip 2A-200 200 MHz 66 MT/s 3 64 KiB 12.0 W 3.45—3.6 V
March 1999? 3DEE200GTA
WinChip 2A-233 233 MHz 66 MT/s 3.5 64 KiB 13.0 W 3.45—3.6 V
  • Socket 5
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 March 1999? 3DEE233GTA
WinChip 2A-266 233 MHz 100 MT/s 2.33 64 KiB 14.0 W 3.45—3.6 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 March 1999? 3DEE266GSA
WinChip 2A-300 250 MHz 100 MT/s 2.5 64 KiB 16.0 W 3.45—3.6 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 3DEE300GSA

WinChip 2B (0.25 μm)

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IDT WinChip2 W2B
  • All models supported MMX[7] and 3DNow![7]
  • The 58 mm2 die was made using a 0.25 micron 5-layer metal CMOS technology.[3]
  • The 64 Kib L1 Cache of the WinChip 2B used a 32 KB 2-way set associative code cache and a 32 KB 4-way set associative data cache.[7]
  • Dual-voltage CPU: while the processor core operates at 2.8 V, the external input/output (I/O) voltages remain 3.3 V for backwards compatibility.
Processor
model		 Frequency FSB Mult. L1 cache TDP CPU core voltage Socket Release date Part number(s) Introduction price
WinChip 2B-200 200 MHz 66 MT/s 3 64 KiB 6.3 W 2.7—2.9 V
3DFK200BTA
WinChip 2B-233 200 MHz 100 MT/s 2 64 KiB 6.3 W 2.7—2.9 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • PPGA 296

WinChip 3 (0.25 μm)

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  • All models supported MMX[8] and 3DNow![8]
  • The 75 mm2 die was made using a 0.25 micron 5-layer metal CMOS technology.[3]
  • The 128 Kib L1 Cache of the WinChip 3 used a 64 KB 2-way set associative code cache and a 64 KB 4-way set associative data cache.[8]
  • Dual-voltage CPU: while the processor core operates at 2.8 volts, the external input/output (I/O) voltages remain 3.3 volts for backwards compatibility.
Processor
model		 Frequency FSB Mult. L1 cache TDP CPU core voltage Socket Release date Part number(s) Introduction price
WinChip 3-233 200 MHz 66 MT/s 3 128 KiB ? W 2.7—2.9 V
WinChip 3-266 233 MHz 66 MT/s 3.5 128 KiB 8.4 W 2.7—2.9 V
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 Samples only FK233GDA
WinChip 3-300 233 MHz 100 MT/s 2.33 128 KiB 8.4 W 2.7—2.9 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
 Samples only FK300GDA
WinChip 3-300 266 MHz 66 MT/s 4 128 KiB 9.3 W 2.7—2.9 V
  • Socket 7
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
WinChip 3-333 250 MHz 100 MT/s 2.5 128 KiB 8.8 W 2.7—2.9 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296
WinChip 3-333 266 MHz 100 MT/s 2.66 128 KiB 9.3 W 2.7—2.9 V
  • Super Socket 7
  • CPGA 296

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "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. ^ a b c d e f g h "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. ^ a b c "IA-32 implementation: Centaur WinChip". Sandpile. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  7. ^ a b c "PROCESSOR Data Sheet for WinChip 2 version B" (PDF). April 1999. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  8. ^ a b c "PROCESSOR Data Sheet" (PDF). April 1999. Archived from the original on June 14, 2001. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
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