Am286
Encyclopedia
AMD started in the x86 business as a second-source manufacturer for Intel's chip designs. IBM
demanded all suppliers have a second manufacturing source, and Intel had to license another company to secure the IBM PC
contract. The Am286 was a result of this contract.
Essentially just an 80286
, the Am286 was in reality Intel-designed all the way, pin and instruction compatible, based upon Intel's microcode
. The chip was later sold by AMD as an embedded
processor
.
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
demanded all suppliers have a second manufacturing source, and Intel had to license another company to secure the IBM PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
contract. The Am286 was a result of this contract.
Essentially just an 80286
Intel 80286
The Intel 80286 , introduced on 1 February 1982, was a 16-bit x86 microprocessor with 134,000 transistors. Like its contemporary simpler cousin, the 80186, it could correctly execute most software written for the earlier Intel 8086 and 8088...
, the Am286 was in reality Intel-designed all the way, pin and instruction compatible, based upon Intel's microcode
Microcode
Microcode is a layer of hardware-level instructions and/or data structures involved in the implementation of higher level machine code instructions in many computers and other processors; it resides in special high-speed memory and translates machine instructions into sequences of detailed...
. The chip was later sold by AMD as an embedded
Embedded system
An embedded system is a computer system designed for specific control functions within a larger system. often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. By contrast, a general-purpose computer, such as a personal...
processor
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
.