Intel delays MMX processor P55C
Summary
In 1996 Intel postponed the Pentium P55C with the MMX multimedia extension to spring 1997. The processor was to offer caches twice the size of the Pentium of the time and come at 166 and 200 MHz. Intel said customers mainly wanted the 200 MHz version, which would not have been available in sufficient quantities before Christmas.
Ideas
- MMX brought SIMD instructions for multimedia to the x86 mass market.
- Larger caches improved performance independently of clock frequency.
- Intel aligned the launch date with the expected demand for the fastest variant.
Insights
- Processor delivery dates often follow manufacturing yield and market calculation, not just technology.
- An officially justified delay says little about the actual bottlenecks.
Facts
- Versions with 166 and 200 MHz clock speeds were planned.
References
Critique
- The report adopts Intel’s reasoning without context; possible manufacturing problems at 200 MHz are not questioned.
Remarks
- The Pentium MMX came onto the market in early 1997; MMX was the forerunner of later SIMD extensions such as SSE.
Recommendations
- Do not base hardware purchases on announced dates, but on models that are actually available.
- Assess new instruction set extensions by whether your software uses them at all.
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