Anonymous Coward wrote on 2021-05-16, 05:51:
What we really need to push the 486 higher is a newly developed upgrade using something smaller than .35micron.
The Media GXm uses 0.35 um and it can go up to 300 MHz, so I suspect the transistor gate length, or process size, isn't the only factor limiting the Cyrix 5x86 chips.
I think CPU Galaxy's objective is just to see how fast a 486-class CPU can go in Quake, irregardless of the practicality of having such a system in a case with all other supporting hardware. I'd be willing to run a single test of a Cyrix 5x86 at 150 MHz in Quake 1.06 using a peltier, but only if it counts as a "486" for this comparison.
I would like to see a more rigorous analysis of the Am5x86 at 200 MHz, e.g.
1. Is such a large heatsink fan necessary? Would a socket 370 heatsink/fan suffice?
2. How much benefit performance benefit did running the graphics at 66 MHz award, that is, if the 1/2 FSB-to-PCI multiplier was enabled, how much lower would the score be?
3. What benchmark score is observed when the FSB is run at 50 MHz x 4 instead of 66 MHz x 3 ?
4. What is the minimum wattage peltier needed for 200 MHz when using a socket 370 heatsink/fan?
5. Are you able to install Windows NT4 and Windows 98SE without the system crashing when clocked to 200 MHz?
6. When the motherboard is inside a case, is there any condensation build-up on or around the CPU which could cause a short if it were to drip.
7. Does the ISA bus speed run at a fraction of the PCI bus clock or the FSB? If the PCI bus clock, what is the highest integer divisor? On my MB-8433UUD it is only 4, meaning the ISA bus is running at 16.67 MHz, and there is no 7.14 MHz option on the MB-8433UUD.
I think if the optimal peltier wattage is determined and there isn't significant condensation, 180 MHz at 4 V or less might be practical for a cased system. However, I have head that these cheap peltiers aren't the most reliable, so you would want to find a way to integrate an Arduino-based thermistor LED display on the case bezel. Or possibly leave a thermocouple wire under the socket and plug in your DMM whenever you use the system.
Plan your life wisely, you'll be dead before you know it.