Intel486dx33 wrote on 2024-05-10, 02:58:

Guys, The 1st. Gen. Pentium is the King of CPUs. It came in like a Wreaking ball and Obliterated the competition. Putting many c […]
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Guys, The 1st. Gen. Pentium is the King of CPUs.
It came in like a Wreaking ball and Obliterated the competition.
Putting many computer companies Out of Business.

With its High production manufacturing and Low retail cost.

It dominated the computer market with-in a few years.

Paired with Windows-NT, Win-95, Novell, UNIX and Linux
The 1st. Gen. Pentium CPU was a Processor for Everyone.
Businesses, Servers, and Home computers.

I built this computer in reference to the 1st. Gen. Pentium

I don’t think NO other CPU made such a Difference and Dominated the
Computer market like the 1st. Gen. Pentium.

I call it the “King” and put in it a Voodoo-3-3000 Evil King video card.

I used the Pentium-90 because of the Classic Gold cap. But I think the Pentium 100 thru 200 was most popular and made the most impact on the computer market before Win-98

The Pentium-90 is the minimum requirements for the Voodoo-3-3000

1st gen Pentium I were Socket 4 CPUs, which were clocked 60 or 66 MHz (not counting the overdrive). P90 is 2nd gen Pentium I CPU.

Back to topic. When I look back today at the long road from Vic 20 until my current i5-9600 and ask myself for the stunning moments, the Pentium doesn't trigger my memory. It was just another step up on the road.
The moments when I was going "OMG OMG" that I remember were
a) when I put a 80387 co-cpu in. I was expecting some improvement but got warp speed.
b) when I switched from Athlon XP to a cheap Core2Duo E4300, turned up the bus from 200 to 300 MHz and had a go. THAT was unparalleled.

Come on Guys,
The Pentium CPU took Win3x to Another level. This is how Win3x was suppose to run.
Made it possible to play MP3’s on the computer.
Ran WinNT 4.0, Win95, Win98, WinME and Win2000, Novell, including UnIX, Solaris x86, and Linux
Networked the World.
Nation Wide Networks.
Allowed for 56k dialup modems.
Cable modems and DSL
Allowed for High speed switch’s and routers.
Gigabyte Ethernet
Webservers and File servers
HTML and CGI, Perl script, and Java
Online banking
Oracle databases
Etc…..
I could go on and on…….
Retailers, Business, e-commerce, education, medical, scientist, development, engineering, and home computers.
Everyone had a Pentium computer.

This CPU was Moving Software, Code, Music, Video, Arts, and Data all over the World and even out in Space.

This CPU Helped build the World Networks and Computers at a fraction of the cost of UNIX computers. And did it faster and was more reliable than RISC based CPU’s.

leileilol wrote on 2024-05-10, 08:27:

I'm still hung up on this alternate "pentium = affordable" history.

By early to mid 1997, when I was able to afford one on my only slightly above minimum wage job (while living with my parents), I would say that a P54CQS Pentium @ 150MHz had become "affordable".

Before that, not so much.

ux-3 wrote on 2024-05-25, 21:24:

Back to topic. When I look back today at the long road from Vic 20 until my current i5-9600 and ask myself for the stunning moments, the Pentium doesn't trigger my memory. It was just another step up on the road.

I feel the same. I remember it was dramatic going from a 286 to a 486 and being able to run Doom. That was probably the biggest "wow" moment for an upgrade to me.

Going from a 486 to a Pentium didn't have the same impact.

The next "wow" moment was probably getting our first 3D accelerator and seeing what a different it made in Quake.

The improvements in the Pentium were the UV pipeline and faster FPU, it didn't have a dramatic impact for consumers because nearly all software back then didn't take advantage of these. Quake (the original DOS release) was the first game properly optimized for that CPU.

Pentium 1 was a turning point for computing, it was the beginning of the true 3D era. It also brought about the greatest socket standard ever. Socket 5/7/ss7. It’s too bad we never got to see a whole bunch of companies competing on one socket platform since. It was also the end of the simm era.

Another turning point was ‘the core wars’ cores, cores, everywhere! Cores! Duos! quads! Cores cores cores!

When I had a 386/486 I would play Doom in F5 low res mode for greater speed.

ux-3 wrote on 2024-05-25, 21:24:

Back to topic. When I look back today at the long road from Vic 20 until my current i5-9600 and ask myself for the stunning mome […]
Show full quote

Back to topic. When I look back today at the long road from Vic 20 until my current i5-9600 and ask myself for the stunning moments, the Pentium doesn't trigger my memory. It was just another step up on the road.
The moments when I was going "OMG OMG" that I remember were
a) when I put a 80387 co-cpu in. I was expecting some improvement but got warp speed.
b) when I switched from Athlon XP to a cheap Core2Duo E4300, turned up the bus from 200 to 300 MHz and had a go. THAT was unparalleled.

What were you running back then, that could benefit from a 387? Everything I read up to and including at least 486 era is that most people never needed or benefited form a co-pro (all though I always found that a bit strange)

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-05-26, 00:42:

The next "wow" moment was probably getting our first 3D accelerator and seeing what a different it made in Quake.

I only named my CPU related WOWs. Graphics related WOWs would be:
1) Installing a (used) Diamond Monster and running the Demo on the Install CD. Some Magicians habitat iirc.
2) Likely same year, getting European Air War for xmas from my wife and seeing first time a game and an air sim in 3dfx. Just beyond!

And to round it up, Audio. There is only one WOW i remember.:
Back in the 80s, I got a 3.5 floppy disk for Atari ST from a friend with the comment: Just run this. ^^
So I did and I heard the start (20-30s ?) of John Cougar Mellencamp's "Small town". Never before I heard a home computer produce music anywhere near this well.

H3nrik V! wrote on 2024-05-26, 07:00:

ux-3 wrote on 2024-05-25, 21:24:

a) when I put a 80387 co-cpu in. I was expecting some improvement but got warp speed.

What were you running back then, that could benefit from a 387? Everything I read up to and including at least 486 era is that most people never needed or benefited form a co-pro (all though I always found that a bit strange)

I was doing research on chaotic systems and created graphical representations (akin to the Mandelbrot sets). The compiler did have the option to code for a numerical co-cpu, and that was down to like 80$ then. As I was easily spending 15 minutes and up for one sample run (during which the computer was busy), I figured I might want to give this 80387 a try. I wasn't even sure it would work. First run, the image was already drawing when I looked up. Just so WOW. Like 1-2 minutes total, factor of >10.

megatron-uk wrote on 2024-05-10, 07:58:

"No other CPU made such a difference"

Really?????

The z80, 6502 and m68000 would like to have a chat with you.

I mean you could go back to the 8008 too which essentially started the lineage of the architecture we still use today (although I can’t remember if the 4004 was also part of that or just a precursor)

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2024-05-25, 22:15:

Come on Guys, The Pentium CPU took Win3x to Another level. This is how Win3x was suppose to run. Made it possible to play MP3’s […]
Show full quote

Come on Guys,
The Pentium CPU took Win3x to Another level. This is how Win3x was suppose to run.
Made it possible to play MP3’s on the computer.
Ran WinNT 4.0, Win95, Win98, WinME and Win2000, Novell, including UnIX, Solaris x86, and Linux
Networked the World.
Nation Wide Networks.
Allowed for 56k dialup modems.
Cable modems and DSL
Allowed for High speed switch’s and routers.
Gigabyte Ethernet
Webservers and File servers
HTML and CGI, Perl script, and Java
Online banking
Oracle databases
Etc…..
I could go on and on…….
Retailers, Business, e-commerce, education, medical, scientist, development, engineering, and home computers.
Everyone had a Pentium computer.

This CPU was Moving Software, Code, Music, Video, Arts, and Data all over the World and even out in Space.

This CPU Helped build the World Networks and Computers at a fraction of the cost of UNIX computers. And did it faster and was more reliable than RISC based CPU’s.

None of that is in any way linked to the Pentium.

I would also argue that by the time the Pentium became mainstream and affordable, Windows 3.x was completely and utterly dead.

snipe3687 wrote on 2024-05-26, 12:36:

megatron-uk wrote on 2024-05-10, 07:58:

"No other CPU made such a difference"

Really?????

The z80, 6502 and m68000 would like to have a chat with you.

I mean you could go back to the 8008 too which essentially started the lineage of the architecture we still use today (although I can’t remember if the 4004 was also part of that or just a precursor)

IIRC the 4004 and the 8008 are not related even though by the name one might think that, which is actually what Intel was banking on to sell more 8008s.

the x86 family would be 8008 > 8080 > 8085 > 8086(8088) > 80186

8086 and 8088 are essentially the same chip with the 8088 being an 8bit external bus variant of the 16bit 8086.

megatron-uk wrote on 2024-05-26, 17:21:

I would also argue that by the time the Pentium became mainstream and affordable, Windows 3.x was completely and utterly dead.

I wouldn't say that. The Pentium surfaced in 1993. I did afford one (P90) in 1995. Win 95 was just released and conversion wasn't instant. I was still working with Win 3.11, as most of my collegues were. It may have been Win95-only games that forced this new OS upon me, I don't recall. But Win 3.11 was all but utterly dead. Especially if you consider that Win95 was usually on CD and win 3.11 on floppy disk.

Trashbytes wrote on 2024-05-26, 17:24:

IIRC the 4004 and the 8008 are not related even though by the name one might think that, which is actually what Intel was bankin […]
Show full quote

snipe3687 wrote on 2024-05-26, 12:36:

megatron-uk wrote on 2024-05-10, 07:58:

"No other CPU made such a difference"

Really?????

The z80, 6502 and m68000 would like to have a chat with you.

I mean you could go back to the 8008 too which essentially started the lineage of the architecture we still use today (although I can’t remember if the 4004 was also part of that or just a precursor)

IIRC the 4004 and the 8008 are not related even though by the name one might think that, which is actually what Intel was banking on to sell more 8008s.

the x86 family would be 8008 > 8080 > 8085 > 8086(8088) > 80186

8086 and 8088 are essentially the same chip with the 8088 being an 8bit external bus variant of the 16bit 8086.

Ah ok, yeah I knew the 8088 and 8086 were identical besides for the 8088 being 8 bit externally but I could never remember if the 4004 was part of the lineage or not. I think it came out in like 1973 or 1974 if I remember correctly so that would put it right in line with the creation of the 6502 more or less.

This is a fun topic!

My memory of the first gen Pentiums was a cashed up friend convincing his mother to buy him a second hand machine based on a Pentium 66 - we were pumped and skipped school to mess around with it. Compared to my DX2 66 though I thought it was pretty disappointing - faster of course, but not a huge leap forward. Once the 166MMX came along then then Pentiums were awesome, but before that not so much.

Yeah, I think the popularity among the masses was most adorable and popular around 1997/98

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2024-05-10, 02:58:

Guys, The 1st. Gen. Pentium is the King of CPUs.
It came in like a Wreaking ball and Obliterated the competition.
Putting many computer companies Out of Business.

It was the Pentium 2 that killed or had a massive impact on other computer companies such as SGI, DEC and Sun. The P2 with a decent AGP card was close to or as powerful as those workstations at a fraction of the cost.

Two things I remember from the early Pentium days were:

1) 486 PCs still being heavily marketed especially with the increase in clock speeds (e.g. DX4-100).
2) The infamous Pentium FDIV bug and the giant recall.

Looking at older magazines, 486 machines were still be marketed in 1996.

orcish75 wrote on 2024-05-27, 01:54:

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2024-05-10, 02:58:

Guys, The 1st. Gen. Pentium is the King of CPUs.
It came in like a Wreaking ball and Obliterated the competition.
Putting many computer companies Out of Business.

It was the Pentium 2 that killed or had a massive impact on other computer companies such as SGI, DEC and Sun. The P2 with a decent AGP card was close to or as powerful as those workstations at a fraction of the cost.

Yes, that Pentium-II CPU was a popular CPU. It was my Next Step up fron the Pentium 1st gen.
I built a computer with BX440 motherboard and Pentium-II@400mhz during Win98 era.
I later purchased an HP Kayak workstation with Dual 400mhz Pentium-II CPUs and it ran WinNT-4.0
These computers were very stable and reliable that I purchased some more.
They could run Win2000 too.

That Pentium-II @ 400mhz was a very popular CPU in USA back in Win98 era.