The IBM 486 DX versus SX.
The IBM 486, also known as the IBM PC/AT-compatible 486, was a line of personal computers introduced by IBM in 1991. It was the successor to the IBM 386 and was based on the Intel 486 processor. The IBM 486 was available in two main versions: the 486 DX and the 486 SX.
The 486 DX, or “DX” stands for “math coprocessor” was the more powerful version of the two. It featured a built-in math coprocessor, which was a specialized chip designed to perform mathematical calculations at a faster rate. This made the 486 DX well suited for applications that required heavy mathematical calculations such as engineering, scientific simulations, and financial analysis.
The 486 SX, or “SX” stands for “without math coprocessor” was the budget-oriented version of the two. It did not have a built-in math coprocessor, but it still had the same CPU clock speed and memory capacity as the 486 DX. Without the math coprocessor, the 486 SX was not as well suited for applications that required heavy mathematical calculations, but it was still powerful enough for basic tasks such as word processing, spreadsheets, and basic gaming.
Another difference between the two versions is the clock speed, the 486 DX was available with clock speeds of up to 50 MHz, while the 486 SX was limited to 33 MHz. This means that the 486 DX was capable of processing data at a faster rate than the 486 SX.
In terms of memory, both versions of the IBM 486 supported up to 16 MB of RAM, but the 486 DX had a faster memory bus, allowing it to access memory at a faster rate than the 486 SX.
In summary, the IBM 486 was a line of personal computers introduced by IBM in 1991, it was available in two main versions: the 486 DX and the 486 SX. The 486 DX was the more powerful version, it featured a built-in math coprocessor, which was a specialized chip designed to perform mathematical calculations at a faster rate. It was well suited for applications that required heavy mathematical calculations such as engineering, scientific simulations, and financial analysis. The 486 SX was the budget-oriented version, it did not have a built-in math coprocessor and it had a lower clock speed, but it still had the same memory capacity as the 486 DX. It was not as well suited for applications that required heavy mathematical calculations, but it was still powerful enough for basic tasks such as word processing, spreadsheets, and basic gaming.