- February 16
- At the International Solid State Circuits Conference, Intel formally announces details of the design of the P6 processor. [936] [821] [664]
- March
- Cyrix begins shipping samples of its M1 processor. [664] [466]
- Digital Equipment ships the 166 MHz and 233 MHz Alpha 21066A processors. [557.135]
- Digital Equipment ships the 300 MHz Alpha 21164 processor. [557.135]
- Intel introduces the 120 MHz Pentium processor, produced using a 0.35 micron process. Performance is rated at 203 MIPS, and 140 SPECint92. It incorporates 3.2 million transistors. Pricing is US$935 each in quantities of 1000. Code-name during development was P54CQS. [62] [189.1] [265] [557.135] [943.180] [664]
- April
- IBM ships the 110 MHz PowerPC 601 processor. [557.135]
- IBM ships the 120 MHz PowerPC 601 processor. [1597.86]
- IBM and Motorola re-establish volume production of the 100 MHz PowerPC 604 processor, after fixing problems and moving the design from a 0.65 micron process to 0.5 micron. This also allowed a speed upgrade to 133 MHz. [622]
- (month unknown)
- SPARC Technology Business ships 110 MHz MicroSparc-2 processor. Price is US$649 in 1000 unit quantities. [639]
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- May
- Intel releases a 90 MHz Pentium processor designed for portable computers. Price is US$427 in 1000 unit quantities. [439.32] [639]
- MIPS Technologies ships the 90 MHz R8000 RISC microprocessor. [557.135]
- SPARC announces sample availability of the 64-bit UltraSPARC microprocessor. [2021] [639] (March [557.135])
- Intel introduces the P6 processor. [439.12]
- June
- IBM and Motorola announce that test samples have been made of the PowerPC 604 microprocessor at 120 MHz and 133 MHz. [145] [265] [557.135] [1597.86]
- Data General announces that future Aviion workstations will use Intel processors, not Motorola's 88x00 processor family. [2027.61] [621]
- Intel announces the immediate availability of the 133 MHz Pentium processor. It uses 3.2 million transistors, employing 0.35 micron BiCMOS technology. Speed is 218.9 MIPS. Price is US$935 each in quantities of 1000. [62] [124] [126] [265] [376.6] [383.4] [557.135] [622] (April [439.28])
- Advanced Micro Devices announces sample availability of the clock-tripled 120 MHz Am486 DX4 processor, as well as 75 MHz and 100 MHz versions. The processors incorporate an 8 kB cache, and System Management Mode. [141] [265] [622] [191.31]
- Texas Instruments introduces its first 486DX2 processor, based on the Cyrix 486 core. Prices are US$66 for 66 MHz, and US$80 for 80 MHz, in 1000 unit quantities. [622]
- Intel ceases shipments of the 60 and 66 MHz Pentium processors. [383.4]
- (month unknown)
- Cyrix begins full-scale production of its M1 processor. [664]
- Intel files lawsuits against United Microelectronics in Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Intel claims the 486SX processor of the Taiwanese company infringes on its x86 and 486 patents. [621]
- July
- Cyrix announces sample availability of the 100 MHz CX5x86 processor. It features 16 kB cache, 2x and 3x clock doubling, and incorporates 1.95 million transistors in a 0.65 micron process. Price is US$147 in 1000 unit quantities. Code-name during development was M1sc. [557.135] [621]
- MIPS Technologies ships the 250 MHz R4400 RISC microprocessor. [557.135]
- August
- Cyrix begins volume shipments of its 5x86 processor. [469]
- (month unknown)
- Advanced Micro Devices announces the X5 processor, a 133 MHz 486 with 16 kB write-back cache. [508]
- Intel announces the Writeback Enhanced IntelDX4 processor. This clock-tripled 486 processor adds a write-back cache design, slightly faster than write-through mode. This processor will gradually phase out the write-through IntelDX4. [513]
- IBM begins shipping 117 MHz PowerPC 603e processors to Apple Computer. [469]
- September
- The United States Patent Office overturns the decision to grant Gilbert Hyatt a patent on the microprocessor. The ruling recognizes Texas Instruments' Gary Boone as the prior inventor of the microprocessor. [590.5]
- Intel announces the 80486SXSF and GXSF 486 microprocessors, designed for handheld computer products. The GX has a 16-bit bus, the SX a 32-bit bus. Both are 33 MHz, operating on 2.0-3.3 volts. [324.3] [508]
- Intel announces the official name for the processor code-named P6: Pentium Pro. [62] [432.47] [508]
- Intel ships the 83 MHz Pentium OverDrive Processor, for replacement in 33 MHz 486DX and 486DX2/66 systems. Price: US$299 each. Code-name during development was P24T. [323.3] [403.123] [508]
- Advanced Micro Devices announces the 75 MHz SS/5 processor, pin-compatible with Intel's Pentium processor, and equal in performance. (This processor is renamed about a month later as the SSA5 processor. This processor is the K5 released under a different name due to not meeting the K5's goal of 30% better performance than comparable Intel processor.) [508] [496]
- Advanced Micro Devices renames the SS/5 processor the SSA5. It is the K5 code-named processor, but running at less than the original target performance level. The SSA5 operates at 75 MHz, and is expected to ship early in 1996. [496] [466]
- Cyrix announces and ships the 100 MHz CX6x86 processor. Performance is comparable to a 133 MHz Intel Pentium processor. The chip is manufactured by IBM, using a 0.65 micron process, incorporating 3 million transistors. Price is US$450 each in quantities of 1000. Code-name during development was M1. [325.111] [389.49] [431.54] [437.27] [438.35] [460] [512.112] [557.135] [909.35] [496]
- (month unknown)
- Sun Microsystems announces the 182 MHz UltraSparc processor. Performance is estimated at 260 SPECint92 and 410 SPECfp92. Price is US$1595 in 1000 unit quantities. [508]
- Digital Semiconductor announces the 300 MHz 21064A processor. Performance is estimated at 220 SPECint92 and 300 SPECfp92. [508]
- Digital Semiconductor announces the 330 MHz 21164 processor. Performance is estimated at 400 SPECint92 and 570 SPECfp92. [508]
- October
- At the Microprocessor Forum, NexGen announces first details of the Nx686 processor, comparable in performance and features to the Intel Pentium Pro. It integrates new multimedia instructions and a multimedia execution unit into the x86 architecture. On-chip cache sizes are 16 kB for instructions and 32 kB for data. The processor will be manufactured using a 0.35 micron process. [303.67] [496]
- At the Microprocessor Forum, Cyrix unveils details of the 5gx86 processor, which integrates graphics, memory controller, PCI interface, and more with a 5x86 processor core. (This chip will be release in 1996 as the Media GX processor.) [496]
- At the Microprocessor Forum, IBM announces sample availability of the 166 MHz PowerPC 604e processor, manufactured using a 0.35 micron CMOS process. On-chip caches are 32 kB each for data and instructions. Clock multiples of 2.5 and 4 are included. [496]
- Sun Microsystems ships the 143 MHz and 167 MHz versions of the UltraSPARC processor. [325.38] [557.135]
- Digital Equipment announces its Alpha 21164 processor running at 333 MHz. Performance is 400 SPECint92. [112] [265] [496]
- At the Microprocessor Forum, Digital announces a 417 MHz 21164A processor. It is manufactured using a 0.35 micron process. Performance is 500 SPECint92. [496]
- Intel introduces and ships the 120 MHz Mobile Pentium processor, designed for portable computer use. Price is US$681 in 1000 unit quantities. [62] [439.32] [496]
- Motorola announces pricing and general availability of 100- and 120 MHz versions of its PowerPC 603e microprocessor. Prices are US$207 and US$260 each, respectively, in quantities of 1000. [181] [469]
- Cyrix announces sample availability of its 120 MHz 5x86 processor, available for US$160 each in quantities of 1000. [265] [460] [470] (November [557.135])
- IBM announces the 5x86C processor, based on Cyrix's design. Pricing in 1000 unit quantities is US$131 (100 MHz), US$109 (75 MHz). [470]
- IBM ships the 150 MHz PowerPC 604 processor, produced in a 0.35 micron process. Price is US$600 in 1000 unit quantities. [557.135] [572.20] [469]
- IBM announces general availability of the 120 MHz PowerPC 603e processor. Price is US$309 for 120 MHz, and US$158 for 100 MHz, both in 1000 unit quantities. [469]
- (month unknown)
- SGS-Thomson begins shipping a 100 MHz 486DX4 processor, based on Cyrix's design, with an 8 kB cache. The chip is manufactured in a 0.35 micron process. It is available in Cyrix-compatible or Intel-compatible pin-out. Price is US$60 in 1000 unit quantities. [470]
- Texas Instruments begins shipping limited samples of its 100 MHz 486DX4 processor, based on Cyrix's design, with an 8 kB cache. The chip is manufactured in a 0.42 micron process, pin compatible with the comparable Cyrix processor. Price is US$70 in 1000 unit quantities. [470]
- November 1
- At the ANA Hotel in San Francisco, Intel formally announces and begins shipping the Pentium Pro processor, at speeds of 150 to 200 MHz. The processor incorporates 5.5 million transistors. Bus speeds of the new Socket 8 interface are 60 MHz (150, 180 MHz processor), and 66 MHz (166, 200 MHz processor). The 150 MHz version is manufactured using a 0.5 micron BiCMOS process; the other processors employ a 0.35 micron process. Prices are US$974 (150 MHz + 256 kB cache), US$1682 (166 MHz + 512 kB cache), US$1075 (180 MHz + 256 kB cache), US$1225 (200 MHz + 256 kB cache), US$1989 (200 MHz + 512 kB cache), [62] [215.24] [216.26] [265] [397.12] [439.12] [470] [518.182] [557.135] [575.147] [829.14] [940.106] [943.180] [947.102] [953.28] [1010.26] [1254.78] [1897.130] (March [900]) (166-200 MHz versions announced in February 1996 [557.136])
- November
- IBM ships the 120 MHz version of the PowerPC 601 processor. [557.135]
- SPARC Technology Business, a division of Sun Microsystems, Inc., announces the sampling of the 200 MHz 64-bit UltraSPARC-I microprocessor. [265]
- NexGen introduces the 93 MHz Nx586-PF100, which integrates a floating-point coprocessor. Price is US$285 in 1000 unit quantities. [469]
- NexGen announces limited shipments of the 120 MHz Nx586-P120 and 133 MHz Nx586-P133 processors. Both are manufactured using a 0.5 micron process. Prices are US$303 and US$447, respectively, quantities of 1000. [265] [557.135] [469]
- Advanced Micro Devices begins shipping samples of its 133 MHz Am5x86-P75 processor. The chip is a clock-tripled 486 with 16 kB write-back cache, manufactured in a 0.35 micron process. Price is US$93 each in quantities of 1000. [228.25] [265] [470] (US$74 [141])
- (month unknown)
- SGS-Thomson announces a 120 MHz 486DX4 processor, based on Cyrix's design, with an 8 kB cache. The chip is manufactured in a 0.35 micron process. It is available in an Intel-compatible pin-out. Price is US$72 in 1000 unit quantities. [466]
- December
- Digital Equipment ships the 300 MHz Alpha 21064A processor. [557.135]
- Digital Equipment ships the 333 MHz Alpha 21164 processor. [557.135]
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