🚀 go-pugleaf

Kim Naru (CONTRA) (knaru@cup.hp.com) wrote:
: Wayne O. Miller FFR (miller@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov) wrote:
: : Hi,
: :         I'm considering purchasing a used 486-66 SLC-2 based clone using
: : an Alaris ISA motherboard, and a Cirrus logic SVGA card.
...
: : apart from games, how is this CPU in general?  It costs about $200 less
: : than a DX2, so there must be some compromise.

: You'll have no problems. There was a time when people would only purchase PC's with
: the IBM logo on it. The time has come were you don't need to have an INTEL chip. Offcourse
: if you want to spend more money, go for it. The area likely to cause you grief is
: the motherboard/firmware.

Since Kim posted, I'll post the reponse I sent to Wayne, since recent
personal experience directly contradicts what Kim says:


I think the 486 SLC is the Cyrix chip?  If yes, then the answer is: NO.

Two data points:

   1) I had one that repeatedly failed after 1 to 3 hours running
      two different games (Where in the USA is Carmen SanDiego,
      and Omar Sharif's Bridge (a Windows bridge game)).  
      It failed on 3 different motherboards (each with a new Cyrix chip).  
      It did not fail on any motherboard with an Intel chip.  
      (Date: June, 1994)

   2) This month's Windows magazine has an article discussing the
      compatibility of Cyrix and AMD to Intel (no, IBM wasn't included).
      If memory serves, the AMD was poor.
      The Cyrix has at least one known, documented bug (involving cache misses
      and FP usage).   Since the bug isn't likely to have affected my games,
      I suspect that there may be other instances wherein cache misses are
      simply forgotten.

Short answer: don't do it.  Buy Intel...unfortunately.

Stan Sieler