Why there's no Pentium II and III MCUs being made?

  • Thread starter Alex_Sanders
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In summary, there was a discussion about the potential for using MCUs that were powerful enough and did not require excessive waste heat, as well as a comparison to Intel's project for a new generation of "software based" graphics processors that ended up being scrapped. It was also mentioned that high-end MCUs are now primarily based on ARM cores rather than Pentiums due to their speed and power efficiency. Additionally, the development of Intel's GPU using Pentium cores has shifted away from being used as a GPU and is now used for other purposes.
  • #1
Alex_Sanders
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They would make really great MCUs, the speed would be more than sufficient, other than the fact that some major modification might have to be made.

And they got tons of fans!
 
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  • #2
Alex_Sanders said:
And they got tons of fans!
Tons of fans points to power inefficiency. That possibly was their greatest drawback, excessive waste heat for a chip of their level of sophistication. Today's designers want efficiency, and a replacement for those old CPUs would probably not require even one fan. http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/3195/roflm.gif
 
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  • #3
I think Intel had a project for a new generation of "software based" graphics processor that basically used many Pentium cores in parallel that ran software that made the calcualtions that hardware GPUs make. I remember they hyped it up a lot.

This has since been scrapped I think.

Also, why make pentiums when you can make an ARM core processor that is faster and much more power efficient? That's what most high-end MCUs are.
 
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  • #4
Here is the intel GPU that used pentium cores that I was referring to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larrabee_(microarchitecture )

And from the article, here is the latest development, no longer being used as a GPU:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_MIC
 
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FAQ: Why there's no Pentium II and III MCUs being made?

1. Why aren't there any Pentium II and III MCUs being made?

The main reason for this is because the Pentium II and III MCUs were designed for desktop and laptop computers, not for small embedded systems. As technology has advanced, smaller and more efficient microcontrollers have been developed specifically for these applications.

2. Can Pentium II and III MCUs still be used for modern applications?

While it is technically possible to use Pentium II and III MCUs for modern applications, it is not recommended. These MCUs are outdated and lack the necessary features and performance for modern applications. It is better to use a newer and more specialized microcontroller for better efficiency and functionality.

3. Are there any alternatives to Pentium II and III MCUs?

Yes, there are many alternatives to Pentium II and III MCUs in the market. Some popular options include ARM, AVR, PIC, and MSP microcontrollers, which are specifically designed for embedded systems and offer better performance and power efficiency compared to the older Pentium MCUs.

4. Why were Pentium II and III MCUs popular in the past?

Pentium II and III MCUs were popular in the past because they were powerful and versatile for desktop and laptop computers. They were also widely available and relatively affordable compared to other microcontrollers at the time. However, as technology progressed, their limitations for embedded systems became more apparent.

5. Can Pentium II and III MCUs still be found in the market?

It is unlikely to find new Pentium II and III MCUs in the market as they are no longer being manufactured. However, it is possible to find used or refurbished ones from certain vendors. It is important to note that using these outdated MCUs may come with compatibility and support issues, making it more difficult to find resources for development and troubleshooting.

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