SystemsSystemsQ. Does it make sense to consider buying a complete PC with a Cyrix 6x86 instead of an Intel Pentium?
A. Absolutely. There are many companies building complete PCs with Cyrix 6x86 processors that are blazingly fast and are a terrific value. Take a look at the latest Computer Shopper. However, I would like to offer a word of advice. While Cyrix processors are excellent, their lower price sometimes makes them attractive to discount PC makers that try to cut corners on other parts of the system to save money. This is not the norm, but something to be aware of. While shopping around, make sure that everything in addition to the Cyrix chip is industry standard PC equipment, made by a reputable manufacturer, and of good quality. Remember, if it sounds to good to be true then it probably is.
Q. Why should I buy I dual voltage motherboard rather than a single voltage motherboard?
A. It is time to say goodbye to the single voltage motherboards and welcome in those that support dual voltage. You should not consider purchasing any motherboard that does not have dual voltage support. There are many reasons why.
Cyrix ramped up production of the 6x86L in the first quarter of 1997. The 6x86L is the low voltage 6x86. The 6x86L eventually replaced the entire 6x86 3.xV line of 6x86 processors.
The 6x86L is a dual voltage processor (core 2.8v, I/O 3.3v). Dual voltage processors have different voltage requirements for the CPU core and the CPU bus interface. The Cyrix 6x86L, Cyrix 6x86MX, AMD K6, and Pentium MMX are all dual voltage chips. If your motherboard doesn't have dual voltage support, you cannot use these chips without a voltage regulator. You can, however, use a single voltage processor in a dual voltage motherboard. Your can tell if your motherboard supports dual voltage if there are more than one set of voltage jumpers. The Official 6x86 Motherboard Compatibility List has also been updated with 2.8V compliant motherboards.
Most of the dual voltage motherboards also support the lower internal voltage requirements that these chips require.
Q. Which motherboards do you recommend for use with 6x86 processors?
A. Check out my Mainboard Recommendations page for my personal favorites. Included on this page are some rules that you should follow when trying to decide which mainboard is best for a Cyrix/IBM microprocessor and my mainboard picks for performance and price.
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