X-VMS-To: IN%"games-l@utarlvm1.uta.edu"
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.games-l
Date:         Wed, 9 Sep 1992 13:43:00 CDT
Reply-To:     GREGSTER <LUSKG@UWGB.EDU>
From:         GREGSTER <LUSKG@UWGB.EDU>

Date sent:  9-SEP-1992 13:38:06
>From:	IN%"96942392@UWWVAX.UWW.EDU"  9-SEP-1992 04:57:21.71
>To:	IN%"GAMES-L@UTARLVM1.UTA.EDU"  "Multiple recipients of list GAMES-L"
>CC:
>Subj:	SX/DX
>
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>Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 22:28:11 CDT
>From: 96942392@UWWVAX.UWW.EDU
>Subject: SX/DX
>Sender: Computer Games List <GAMES-L@UTARLVM1.UTA.EDU>
>To: Multiple recipients of list GAMES-L <GAMES-L@UTARLVM1.UTA.EDU>
>Reply-to: 96942392@UWWVAX.UWW.EDU
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>
>The REAL difference between any SX and DX CPU (no matter if it is a
>386 or 486) is that the SX has HALF of the data bus lines of the
>DX.  In order for the SX to fetch a 32 bit value from memory (2 words
>or 4 bytes), it has to fetch two 16 bit words.  A DX CPU can fetch
>the whole 32 bits at one time.  In other words, the SX will take about
>twice as long as a DX when the CPU needs to either get a 32 bit value or
>store it.
>
>The SX was designed to be cheaper.  A computer manufactor only needs
>to put in a 16 bit data bus, which is much cheaper than a 32 data bus.
>This is why SX computers are cheaper and slower.
>
>Most games do not make use of a Floating Point Processor.  Games that
>use heavy calculations (such as Flight Simulators) do make use
>of this co-processor.  I would also suspect that games like Ultima
>Underworld also use this.
>
>Rick Johnson
>96942392@UWWVAX.UWW.EDU
>University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Sorry but you is wrong, a smaller data bus is true for a 386sx but the only
difference between a 486SX and a 486DX is the Math Coproccesor, and they
did not simply disable the coproccesor on the SX, it did not pass "the
test" and that is why it is disabled.  Finally virtually all games
(including flight simulators) do not in a large part use floating point
arithmatic, so the coproccesor is void with concern to these games.


*************************************************************************
*Gregory M Lusk * Student (God help me) & Self Proclaimed Computer Geek *
*************************************************************************
*Place of learning: The University of Wisconsin at Green Bay (UWGB)     *
*************************************************************************
*Adresses(internet) -LUSKG@gbms01.uwgb.edu     *     Give Me an IBM     *
*                    LUSKG@gbvaxa.uwgb.edu     *       or Give Me       *
*                    906842GL@gbvaxa.uwgb.edu  *         DEATH!         *
*************************************************************************
*Not ready reading drive A  Abort, Retry, Fail, Smack the frigging thing*
*************************************************************************
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.games-l