Sun Microsystems Inc is tipped to come out with a 60 MIPS version of the Sparcstation using the new version of the Sparc microprocessor – the so-called Sparc 2 – that has been in development at Texas Instruments Inc for a couple of years now. The superscalar Sparc implementation – superscalar is a vague term but normally means that the part can execute more than one instruction per cycle – is no code-named Viking. Sun is already using the 602a floating point co-processor from Texas in the Sparcstation-2 to enable the machine to deliver 50 to 60 VAX MIPS. LSI Logic Corp is coming up behind Texas with a superscalar part called the Lightning, which is being designed to deliver 80 MIPS at 40MHz. That Sparc is set for sampling in May and volume in the third quarter, and is also expected to find its way into Sun stations.
