As Intel Corp prepares to announce its new 80486SL chip with on-board power-saving circuitry next week, it faces contention on two fronts, PC Week reports. A competing chip from Cyrix Corp, called the M6n, is to be announced the same day, and several personal computer manufacturers are questioning the viability of the SL product line, the US trade weekly says. The personal computer manufacturers are up in arms because of an apparent shift in strategy that calls for Intel to spread power-management features across future SX, DX and DX2 chip lines – a move that could cannibalise the SL line. Presently, Intel’s SL chips differ from SX and DX processors by adding power-management features such as System Management Mode and System Management Interrupt capabilities that reduce battery drain. The new plan calls for Intel to add these features to versions of its 80486SX and 80486DX CPUs early next year, calling into question the long-term viability of SLs.
