Motorola Inc, clearly making sure that Intel Corp has plenty to think about as it prepares to launch the 80486, and making it clear that despite the badmouthing it received early on, there is plenty more mileage yet in the 68030, this week, as reported briefly (CI No 1,151) came out with a version clocked at a blinding 50MHz – 17MHz faster than its previous fastest. The company claims that the speed means that the thing does 12 MIPS, double that of all conventional processors available today. The 50MHz 68030 is fabricated in 1 micron HCMOS, the first conventional processor to be produced below 1.2 microns – but NEC Corp will have something to say about boths claims: see below. The company reminds us that Apollo Computer, Apple Computer, Hewlett-Packard, NEC, NeXT, Sony Microsystems and Sun Microsystems all use the 68030. The part starts sampling next month at $650 a time, with volume production planned for the third quarter.
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