Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc:3658 comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:3109
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!sjsca4!poffen
From: poffen@sj.ate.slb.com (Russ Poffenberger)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Wanted: Advice on Buying a 386 SX
Message-ID: <1990Nov13.233153.2246@sj.ate.slb.com>
Date: 13 Nov 90 23:31:53 GMT
References: <1990Nov13.104150.17179@metro.ucc.su.OZ.AU>
Reply-To: poffen@sj.ate.slb.com (Russ Poffenberger)
Organization: Schlumberger Technologies, San Jose, CA.
Lines: 45

In article <1990Nov13.104150.17179@metro.ucc.su.OZ.AU> wongl@extro.ucc.su.oz.au (Glenn N Woodland) writes:
>
>Thanks for all of you replied. We are now have a clearer mind about
>buying a 386SX. Actually my friend checked the dealer again today,
>the 386SX mother is based on Chips & Tech. chip set and Phonix BIOS.
>And also he tested some bugs of 386 or 386SX. It passed all those tests,
>including running a 32 bit testing program with virtual memory management.
>The case is called "Baby Case" and the power supply is 110 W.
>
>One confusing thing is that although the 386SX CPU was labeled as 16MHz,
>the LM benchmark showed 26. When he checked with other dealers before, all
>the LM numbers of 16 MHz 386SXes were between 20 or 21, though they are
>not based on C&T chip set. Is there anything strange here?
>
>As of the price, A$2400 (or US$2000), it includes 20% sales tax and one
>year warranty. That's the best offer my friend found here in the Sydney
>metropolitan area, though he has not checked with mail order dealers as he
>cannot test their machines before purchasing it.
>
>About the modem, it seems that a 2400 baud modem could be a reasonable choice.
>But someone told us that there are two kinds, one is internal, another external.
>Does this mean an external modem needs its own power supply? It seems to us
>an internal one would be better. Is this correct? My friend hasn't checked
>with modem dealers and he wants to have some idea first about modem before
>looking around.
>
>Please reply me by email.
>
>Thanks a lot.
>
>-Glenn


Even though the CPU was labeled 16Mhz, this does not reflect the clock speed
it is being run at. You need to check the speed of the crystal for the CPU.

Many vendors "push" the CPU's at speeds faster than they are certified for.

This may cause problems down the line. There have been many threads here about
this and there is no real definitive answer about the drawbacks.

Russ Poffenberger               DOMAIN: poffen@sj.ate.slb.com
Schlumberger Technologies       UUCP:   {uunet,decwrl,amdahl}!sjsca4!poffen
1601 Technology Drive		CIS:	72401,276
San Jose, Ca. 95110             (408)437-5254