Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!samsung!dali.cs.montana.edu!milton!sumax!ole!ray
From: ray@ole.UUCP (Ray Berry)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Math Coprocessors
Message-ID: <1820@ole.UUCP>
Date: 23 Feb 91 22:33:30 GMT
References: <1991Feb19.214611.31858@slate.mines.colorado.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Seattle Silicon Corp., Bellevue, WA.
Lines: 20

sreese@slate.mines.colorado.edu (L. Scott Reese) writes:
>20MHz machine and have a couple of questions:  Is it possible to 
>use a slower speed math chip (ie. 16 MHz)?  I have heard it is but
>get strange responses when I say that I want a 16MHz chip for my 
>20MHz machine.

    Technically they don't have to run at the same speed.  However, most
motherboards only support synchronous operation (same speed).  Your MB
manual or vendor should have an answer on this.

>	Is there a major difference between the Intel 80387 and other
>math chips?  I am mainly wanting to use the chip for Acad 10 and 
>intensive graphing routines.

	Cyrix chips are the fastest (~2x Intel) but since a very small 
percentage of clock cycles are FPU instructions, in practice it really
doesn't matter too much.  I suggest you use whatever you can get at the
best price.
-- 
Ray Berry  kb7ht  uucp: ...sumax!ole!ray CIS: 73407,3152 /* "inquire within" */