- amiga history guide Supporting Amiga and compatibles since 1997 -
-
-
- banners - disclaimer - faq
 
- - -
- -     -
-
recent updates
amiga history
features
amiga models
magazines
technical
interviews
internet links
downloads

 

-

© 1997-2006
Gareth Knight
All Rights reserved

-

 
-

68000

The internal processor was 32-bit, but externally it used a 16-bit interface. It could address up to 16MB of RAM and execute three quarters of a MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second) on an 8MHz machine. The Amiga 1000, 2000 and 500 was clocked at 7.14MHz.

Machines that used it

A500 A500+ A600

68008

A cheaper version of the 68000 chip, as used in the Sinclair QL. It has a 16-bit CPU, but only an 8-bit data bus.

Machines that used it

Sinclair QL

68010

A special version of the 68000 chip designed to multitask. The processor acts as if it were a number of 68000 processors for each program running. A few bugs were fixed in the "supervisor" mode. It was also slightly faster than the 68000 due to slight modifications.

Machines that used it

Available as an upgrade for A500 owners

68012

Fixed a few bugs in the design. Never used on the Amiga.

68020

A full 32-bit version of the 68000 chip. The full 68020 version increased the amount of memory usable up to 4 gigabytes. The EC (Embedded Controller) version present in the A1200 is only able to use a maximum of 16MB RAM. The chip introduced an instruction cache to increase the speed of operations. The EC version found in the A1200 was chosen because it was slightly cheaper as it did not contain cache memory. Motorola originally designed it to be used in video and washing machines!

Machines that used it

A1200 Some A500, A500+ and A600 accelerators

68030

An upgraded 68020 chip with a larger cache memory. It also added a Memory Management Unit (MMU) and Floating Point Unit (FPU). This allows the computer to use virtual memory. Some accelerators only fit the EC version of this chip which omits the MMU. The clock speed had also been increased to a maximum of 50MHz. An FPU has to be added externally.

Machines that used it

A3000, A4000/030, some A500, A500+, A600, CD32 and A1200 accelerators

68040

A vast improvement in speed over the 68030. It contained MMU, FPU and larger instruction and data caches built-in. The 25MHz 68040 found in many A4000's gives a performance of 19MIPS. Some A4000 came with a cut down EC version that did not contain the FPU, whilst the LC (Low Cost) version removed both the MMU and FPU. The 68040 chip is the warmest of the 68k family requiring many 040-based A1200's to be raised slightly to increase ventilation.

Machines that used it

A4000/040 Some A500, A500+, A1200, and A3000 accelerators

68060

The last in the 680x0 series. This was almost 100 times faster than the 68000 and three times as fast as the 68040. It had a number of advancements over the 68040 such as the fully static design which witched off individual parts of the processor when it was not in use, saving power and creating less heat. The 50MHz 68060 in a Cyberstorm runs at just under 40 MIPS.

Machines that used it

A4000/60 Some A1200, A4000 accelerators

68070

Not the next generation of processor, but one even slower than the 68000. Although it is compatible with the 68000, it was made by Philips not Motorola. The SCC68070 features two serial ports, a Memory Management Unit (MMU) and a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller. The only machine to use it is Philips CDi machine.

Machines that used it

Philips CDi.

68080/200MHz

A misunderstanding by many Amiga enthusiasts led to the belief that Amiga International were attempting to persuade Motorola to continue with their 68k series. This was due to comments by Petro Tyschtschenko at the Cologne 1997 show that it would be easier to develop a market if such a processor existed.

Machines that used it

None

 



BACK

-

Latest updates to the Amiga History Guide. (more)


-
· Amiga Hardware
· Amiga History.de
· Amiga Magazine Rack
· Amiga-news(en)(de)
· Amiga.org
· Amiga World
· AmigaOS 4.0
· Amiga University
· Commodore Retrobits
· Dave Haynie archive
· Lemon Amiga
· MorphOS Support
· morphos-news.de

-

Other interesting items in the archive!


-  

--

home · changes · amiga history · features · amiga models
magazines · technical · interviews · internet links · downloads

Hosted by:
Bambi - The Amiga Web Server