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Intel 'P55C'

A famous evolution of the original Pentium (P5). The Pentium had a good reputation and the new Pentium with MMX Technology was right on spot. It offered a 32KB L1 cache just like the Pentium Overdrive for 486 systems had (normal Pentium's have 16KB L1 cache). The bigger cache and some extra improvements made the processor quite a bit faster. On top of that the processor featured the then new MMX multimedia extensions. Marketing let people believe that 'MMX' was the magic to make this CPU faster, but in reality it was the bigger L1 cache that did the trick. Applications and games that used MMX weren't much available in 1996 and 1997.

One of the first games to support MMX was the racing game PoD (Planet of Death). PoD was shipped with an additional executable which would start the MMX version, just like many games had a 3dfx-executable at the time. The MMX version would display the Pentium MMX logo on start-up. If I remember correctly the MMX version would be able to run at 800x600 and the normal version was 'stuck' at 640x480.

Most Pentium MMX processors came in a plastic package like the sketch on the left. Ceramic versions, like the original Pentium, also existed but were less common.

Intel Pentium MMX MECH 'N/A'

. > Read more

Intel Pentium MMX 166 'SL27K'

Identical to this Pentium MMX 166. > Read more

Intel Pentium MMX 200 'SL2RY'

A Pentium MMX that runs at a mind boggling 200MHz. The 166MHz and 200MHz models were the most popular ones back in the day.

The faster clocked version at 233MHz was much more expensive relative to the performance gain. The 33MHz extra did gain more performance but only for a premium price. Also the 233MHz version was only available in PPGA (plastic) packaging (as seen here). The 166MHz and 200MHz models were available in both PPGA and CPGA (ceramic). The ceramic versions are far less common, especially the CPGA 200MHz models.

The CPU shown in the photo's is based on the CPGA (ceramic) packaging. > Read more

Intel Pentium MMX 233 'SL293'

The top-of-the-line Pentium MMX processor for desktop systems. This particular model once came as Boxed processor and thus fitted with the Intel stock cooling solution. Generally the 166 and 200 models sold more since the 233MHz model was the premium model and thus carried a premium price as well. > Read more

Intel Pentium MMX 200 'SL27J'

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Intel Pentium Overdrive MMX 180 'SL2RL'

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Intel Pentium MMX 166 'SL27H'

Just like this 166MMX but with different sSpec. > Read more

Intel Pentium MMX 166 'SL27K'

A lot like this PPGA Pentium MMX 166 but in ceramic form. I guess that most of the Pentium MMX 166 models are housed in the plastic cPGA form but there aren't any statistics available. The Pentium MMX 200 is actually quite uncommon in ceramic package. By the time the 166 and 200MHz parts became affordable Intel already switched over to the cPGA packaging.

The Pentium MMX 233 never came in ceramic versions. > Read more

Intel Pentium MMX 233 'SL27S'

This one is like the 166MHz and 200MHz Pentium MMX processor but running at a whopping 233MHz! At the time this was generally the fastest socket 7 processor money could buy.

In my benchmarks it's breaking the 100 FPS barrier in both MDK and Doom. Quake seems to get a nice 33MHz bump over the 200MHz part (it scales fine). > Read more

Intel Pentium MMX 200 'SY060'

Same as this Pentium MMX 166 but then 33MHz faster. The 200MHz model became quite popular after some price drops. Intel's competitors couldn't match the Pentium in terms of FPU performance leaving game enthusiasts no other choice then buying the Pentium CPU. The 233MHz model was quite a bit more expensive and therefor less popular.

My CPU uses the PPGA (Plastic) packaging but I also have this CPU in CPGA (Ceramic) packaging: Pentium MMX 200 . The CPGA version is less common. > Read more

Intel Pentium MMX 166 'SL23V'

Same as this Pentium MMX 166 except that this version comes with an attached heatsink/fan solution. I also noticed that this CPU is multiplier unlocked so it can easily be set on 200MHz by raising the multiplier to 3x. Mutliplier locks prevent people from relabeling a CPU to a faster model. For example: take a Pentium MMX 166 and label it as Pentium MMX 200: the one who buys it, at the price of a MMX200, configures it at 200MHz and actually over clocks his/her chip. This can cause instability and Intel loses sales. As far as I know Intel began with the multiplier locks on some of the Pentium 133 CPU's but didn't lock all CPU's at once so there are newer unlocked models available. > Read more

Intel Pentium MMX 166 'SY059'

Another classic; the Pentium MMX at 166MHz. The Pentium MMX was made using a 280nm process instead of 350nm for the Pentium 133, 166 and 200. Because of this it runs cooler and with less voltage. This CPU did not only have MMX technology (which are a set of instructions) but also has twice the L1-cache. The bigger L1-cache is the main performance boost- not MMX! Especially at the time the Pentium MMX was released as application that used MMX could be counted on one hand.

See this Wiki page for more details on MMX.

The Pentium MMX uses a split-voltage design meaning it talks to the outside with 3,3V while internally it works at 2,8V. This causes incompatibility with older motherboards so the Pentium MMX can't run (by specs) in older motherboards.
> Read more