68020 vs. 80286

Attribute	68020	80286
Manufacturer	Motorola	Intel
Release Year	1984	1982
Architecture	CISC	CISC
Max Clock Speed	25 MHz	12.5 MHz
Address Bus	32-bit	24-bit
Data Bus	32-bit	16-bit
Registers	8 general purpose, 8 address, 1 status, 1 program counter	8 general purpose, 6 segment, 1 instruction pointer, 1 status

Introduction

When it comes to computer processors, the 68020 and 80286 are two popular choices that were widely used in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Both processors were significant upgrades from their predecessors, offering improved performance and capabilities. In this article, we will compare the attributes of the 68020 and 80286 processors to help you understand their differences and similarities.

Architecture

The 68020 processor is part of the Motorola 68000 family of processors, known for their efficient and powerful architecture. It features a 32-bit data bus and a 32-bit address bus, allowing it to access up to 4 GB of memory. The 68020 also introduced a new instruction set architecture with improved performance and support for virtual memory. On the other hand, the 80286 processor is part of the x86 family of processors developed by Intel. It features a 16-bit data bus and a 24-bit address bus, limiting its memory access to 16 MB. The 80286 also introduced protected mode, allowing for multitasking and memory protection.

Performance

When it comes to performance, the 68020 processor is known for its superior speed and efficiency compared to the 80286. The 68020 can execute more instructions per clock cycle and has a higher clock speed, resulting in faster overall performance. Additionally, the 68020 has a larger cache size, which helps reduce memory access times and improve performance in memory-intensive tasks. On the other hand, the 80286 processor is slower and less efficient than the 68020, especially when it comes to floating-point operations and multitasking.

Compatibility

One of the key differences between the 68020 and 80286 processors is their compatibility with software and hardware. The 68020 is not fully compatible with software written for the earlier 68000 processor, as it introduced new instructions and features that may not be supported by older software. However, the 68020 is backward compatible with most 68000 software, with some minor modifications. On the other hand, the 80286 is fully compatible with software written for the earlier 8086 and 8088 processors, making it a popular choice for businesses and consumers looking to upgrade their systems without having to replace their software.

Features

When it comes to features, the 68020 processor offers several advantages over the 80286. One of the key features of the 68020 is its support for virtual memory, which allows for more efficient memory management and multitasking. The 68020 also introduced a new instruction set architecture with improved performance and support for floating-point operations. Additionally, the 68020 has a built-in memory management unit (MMU) for better memory protection and security. On the other hand, the 80286 processor lacks support for virtual memory and has limited multitasking capabilities, making it less suitable for modern computing tasks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 68020 and 80286 processors are both significant upgrades from their predecessors, offering improved performance and capabilities. The 68020 processor excels in terms of speed, efficiency, and features, making it a popular choice for users looking for high-performance computing. On the other hand, the 80286 processor is known for its compatibility with older software and hardware, making it a practical choice for businesses and consumers looking to upgrade their systems without having to replace their existing software. Ultimately, the choice between the 68020 and 80286 processors will depend on your specific needs and requirements.