A retrospective on the Intel 486 CPU, announced at Comdex on April 10, 1989, priced at $950 per unit in bulk. Contemporary magazine coverage from Infoworld, Computerworld, and PC Magazine is reviewed, showing skepticism about the chip's necessity and high system costs ($10,000–$15,000). The 486 ultimately found its killer apps in Windows 3.0/3.1 and Doom, with Intel's 1992 clock-doubling (486DX2) pushing speeds past 50 MHz. The chip remained viable through the Windows 95 era before demanding software like Word 97 with Clippy required a Pentium.
Table of contents
Infoworld: Don’t get used to the speed increaseInfoworld: What will you do with the Intel 486’s power?All That Power With No Place to Go: PC MagazineThe 486’s killer appSort: