CompuServe Messages

Jake: I got to play with a RapidCAD just before it was shipped. It's a two chip set. One chip goes into the 386 socket; the other replaces the math-copro and handles exceptions that must go out across the bus. The major speed improvement is due to the integration of the main CPU and math functions into the same die. Intel notes that the processor/math co-processor combination spends a full 30% of its time just handling I/O between the two chips. I ran the CADalyst benchmarks on the RapidCAD and on the same 386 with a standard 386/387 chip set. The results, along with a "First Look" review, appear on page 24 of the March issue of CADalyst. David