Mmx

MMX or Multi-Media-Extention is the latest technology from Intel for their computer processor


chips and is now becoming available in some high quality, mid-priced computer systems.   In this essay, I


will discuss the technology and what it offers to the user, as well as, compare three high quality system


packages from three of industries leading manufacturers.   The systems discussed here are the Gateway


2000 P55C-200 FPC, the Packard Bell NEC Platinum 2240, and the Compaq Presario 4784; all of which


contain the new Intel Pentium 200 MHz-MMX processor.   MMX technology is more than an industry buzz


word and is currently available in some well rounded, mid-priced system packages that are obtainable for


most home users to take advantage of.


MMX technology is Intel's most recent processor enhancement, but what is it?   How does it work?  


What does it mean as far as performance improvements?   MMX technology is the first new chip


architecture from Intel in ten years.   From a technological standpoint, there are significant changes: MMX


defines a set of 57 new computer instructions that extend the x86 instruction set of approximately 80; it has


32 KB of on-chip cache, verses the non-MMX on-chip cache of 16 KB, which enhances performance of


even non-MMX applications, and it makes use of Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) for more


efficient data processing.   The 57 new and powerful instructions are specifically designed to process and


manipulate audio, video, and graphical data much more effectively.   Intel, having doubled its on-chip cache


size from 16 KB on non-MMX processor chips to 32 KB on MMX enhanced chips, now allows more


instructions and data to be stored on the chip reducing the number of times the proces!


sor must access slower, off-chip memory areas for information.   The multimedia and communication


applications...