Intel 486 processor: With the introduction of the 486 in 1989, came the era of point-and-click computing. In other words, Graphical User Interface came into existence. (Example Windows.) This enabled users to simply point and select their requirement and eliminated the need to remember complex commands. It was also the first processor to offer a built in math coprocessor that speeded up computing because it offloads complex math functions from the central processor.
Intel Pentium Processor: It was launched in 1993. The launch of the Pentium created a new industry standard around the world with its "Superscalar architecture". It was 80% faster in DOS application as compared to 486. It was the first processor, which could truly cater heavy multimedia requirements. It was one of the most successful Intel processors.
Intel Pentium Pro Processor: Released in the fall of 1995, this processor succeeded the famous Pentium processor. It was specifically designed for 32 bit server and workstation applications. It was the first processor to have an onboard L2 cache.
Intel Pentium II processor: This 7.5 million-transistor processor was launched in 1997. It was much more powerful and efficient in handling multimedia data as compared to the Pentium, thanks to new instructions including the MMX technology and high clock-speed. It was introduced in the Single Edge Contact (S.E.C) and also incorporated the level 2 cache into it.
Intel Celeron: Keeping in mind, the budget conscious, Intel produced the Celeron processor in 1999. It was similar to a Pentium II in design but had no internal cache initially. Its performance was somewhat unimpressive. This led to newer versions of Celeron with 128KB onboard cache, which provided acceptable performance.
Intel Pentium III: Moving towards faster multimedia, the Pentium III was launched in 1999. It featured 70 new Internet Streaming SIMD extension which dramatically improves the performance of advanced imaging, 3D, streaming audio, video and speech recognition applications. The processor incorporates 9.5 million transistors, and was introduced using 0.25-micron technology.
Intel Pentium 4: Continuing the trend of development, Intel launched the Pentium 4 processor that is one of the fastest processors currently available with speeds up to 2 GHz. The arrival of the P4 led to the overhaul of the P6 architecture leading to the birth of Netburst architecture.
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