[serentty]

It is indeed an SX! I am upgrading it to 16 MiB soon, as well as putting an Ethernet card in it. At that point I think it might end up a much more capable host. I am not sure if I want to find some way to keep this page up long-term yet. If there ends up being a reason to, then I will look around for some suitably retro way to host it, while still allowing me to use the 386 for other things.

[sgt]

The SX makes it practically a 286, right?

[smackeyacky]

Sort of. 32 bit internally, 16 bit externally. Not as fast as the DX but had all the processor modes so could run protected mode unlike the 286.

One place I worked we sold a 286 upgrade board that had a 386sx and a few support chips. Undearneath was a 286 style socket. You removed your 286 and put this thing in its place. They worked OK and provided a decent speed boost.

[unfocussed_mike]

Amstrad's last great PC series (the 3x86 series made with very standard components, unlike the unusual 2x86 series) used this strategy for the 3386, I think.

[guidedlight]

The 286 is a 16-bit CPU, whereas the 386 is 32-bit CPU.

This alone made the 386 far more capable and compatible with modern software (Linux requires 32-bit).