The Quirky History of Desktop Math Coprocessors

In the early days of personal computing, specialized chips called math coprocessors (or FPUs – Floating Point Units) significantly boosted a CPU's mathematical capabilities, particularly for floating-point calculations (numbers with decimal points). This was crucial for scientific and engineering applications, which demand high precision.

What is a Math Coprocessor?

A math coprocessor is a dedicated microchip designed to work alongside a CPU, accelerating complex mathematical operations. For instance, the Intel 80387SX complemented the 80386SX CPU. Adding a coprocessor like the 80387SX to a system dramatically improved performance for floating-point calculations, essential for tasks requiring decimal precision. This contrasts with integer math, which uses whole numbers only. Today, floating-point math is ubiquitous in software, especially video games, giving rise to terms like gigaflops and teraflops (floating-point operations per second). Beyond floating-point math, coprocessors could handle signal processing and I/O functions, tasks the main CPU could perform but often less efficiently.

The Dawn of Desktop Math Coprocessors

While mainframes and minicomputers had used specialized processors for years, math coprocessors didn't become common in home computing until the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Intel 8087 (1980), an optional add-on for the 8086 and 8088 CPUs found in early IBM PCs, was a landmark example. This allowed even modest desktop computers to handle tasks previously requiring much larger systems. Competitors like Motorola (68881 for its 68000 series, used in early Macs and Amigas) quickly followed suit.

The Rise and Fall of Third-Party Coprocessors

The open coprocessor socket on many home computers attracted third-party manufacturers. Cyrix, for example, challenged Intel with its FasMath 83D87 and 83S87 coprocessors, marking the beginning of a long rivalry that extended to full CPUs. Specialized coprocessors like the Weitek Abacus FPU catered to niche applications, such as Autodesk Renderman and other professional 3D software, accelerating graphics-related calculations before the advent of the GPU.

By the late 1990s, the standalone coprocessor era ended. Modern CPUs and GPUs now handle all floating-point calculations internally. However, the concept of multiple processing units working together persists—my current laptop, for example, boasts 24 CPUs, showcasing a form of "co-processing" albeit on a much larger scale.

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