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Via Revives Cyrix Processors

Reviving the M-II line, chip maker will also preview a new processor family to compete with Intel's Celeron line.

By Terho Uimonen, IDG News   

Show attendees will also get a sneak peek at a yet-to-be-named new processor family, which is code-named "Joshua" and scheduled for introduction in next year's first quarter, the company said in a statement issued Monday.

The revived M-II series will feature chips with performance ratings of up to 433, which will offer performance comparable to a 433-MHz Celeron from Intel. The Cyrix M-II-433 will have a clock speed of 300 MHz and support a 100-MHz system bus, according to information from the company's Web site.

Positioned as a competitor to Intel's Celeron family, Via's Joshua processor series will feature a faster 133-MHz system bus interface, although the company did not reveal the clock speeds of the processors set to power prototype systems to be demonstrated at Comdex.

Previously known as Gobi, the code name National Semiconductor used for the chip series, Joshua will be designed around a different processor core than the M-II series, and will also feature 256KB of on-chip Level 2 cache memory. The Joshua processors will come in packaging designed for the same Socket 370 that Intel uses for its entry-level Celeron line.

Joshua "should start shipping before the end of Q1," a Via representative said Monday in an e-mail response to questions about the company's plans.

This year, Via has emerged as a key supplier of low-cost PC processors following the completion of its purchases of National Semiconductor's Cyrix subsidiary and IDT's Centaur Technology processor unit.

At the same time, however, the Taiwan-based company is also facing a recently expanded lawsuit alleging that its chip sets infringe on Intel's intellectual property rights related to the P6 bus used in systems powered by Celeron and Pentium III processors.