Intel Corp is working on a 16-bit bus version of the 32-bit 80386 micro-processor, which could be out as soon as the first quarter of next year, according to Electronic News. Such a part would provide Personalike builders with most of the performance benefits of the 80386 while enabling them to use much cheaper support chips, and its existence would go some way to explaining why Intel is not keen to see 80286 parts clocked faster than 12.5MHz – the highest speed Intel offers on the 80286. Its US second source, Advanced Micro Devices, last month announced a 16MHz version of the 80286 and Intel is deep in litigation with AMD, trying to rescind its second-source agreement and prevent it selling any further parts made under the agreement in the meantime. According to the US trade weekly, IBM also does not want to see AT-alikes running any faster than existing ones, but if that is so, an 80388 would not meet with IBM’s approval either. Since the 32-bit mode of the 80386 is hardly used in the 386 machines running MS-DOS, there would be very little difference in performance between one based on an 80386 and one using an 80388. Intel is also thought to be working jointly with Harris Corp, its partner for CMOS iAPX-86 parts, on a a CMOS version of the 80286.
