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VIA Cyrix III/C3
  VIA Cyrix III-466 MHz
  VIA Cyrix III-500 MHz
  VIA Cyrix III-533 MHz
  VIA Cyrix III-550 MHz
  VIA Cyrix III-600 MHz
  VIA Cyrix III-667 MHz
  VIA Cyrix III-700 MHz
  VIA Cyrix III-750A MHz, Engineering Sample
  VIA C3-733 MHz
  VIA C3-750A MHz, Engineering Sample
  VIA C3 800 MHz
  VIA C3-800 MHz (PGA)
  VIA C3-866 MHz (PGA)
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The VIA Cyrix III/C3 Processor
The VIA Cyrix III, later renamed C3, is an x86 CPU based on a design by Centaur Technology, a former IDT subsidiary and creator of the WinChip C6. VIA bought Centaur from IDT in 1999.
 
While being much slower than x86 CPUs made by AMD and Intel, VIA designed the chip for the low power segment of the market, and use simplicity in design, to deliver niche qualities which make it attractive to some buyers. Features of the C3 include the lowest manufacturing cost of all modern x86 processors by far and low electrical consumption levels (about 10-30% of a Pentium 4 at comparable speed) and thus low heat output, enabling the processor to run with a passive heatsink cooling solution. In later versions (Nehemiah) it also features a hardware random number generator and very high performance AES encryption in hardware, all packed in a BGA package the size of a 1 cent coin.
 
VIA initially planned to develop the Cyrix III as a successor to the Cyrix M II, codenamed "Joshua". In the meantime the Centaur team worked on the successor to that, a WinChip 4 core based technology codenamed "Samuel". After many delays, the Joshua project was finally cancelled due to lack of performance and the ahead of schedule Samuel was renamed and released as the Cyrix III in June 2000. However, VIA kept the name of "Cyrix III" in order to avoid wasting the money the company had already spent on the marketing campaign. From a technical point of view, the Cyrix III has nothing to do with Cyrix anymore.
 
References: Introduction Press Release  VIA Cyrix III site 2000  VIA C3 site 2005  Cyrix III review on tecchannel.de
VIA Cyrix III-466 MHz
VIA Cyrix III-466 MHz Top Side
VIA Cyrix III Processor
VIA Cyrix III-466MHz
133MHz BUS 3.5X
HEATSINK REQUIRED
VIA Cyrix III-466 MHz Back Side
(C)(M) VIA Cyrix
466MHz (133X3.5)
0030 TAIWAN
A300CN01689
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Core Frequency:466 MHz
Board Frequency:133 MHz
Clock Multiplier:3.5
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:11,300,000
Circuit Size:0.18 µ
Voltage:2.0 V
Introduced:June 6, 2000
Manufactured:week 30/2000
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
CPU Code:Samuel
C5A
Package Type:Ceramic
Goldcap
PGA-370
Socket: 370
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VIA Cyrix III-500 MHz
VIA Cyrix III-500 MHz Top Side
VIA Cyrix III Processor
VIA Cyrix III-500MHz
100MHz BUS 5.0X
HEATSINK REQUIRED
VIA Cyrix III-500 MHz Back Side
(C)(M) VIA Cyrix
500MHz (100X5.0)
1.8V
0037 TAIWAN
A300CN06800
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Core Frequency:500 MHz
Board Frequency:100 MHz
Clock Multiplier:5.0
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:11,300,000
Circuit Size:0.18 µ
Voltage:2.0 V
Introduced:June 6, 2000
Manufactured:week 37/2000
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
CPU Code:Samuel
C5A
Package Type:Ceramic
Goldcap
PGA-370
Socket: 370
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VIA Cyrix III-533 MHz
VIA Cyrix III-533 MHz Top Side
VIA Cyrix III Processor
VIA Cyrix III-533MHz
133MHz BUS 4.0X
HEATSINK REQUIRED
VIA Cyrix III-533 MHz Back Side
(C)(M) VIA Cyrix
533MHz (133X4.0)
0028 TAIWAN
A300CN01692
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Core Frequency:533 MHz
Board Frequency:133 MHz
Clock Multiplier:4.0
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:11,300,000
Circuit Size:0.18 µ
Voltage:2.0 V
Introduced:June 6, 2000
Manufactured:week 28/2000
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
CPU Code:Samuel
C5A
Package Type:Ceramic
Goldcap
PGA-370
Socket: 370
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VIA Cyrix III-550 MHz
VIA Cyrix III-550 MHz Top Side
VIA Cyrix III Processor
VIA Cyrix III-550MHz
100MHz BUS 5.5X
HEATSINK REQUIRED
VIA Cyrix III-550 MHz Back Side
(C)(M) VIA Cyrix
550MHz (100X5.5)
1.9V A320CTO
0039 TAIWAN
DA4537.00
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Core Frequency:550 MHz
Board Frequency:100 MHz
Clock Multiplier:5.5
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:11,300,000
Circuit Size:0.18 µ
Voltage:1.9 V
Introduced:June 6, 2000
Manufactured:week 39/2000
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
CPU Code:Samuel
C5A
Package Type:Ceramic
Goldcap
PGA-370
Socket: 370
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VIA Cyrix III-600 MHz
VIA Cyrix III-600 MHz Top Side
VIA Cyrix III Processor
VIA Cyrix III-600MHz
133MHz BUS 4.5X
HEATSINK/FAN REQUIRED
VIA Cyrix III-600 MHz Back Side
(C)(M) VIA Cyrix
600MHz (133X4.5)
2.0V A320BVO
0051 TAIWAN
DA6502.C4
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Core Frequency:600 MHz
Board Frequency:133 MHz
Clock Multiplier:4.5
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:11,300,000
Circuit Size:0.18 µ
Voltage:2.0 V
Introduced:June 6, 2000
Manufactured:week 51/2000
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
CPU Code:Samuel
C5A
Package Type:Ceramic
PGA-370
Socket: 370
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VIA Cyrix III-667 MHz
VIA Cyrix III-667 MHz Top Side
VIA Cyrix III Processor
VIA Cyrix III-677MHz
133MHz BUS 5.0X
HEATSINK/FAN REQUIRED
VIA Cyrix III-667 MHz Back Side
(C)(M) VIA Cyrix
667MHz (133X5.0)
0046 TAIWAN
DA5353.00
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Core Frequency:667 MHz
Board Frequency:133 MHz
Clock Multiplier:5.0
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:11,300,000
Circuit Size:0.18 µ
Voltage:1.9 V
Introduced:June 6, 2000
Manufactured:week 46/2000
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
CPU Code:Samuel
C5A
Package Type:Ceramic
Goldcap
PGA-370
Socket: 370
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VIA Cyrix III-700 MHz
VIA Cyrix III-700 MHz Top Side
VIA Cyrix III-700 MHz Back Side
(C)(M) VIA Cyrix
700MHz (100X7.0)
2.0V AG20CB0
0112 TAIWAN
817031
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Core Frequency:700 MHz
Board Frequency:100 MHz
Clock Multiplier:7.0
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:11,300,000
Circuit Size:0.18 µ
Voltage:2.0 V
Introduced:January 12, 2001
Manufactured:week 12/2001
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
CPU Code:Samuel
C5A
Package Type:Ceramic
Goldcap
PGA-370
Socket: 370
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VIA Cyrix III-750A MHz, Engineering Sample
VIA Cyrix III-750A MHz, Engineering Sample Top Side
VIA Cyrix III Processor
VIA Cyrix III-750AMHz
(100 x 7.5)
HEATSINK/FAN REQUIRED
VIA Cyrix III-750A MHz, Engineering Sample Back Side
C5B ES
Lot#CE2133.C5
Wafer#19
BIN#3
1.7V/100
By 2001, the Samuel 2 (C5B) was released, this time just as the VIA C3. Samuel 2 ran at a higher clock speed and added a level 2 cache, required lower voltage and was also available in an Enhanced Ball Grid Array (EBGA) version. EBGA allowed the CPU to be mounted directly onto a motherboard without using Intel's costly Socket 370.
 
This is a Samuel 2 Engineering Sample, still marked Cyrix III and in PGA package.
 
 
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Core Frequency:750 MHz
Board Frequency:100 MHz
Clock Multiplier:7.5
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:15,200,000
Circuit Size:0.15 µ
Voltage:1.7 V
Introduced:May 28, 2001
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
L2 Cache:64 KB
CPU Code:Samuel 2
C5B
Package Type:Ceramic
PGA-370
Socket: 370
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VIA C3-733 MHz
VIA C3-733 MHz Top Side
VIA C3-733 MHz Back Side
(C)(M) VIA C3
733MHz (133X5.5)
1.6V AG40JT1
0206 TAIWAN
121761
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Core Frequency:733 MHz
Board Frequency:133 MHz
Clock Multiplier:5.5
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:15,200,000
Circuit Size:0.15 µ
Voltage:1.6 V
Introduced:March 25, 2001
Manufactured:week 6/2002
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
L2 Cache:64 KB
CPU Code:Samuel 2
C5B
Package Type:Plastic
BGA-336
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VIA C3-750A MHz, Engineering Sample
VIA C3-750A MHz, Engineering Sample Top Side
C3 Processor
VIA C3-750AMHz
(100 x 7.5)
HEATSINK/FAN REQUIRED
VIA C3-750A MHz, Engineering Sample Back Side
(C)(M) VIA C3 ES
750MHz (100X7.5)
1.6V AF40JRO
0136 TAIWAN
10625G1
 
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Core Frequency:750 MHz
Board Frequency:100 MHz
Clock Multiplier:7.5
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:15,200,000
Circuit Size:0.25 µ
Voltage:1.6 V
Introduced:May 28, 2001
Manufactured:week 36/2001
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
L2 Cache:64 KB
CPU Code:Samuel 2
C5B
Package Type:Plastic
BGA-336
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VIA C3 800 MHz
VIA C3 800 MHz Top Side
VIA C3 800 MHz Back Side
(C)(M) VIA C3
1.35V A350FJ1
0206 TAIWAN
C495200-09
The next version C3 (internally named C5C) was the "Ezra" running at 1.35V and designed to run at 800 - 1000 MHz.
 
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Core Frequency:800 MHz
Board Frequency:133 MHz
Clock Multiplier:6.0
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:15,400,000
Circuit Size:0.25 µ
Voltage:1.35 V
Introduced:2001
Manufactured:week 6/2002
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
L2 Cache:64 KB
CPU Code:Ezra
C5C
Package Type:Plastic
BGA-336
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VIA C3-800 MHz (PGA)
VIA C3-800 MHz (PGA) Top Side
VIA C3 Processor
VIA C3 - 800AMHz
(133x6.0)
HEATSINK/FAN REQUIRED
VIA C3-800 MHz (PGA) Back Side
(C)(M) VIA C3 TM
1.35V A350EN0
0229 TAIWAN
D023500-09
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Core Frequency:800 MHz
Board Frequency:133 MHz
Clock Multiplier:6.0
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:15,400,000
Circuit Size:0.13 µ
Voltage:1.35 V
Introduced:March 25, 2001
Manufactured:week 29/2002
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
L2 Cache:64 KB
CPU Code:Ezra
C5C
Package Type:Ceramic
Goldcap
PGA-370
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VIA C3-866 MHz (PGA)
VIA C3-866 MHz (PGA) Top Side
VIA C3 Processor
VIA C3 - 866AMHz
(133x6.5)
HEATSINK/FAN REQUIRED
VIA C3-866 MHz (PGA) Back Side
(C)(M) VIA C3 TM
1.4V AG60ADO
0242 TAIWAN
82705G1-04 T
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Core Frequency:866 MHz
Board Frequency:133 MHz
Clock Multiplier:6.5
Data bus (ext.):64 Bit
Address bus:32 Bit
Transistors:15,500,000
Circuit Size:0.13 µ
Voltage:1.4 V
Introduced:September 11, 2001
Manufactured:week 42/2002
Made in:Taiwan
L1 Cache:64+64 KB
L2 Cache:64 KB
CPU Code:Ezra-T
C5N
Package Type:Ceramic
Goldcap
PGA-370
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