Intel 486SX 33MHz Processor A80486SX-33 SX902 Socket 3 i486SX CPU

Intel 486SX 33MHz Processor A80486SX-33 SX902 Socket 3 i486SX CPU

The Intel 486SX/33MHz is a 32-bit x86 processor running at 33 MHz, part of Intel's i486 family introduced in the early 1990s. The SX designation indicates this is the version without an on-chip floating-point unit (FPU), distinguishing it from the 486DX line. It uses a 168-pin ceramic PGA package and fits Socket 3 motherboards. This specific unit carries part number A80486SX-33 and stepping code SX902, manufactured in Malaysia per the date markings on the underside.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: Intel
• Part Number: A80486SX-33
• S-Spec / Stepping: SX902
• Clock Speed: 33 MHz
• Bus Speed: 33 MHz
• Architecture: 32-bit x86 (i486)
• Socket: Socket 3 (168-pin ceramic PGA)
• L1 Cache: 8 KB on-die
• Floating-Point Unit: None (SX variant — FPU not integrated)
• Supply Voltage: 5V
• Country of Manufacture: Malaysia
• Lot Code visible on package: L4421524
• Date code: Intel © 1989/1992
• Includes: Processor only — no heatsink, cooler, or socket hardware included

Applications

The Intel 486SX-33 belongs to the fourth generation of x86 processors and was a mainstream desktop CPU in the early-to-mid 1990s. It was the standard-performance tier of the 486 platform, found in a wide range of business and consumer PCs running MS-DOS and early versions of Microsoft Windows (Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups). The SX line was designed to offer a lower-cost entry point to the 486 platform by omitting the integrated FPU; users who needed floating-point performance could add an Intel 487SX math coprocessor to the dedicated coprocessor socket present on most Socket 3 boards. The 486SX-33 was commonly paired with ISA and VLB (VESA Local Bus) expansion cards and typically ran with 4–16 MB of RAM. Today these processors are sought by vintage PC enthusiasts, retrocomputing hobbyists, and collectors restoring period-correct 486-class systems. Compatible motherboards commonly include Socket 3 designs from manufacturers such as ASUS, Gigabyte, and AMI-based OEM boards from the 1992–1995 era.