Inside a Counterfeit 8086 Processor

Inside a Counterfeit 8086 Processor
by Ken Shirriff on 08-19-2020 at 2:00 pm

Fake Intel 8086 CPU

Intel introduced the 8086 processor in 1978, leading to the x86 architecture in use today. I’m currently reverse-engineering the circuitry of the 8086 so I’ve been purchasing vintage 8086 chips off eBay. One chip I received is shown below. From the outside, it looks like a typical Intel 8086.

The package of the fake
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A Look at the Die of the 8086 Processor

A Look at the Die of the 8086 Processor
by Ken Shirriff on 07-15-2020 at 6:00 am

Intel 8086 Die

The Intel 8086 microprocessor was introduced 42 years ago last month,1 so I made some high-res die photos of the chip to celebrate. The 8086 is one of the most influential chips ever created; it started the x86 architecture that still dominates desktop and server computing today. By looking at the chip’s silicon, we can see… Read More