x86

x86 refers to a 16/32-bit processor architecture that was initially developed by Intel. The name is based on the first 16-bit CPU, _8086_, in this series from 1978. By design, x86 is assigned to the CISC architecture; originally with 16-bit-wide registers and a data bus as well as a 20-bit address bus and therefore a maximum of 1 MB of addressable memory. The first instruction set is still supported today.

In the 1980s and 1990s, this architecture dominated the desktop segment and was manufactured under licence and further developed by other manufacturers (AMD). To this day, it represents a de facto standard.

In the embedded field, it is used when compatibility with the desktop field, including the operating system used, and high processing performance are the priority. This is associated with high power consumption (65–105 W for the AMD Ryzen™ Embedded 7000 Series) and high thermal load. With CPUs not manufactured specifically for the embedded field, all interfaces must be connected as external hardware. x86 remains a de facto standard for embedded applications requiring desktop compatibility and high processing performance.

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