# iPSC/860
**Wikidata**: [Q69634584](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q69634584)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ipsc-860-q69634584

## Summary
The iPSC/860 is a supercomputer manufactured by the American technology company Intel. It is designed for high-performance computing tasks, featuring 128 processor cores. During its operational peak in the mid-1990s, it achieved a maximum performance (Rmax) of 2.6 gigaflops and a peak performance (Rpeak) of 5.12 gigaflops.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Supercomputer
- **Manufacturer**: Intel (American multinational technology company)
- **Processor Cores**: 128
- **TOP500 System ID**: 215
- **Max Performance (Rmax)**: 2.6 Gigaflops (recorded Nov 1993 – Dec 1995)
- **Peak Performance (Rpeak)**: 5.12 Gigaflops (recorded Nov 1993 – Dec 1995)
- **Manufacturer Headquarters**: Santa Clara, California, United States
- **Manufacturer Industry**: Semiconductor and Electrical Industries

## FAQs
### Q: What type of computer is the iPSC/860?
A: The iPSC/860 is classified as a supercomputer. It was built by Intel for high-performance computing applications.

### Q: What was the processing speed of the iPSC/860?
A: The system had a peak performance (Rpeak) of 5.12 gigaflops and a max performance (Rmax) of 2.6 gigaflops. These metrics were recorded consistently across benchmarks between 1993 and 1995.

### Q: How many processor cores did the iPSC/860 have?
A: The iPSC/860 utilized 128 processor cores.

## Why It Matters
The iPSC/860 represents a specific era in the evolution of supercomputing where commercial semiconductor manufacturers, specifically Intel, directly produced high-performance systems for the TOP500 market. Its presence in the rankings from 1993 through 1995 highlights the transition toward parallel processing architectures utilizing 128 cores to achieve gigaflop-level performance.

The system is significant because it marks Intel's role not just as a chip supplier but as the direct manufacturer (OEM) of integrated supercomputing solutions. The technical specifications—a combination of 128 cores and 5.12 gigaflops peak performance—served as a benchmark for scientific and industrial computing capabilities in the mid-1990s. The iPSC/860 helped pave the way for the widespread adoption of standard microprocessor architectures in supercomputing, moving away from the custom, monolithic designs of previous decades.

## Notable For
- **Manufacturer**: Distinguished by being a supercomputer directly manufactured by Intel, a leader in the semiconductor industry.
- **Consistency**: Maintained a stable performance record of 2.6 Rmax gigaflops across multiple TOP500 listing dates (1993–1995).
- **Architecture**: Utilized a 128-core configuration, representing a significant investment in parallel processing for its time.
- **Corporate Lineage**: Stands as a notable entry in Intel's hardware history, separate from their primary business of consumer and server processors.

## Body
### Manufacturer Details
The iPSC/860 was produced by **Intel**, an American multinational technology company established on July 18, 1968. While Intel is prominently known for its work in the semiconductor and electrical industries, the iPSC/860 demonstrates the company's historical engagement in the supercomputing hardware market. Intel is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States.

### Technical Specifications
The system is defined by the following structural and performance properties:
*   **Instance of**: Supercomputer
*   **Core Count**: 128
*   **TOP500 ID**: 215

### Performance History
The iPSC/860 was tracked in the TOP500 supercomputer rankings with consistent metrics over a two-year span. The recorded performance data includes:

*   **June 1993**: Rmax of 2.6 GFlops; Rpeak of 5.12 GFlops.
*   **November 1993**: Rmax of 2.6 GFlops; Rpeak of 5.12 GFlops.
*   **June 1994**: Rmax of 2.6 GFlops; Rpeak of 5.12 GFlops.
*   **November 1994**: Rmax of 2.6 GFlops; Rpeak of 5.12 GFlops.
*   **June 1995**: Rmax of 2.6 GFlops; Rpeak of 5.12 GFlops.
*   **December 1995**: Rmax of 2.6 GFlops; Rpeak of 5.12 GFlops.