# iPSC/860
**Wikidata**: [Q72836635](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q72836635)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ipsc-860-q72836635

## Summary
iPSC/860 is a supercomputer manufactured by Intel featuring 128 processor cores with sustained performance of 2.6 gigaflops. It was part of Intel's early line of massively parallel computing systems, representing the company's entry into the high-performance computing market during the mid-1990s.

## Key Facts
- iPSC/860 is a supercomputer with a Top500 system ID of 167298
- It was manufactured by Intel, an American multinational technology company founded in 1968
- The supercomputer contains 128 processor cores
- It achieved sustained performance (Rmax) of 2.6 gigaflops between 1993 and 1995
- Its theoretical peak performance (Rpeak) was 5.12 gigaflops during the same period
- Performance measurements were recorded on specific dates: June 1993, November 1993, June 1994, November 1994, June 1995, and December 1995

## FAQs
### Q: What was iPSC/860 used for?
A: iPSC/860 was a supercomputer designed for high-performance computing applications, particularly scientific and technical workloads that required parallel processing capabilities. Intel developed it as part of their early entry into the supercomputer market.

### Q: How powerful was iPSC/860 compared to modern computers?
A: With a peak performance of 5.12 gigaflops, iPSC/860 was among the most powerful computers of its time in the early to mid-1990s. However, this is significantly less powerful than modern smartphones, which can achieve teraflops performance, representing a difference of multiple orders of magnitude.

### Q: How many processors did iPSC/860 have?
A: iPSC/860 featured 128 processor cores, which was a substantial number for its time and contributed to its classification as a massively parallel computing system.

## Why It Matters
iPSC/860 represented a significant milestone in Intel's history as the company expanded beyond desktop and server processors into the high-performance computing market. As one of Intel's early supercomputers, it demonstrated the company's ability to design and manufacture systems that could tackle complex scientific and engineering problems through parallel processing. The 128-core architecture of iPSC/860 was innovative for its time, paving the way for later developments in multi-core processors and high-performance computing clusters. While its performance by modern standards is modest, with peak speeds of just 5.12 gigaflops, it played an important role in establishing Intel as a serious player in the supercomputing arena during the mid-1990s.

## Notable For
- One of Intel's first forays into the supercomputer market, establishing the company in high-performance computing
- Featured 128 processor cores, representing a significant parallel processing capability for its era
- Achieved performance benchmarks that placed it among the world's most powerful computers in the early to mid-1990s
- Part of the Intel iPSC (Personal Supercomputer) series, which targeted scientific and technical workloads

## Body
### Technical Specifications
iPSC/860 is a supercomputer with the following specifications:
- Manufacturer: Intel
- Top500 system ID: 167298
- Number of processor cores: 128
- Peak performance (Rpeak): 5.12 gigaflops
- Sustained performance (Rmax): 2.6 gigaflops

### Performance Timeline
The performance metrics for iPSC/860 were recorded at multiple points between 1993 and 1995:
- June 1993: Rmax 2.6 gigaflops, Rpeak 5.12 gigaflops
- November 1993: Rmax 2.6 gigaflops, Rpeak 5.12 gigaflops
- June 1994: Rmax 2.6 gigaflops, Rpeak 5.12 gigaflops
- November 1994: Rmax 2.6 gigaflops, Rpeak 5.12 gigaflops
- June 1995: Rmax 2.6 gigaflops, Rpeak 5.12 gigaflops
- December 1995: Rmax 2.6 gigaflops, Rpeak 5.12 gigaflops

### Manufacturer Information
iPSC/860 was manufactured by Intel, an American multinational technology company founded on July 18, 1968. Intel is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and operates in the semiconductor and electrical industries. The company had approximately 107,300 employees in 2014, growing to 106,000 by the end of 2016 and 110,800 by 2019.