Who invented Intel’s first Pentium chip?

In today’s world, whether we are a computer wizard or not much of a tech-savvy, we might probably know the American technology company – Intel. 

Intel, also known as Intel Corporation, is one of the world’s largest technology companies. It reigned the computer age because of its advanced technology and innovation when it comes to computer hardware. They topped the list in 2019 data, which showed the percentage of computers using Intel processors. Records show that 68.4 percent of networks around the globe use Intel processors, which exceeds all of its competitors. 

Vinod Dham

Throughout history, Intel paved its way to becoming the success that it is today. And along its growth is the success of its famous brand, Pentium.

As mentioned earlier, most of the computers in our world today runs with an Intel processor. Among these processors is the Pentium series, which gained recognition since its release on the market. Until today, Pentium processors are still in use by mid-range personal computers all around the world. 

In this article, we are going to look into the history of one of Intel’s most excellent brand – the Pentium processors.

The inventor of the first Pentium chip

In the late 20th century, Intel made a milestone in the development of computers. It started when the Master Electrical Engineer, Vinod Dham, joined Intel corporation. 

Vinod Dham is an engineer, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. He was born in India in 1950, and it was also where he finished his college degree in Electrical Engineering in 1971 – from Delhi College of Engineering, which is now known as Delhi Technological University. 

After graduating from college, he worked as an engineer for a Delhi-based semiconductor company, Continental Devices. 

However, he left his job in 1975 to pursue his MS degree in Electrical Engineering. He went to the United States and studied at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. He completed his master’s degree in 1977, which then led him to work for NCR Corporation at Dayton, Ohio. After his term on NCR corporation was over, he went to work on Intel corporation. 

Upon joining Intel, Dham quickly stepped on a high and responsible position in the company’s microprocessors division.  He led his team of engineers and conducted research about developing the modern-day processors. The study led by Dham resulted in the creation of the first-ever Pentium chip. 

The invention of the Pentium processor is a breakthrough in the history of personal computers because of its excellent efficiency. 

Intel released the Pentium processor to the market on March 22, 1993, with a price of $878. The first Pentium chip consists of two processors in one chip, along with 3.1 million transistors and runs on sixty megahertz. 

The power of the Pentium processors quickly reigned over the United States and different countries around the globe. It is so efficient that the computers using Pentium microchips are often called as Pentium itself. Quickly after its release, the Pentium processor became the standard choice for personal computers around the world. 

Until today, the Pentium processors are still one of the most notable brands in the history of computers and continues to be among the largest selling microprocessors around the world. 

Because of the incredible success of Intel’s Pentium series, Vinod Dham earned the title – Father of Pentium.

More about Pentium processors

After the creation of Pentium, Intel continued to upgrade its specs and released it to the market. A year later, they released the second generation of Intel Pentium processors on March 7, 1994. 

November 1995 – Intel released the next version of Pentium, which is Pentium Pro. 

May 7, 1997 – Intel released Pentium II.

February 26, 1999 – Intel released Pentium III 500 MHz

May 17, 1999 – Intel released Pentium III 550 MHz

August 2, 1999 – Intel released Pentium III 600 MHz 

September 27, 1999 – Intel released Pentium III 533B and 600B  MHz 

October 25, 1999 – Intel released Pentium III Coppermine series

January 3, 2001 – Intel released the 1.3 GHz Pentium 4 processor

The influence of the Intel, particularly Pentium processors, is evident in today’s computers. Starting from the earliest version up to the latest technology, Pentium processors continue to bring satisfaction to several personal computers across the globe. 

Additional reading:

Vinod Dham (Wikipedia)
Pentium (Wikipedia)

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