VIA C3

C3
General information
Launched2001
Common manufacturer
  • VIA
Performance
Max. CPU clock rate500 MHz to 1.4 GHz
FSB speeds100 MHz to 200 MHz
Cache
L1 cache64 KiB instruction + 64 KiB data
L2 cache64 KiB exclusive
Architecture and classification
Technology node0.13 μm to 0.15 μm
Instruction setx86-16, IA-32
Extensions
Physical specifications
Cores
  • 1
Sockets
Products, models, variants
Core names
  • Samuel (C5A)
  • Samuel 2 (C5B)
  • Ezra (C5C)
  • Ezra-T (C5N)
  • Nehemiah (C5XL)
  • Nehemiah+ (C5P)
History
PredecessorCyrix III
SuccessorVIA C7

The VIA C3 is a family of x86 central processing units for personal computers designed by Centaur Technology and sold by VIA Technologies. The different CPU cores are built following the design methodology of Centaur Technology.

In addition to x86 instructions, VIA C3 CPUs contain an undocumented Alternate Instruction Set allowing lower-level access to the CPU and in some cases privilege escalation.[1]

  1. ^ Wagenseil, Paul (9 August 2018). "Hacker Finds Hidden 'God Mode' on Old x86 CPUs". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 10 August 2018.