Term of the Moment
802.11 versions
Definition: IA-32
(Intel Architecture-32) The designation for Intel's x86 family of CPUs. Intel had previously used Intel Architecture (IA) without a number as its x86 technology brand, but changed it to IA-32 when it introduced the 64-bit Itanium (see IA-64).
IA-32 vs. IA-64
Subsequent to the Itanium, Intel added 64-bit models to its x86 line but could not call them IA-64 chips because that designation referred to Itanium. Designations for the 64-bit x86 line have been EM64T, Intel 64, x64 and x86-64. See x86-64 and Itanium.
IA-32 Microarchitectures
IA-32 vs. IA-64
Subsequent to the Itanium, Intel added 64-bit models to its x86 line but could not call them IA-64 chips because that designation referred to Itanium. Designations for the 64-bit x86 line have been EM64T, Intel 64, x64 and x86-64. See x86-64 and Itanium.
Intel has had numerous microarchitectures within the IA-32 (x86) architecture. These start with the Pentium chip (see microarchitecture).