XScale

microprocessor core, is Marvell's (formerly Intel's) implementation of the fifth generation of the ARM architecture, and consists of several distinct families: IXP, IXC, IOP, PXA and CE (see more below). The PXA family was sold to Marvell Technology Group in June 2006[1].

The XScale architecture is based on the ARMv5TE ISA without the floating point instructions. XScale uses a seven-stage integer and an eight-stage memory superpipelined RISC architecture. It is the successor to the Intel StrongARM line of microprocessors and microcontrollers, which Intel acquired from DEC's Digital Semiconductor division as the side-effect of a lawsuit between the two companies. Intel used the StrongARM to replace their ailing line of outdated RISC processors, the i860 and i960.

All the generations of XScale are 32-bit ARMv5TE processors manufactured with a 0.18-µm or 0.13-µm (as in IXP43x parts) process and have a 32-KiB data cache and a 32-KiB instruction cache (this would be called a 64-KiB Level 1 cache on other processors). They also all have a 2-KiB mini-data cache.

Processor families

The XScale core is used in a number of microcontroller families manufactured by Intel and Marvell, notably:

* Application Processors (with the prefix PXA). There are four generations of XScale Application Processors, described below: PXA210/PXA25x, PXA26x, PXA27x, and PXA3xx.
* I/O Processors (with the prefix IOP)
* Network Processors (with the prefix IXP)
* Control Plane Processors (with the prefix IXC).
* Consumer Electronics Processors (with the prefix CE).

There are also standalone processors: the 80200 and 80219 (targeted primarily at PCI applications).