StrongARM
family of computer microprocessors
The StrongARM is a family of computer microprocessors developed by Digital Equipment Corporation and manufactured from the mid 1990s which implemented the ARM v4 instruction set architecture. It was acquired by Intel in 1997 from DEC's Digital Semiconductor division as part of a settlement of a lawsuit between the two companies over patent infringement. Intel continued to manufacture it before replacing it with a StrongARM-derived ARM-based architecture called XScale in the early 2000s.
History
According to Allen Baum, the StrongARM traces its history to attempts to make a low-power version of the DEC Alpha, which DEC's engineers quickly concluded was not possible. They then became interested in designs dedicated to low-power applications which led them to the ARM family. One of the only major users of the ARM for performance-related products at that time was Apple, whose Newton device was based on the ARM platform. DEC approached Apple wondering if they might be interested in a high-performance ARM, to which the Apple engineers replied "Phhht, yeah. You can't do it, but, yeah, if you could we'd use it."
The StrongARM was a collaborative project between DEC and Advanced RISC Machines to create a faster ARM microprocessor. The StrongARM was designed to address the upper end of the low-power embedded market, where users needed more performance than the ARM could deliver while being able to accept more external support. Targets were devices such as newer personal digital assistants and set-top boxes.
The public source identifies “StrongARM” as family of computer microprocessors. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around StrongARM, family and computer.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “StrongARM”, the useful work is to connect “family of computer microprocessors” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Nov 26, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q296778. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1997.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “StrongARM”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow StrongARM primary sources, StrongARM archive and StrongARM research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “StrongARM”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “StrongARM” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.