A630 accelerator - FPU or no?

[Hatt]

There are several different variants of the A630 Accelerator Turbo Card for the Amiga 600, e.g.

https://www.retropassion.co.uk/produ...ard-amiga-600/


And one including an FPU:
https://www.retropassion.co.uk/produ...3-accelerator/


What does the FPU actually offer? What will it do that the non FPU version can't?

Thanks.

[Matt_H]

FPU will mainly be useful for the productivity side of things. Graphics and 3D-rendering programs and various processing libraries often have FPU support (or FPU-specific versions) to speed up certain calculations.

Very few games make use of the FPU. Most (all?) of those that do are from the late 90s or later.

In my opinion, it’s better to have one than not. But it’s not essential.

[derSammler]

Completely true for games. So if you only want to play games, the FPU does not matter.

However, all five of my accelerated Amigas have an FPU and I would never go without one (or without a card that has at least the option to add one). Why? Because I do not *only* play games and pretty much anything to do with multimedia needs or at least supports an FPU and performs much better then.

[Kin Hell]

Originally Posted by Hatt

There are several different variants of the A630 Accelerator Turbo Card for the Amiga 600, e.g.

https://www.retropassion.co.uk/produ...ard-amiga-600/


And one including an FPU:
https://www.retropassion.co.uk/produ...3-accelerator/


What does the FPU actually offer? What will it do that the non FPU version can't?

Thanks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floating-point_unit

FPU calculations are faster (greatly enhanced) over CPU Instruction (Int)

[Karlos]

If you intend to dabble with productivity software, I recommend an FPU, where there are often FPU enabled versions available. If you intend only plan to play games, the only games that require an FPU already require more CPU power than a typical 030 can deliver, e.g. Quake and similar. Maybe some simulator games also benefit, TBC which, if any.

Earlier 2.5D games tended to rely on fixed point (integer) arithmetic.

[alexh]

An 030 accelerator with an FPU will use more electricity and that is about it.

Originally Posted by derSammler

pretty much anything to do with multimedia needs or at least supports an FPU and performs much better then.

Fairly sure that is a misnomer. I'd be curious to know what multimedia software utilises an 030+FPU to any great effect.

[Calabazam]

I feel incomplete without a FPU but that's totally irrational
I have an ACA630 which replaced an Apollo 630 i had a decade ago. That one had an FPU while the ACA don't. Actually there is not much difference appart from the ACA working better but slower.

[Kin Hell]

Originally Posted by alexh

An 030 accelerator with an FPU will use more electricity and that is about it.


Fairly sure that is a misnomer. I'd be curious to know what multimedia software utilises an 030+FPU to any great effect.

Use more electricity.... Now now Alex...

AdPro...ImageFx... Final Writer.... Real3D.....Imagine....Lightwave.... Heck...even Toaster stuff....??

What are we calling Multimedia by the way?

ScalaMM maybe... Wasn't there an FPU version of CanDo?

It's been a while but yeah.... If I'm using an Amiga, I want an FPU for the stuff I like to use that uses an FPU because it's faster doing it.

If I want to play games, I don't need an FPU & if all I've got is an A1000/A600/A500, the chances are all I want to do is play games or be simply nostalgic.

Kudos to the die hard's wanting more power on A1000/A600/A500.

Originally Posted by Calabazam

I feel incomplete without a FPU but that's totally irrational
I have an ACA630 which replaced an Apollo 630 i had a decade ago. That one had an FPU while the ACA don't. Actually there is not much difference appart from the ACA working better but slower.