COAST

Main article: Wikipedia:Cache on a stick

A COAST (or COASt) module is used to provide cache RAM to a processor that does not have cache RAM built into it. When Intel introduced the Pentium, it was fast enough without cache to compete with contemporary designs, so the presence of cache was deemed optional. Until this time, cache memory had been part of the motherboard, so to reduce motherboard cost the COAST design was used to turn the cache into a pluggable module. This enabled motherboards to be sold without cache to reduce the price, but cache could still be purchased as a separate item to increase the system speed even further.

Images

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  256 kB module, front

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  256 kB module, rear

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  512 kB module, front

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  512 kB module, rear