The Vortex86 series, developed by the Taiwanese company DM&P, represents a niche line of x86-compatible processors primarily utilized in industrial applications. Unlike mainstream chips from Intel or AMD, these processors are designed as systems-on-a-chip (SoC) that integrate the CPU, cache, and bridge controllers into a single unit, often operating with a TDP of less than 1W.
The product family has expanded to include eight different processors since the release of the Vortex86SX in 2007. Key milestones include the 2014 launch of the dual-core Vortex86DX3, which featured 1GHz cores, and the 2018 introduction of the Vortex86EX2, which implemented an asymmetric multiprocessing model allowing two operating systems to run simultaneously on separate cores.
The latest addition to the lineup is the Vortex86EX3, released in 2025. This model features dual cores with clock speeds ranging from 1.2GHz to 1.6GHz and supports DDR4 memory with ECC. DM&P manufactures its own line of eBox computers based on these processors, which are primarily distributed through industrial equipment channels.
A teardown of the eBox-3550MX-AP, a 2013 model equipped with the Vortex86MX processor, reveals a compact design measuring 195x95x20mm and weighing 300g. The device features 512MB of RAM, a 2D video accelerator, and lacks a traditional internal storage drive, relying instead on SD cards for booting.
