In fact, it seems there are mainframes faster than
even a 486-33.
So, I guess Intel outran the mainframe systems only recently.
As far as discrete transistor machines (2nd generation), I would think
that a 486 would be faster in terms of both CPU and I/O horsepower.
Remember that mainframes do not always have super fast CPUs - they do not
need them. Their forte is I/O, where even old ones fair pretty well
compared to modern stuff. One example seen quite a bit on USENET is "my
Pentium is just as fast as a Cray-1. Gee, how things have progressed.".
Sure, a Dell Pentium machine might be plenty fast by the book, but simply
put, it could not even come close to sustaining that speed (140 Mflops for
the Cray-1). A superfast CPU will always loose to slow I/O.
Its all in the architecture...
William Donzelli
william(a)ans.net