The Intel 486, also known as the i486, is a microprocessor introduced by Intel in 1989. It was the first x86 processor to integrate a floating-point unit on the chip, significantly improving performance for mathematical calculations. The 486 was widely used in personal computers during the early 1990s and marked a major advancement in computing technology. With a clock speed ranging from 20 to 100 MHz, the Intel 486 supported 32-bit processing and could handle more complex tasks than its predecessor, the Intel 386. Its architecture paved the way for future processors, contributing to the evolution of modern computing.