The i486 is a microprocessor developed by Intel and released in 1989. It was the fourth generation of the x86 architecture and marked a significant improvement in performance over its predecessor, the i386. The i486 introduced features like an integrated floating-point unit and a more efficient pipeline, allowing for faster processing speeds. The i486 was widely used in personal computers during the early 1990s and supported both 32-bit and 16-bit applications. It came in various versions, including the i486SX and i486DX, catering to different market needs. This processor laid the groundwork for future advancements in computing technology.