- Intel released the 386 processor in 1985, the first 32-bit chip in the x86 line. This chip was packaged in a ceramic square with 132 gold-plated pins protruding from the underside, fitting into a socket on the motherboard. While this package may seem boring, a lot more is going on inside it than you might expect. Lumafield performed a 3-D CT scan of the chip for me, revealing six layers of complex wiring hidden inside the ceramic package. Moreover, the chip has nearly invisible metal wires connected to the sides of the package, the spikes below. The scan also revealed that the 386 has two separate power and ground networks: one for I/O and one for the CPU’s logic.