'''StrongARM''' was a microarchitecture for [[DEC]]'s series of [[ARM]]-based microprocessors {{decc|StrongARM|branded under the same name}}. This microarchitecture was the result of a collaborative effort by [[DEC]] and [[ARM Holdings|ARM]].

== Overview ==

The StrongARM microarchitecture started as a collaborative project between [[arm holdings|ARM]] and [[DEC]] in the mid-1990s. The primary design goal was to develop a new class of high-performance low-power [[ARM]]-based processors. Earlier ARM architectures were simply insufficiently weak to power more advanced mobile devices such as PDAs and set-tops. Because of the new design goals, StrongARM implemented a number of new techniques not found in previous ARM architectures.

The historical significance of the StrongARM development cannot be overstated. StrongARM implemented the same [[ARM]] architecture as the {{armh|ARM8}} - {{arm|ARMv4}}. The route ARM took to improve the {{armh|ARM7}} through the {{armh|ARM8}} was to widen the pipeline which allowed for double the speed at the cost of more [[die]] space for an identical [[semiconductor process|process]]. ARM8 was consequently seldom licensed and has largely faded into obscurity. The StrongARM on the other hand resulted in performance increase of up to 5 times as much. StrongARM enjoyed a series of design wins such as [[Psion]] 7 Series, [[Apple]]'s MessagePad 2000/2100, Yakumo Alpha PDA, and various PDAs from [[HP]]'s Jornada line. After being sold to [[Intel]] in [[1997]], the architecture {{intel|xscale|was enhanced|l=arch}} and went on to dominate the PDA and light mobile market for close to a decade before being sold to [[Marvell]] just prior to the [[smartphone boom]] in 2006.