Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Boston
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AMD Touts Power Athlon 64 Chip for Media, Games
Tue Sep 23, 6:11 PM ET

By Elinor Mills Abreu

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Advanced Micro Devices Inc. on Tuesday showed off PC games and home networking technology using its new Athlon 64 processor that the chip maker hopes will steal a lead on much larger rival Intel Corp.

AMD (NYSE:AMD - news) unveiled four Athlon 64 processors targeted at desktop and notebook computers ranging from $417 to $733.

Fujitsu Ltd. (6702.T) and other computer makers are offering Athlon 64-based PCs now, while Hewlett-Packard Co.

The Athlon 64 crunches 64 bits of data at a time, performing much faster than existing 32-bit software. It runs both 32-bit and 64-bit applications and is the first 64-bit processor for the Windows desktop platform.

Both AMD and Intel (Nasdaq:INTC - news) have 64-bit processors for server computers, where advanced computing is more common for things like database transaction processing, animation or video rendering and scientific analysis. Intel has not publicly disclosed plans for releasing a 64-bit processor for PCs.

In a bid of support for AMD, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) said it would have a native 64-bit version of its Windows XP (news - web sites) desktop operating system for Athlon 64 available early next year.

Home Media Networks Ltd. said it was developing a computer based on the Athlon 64 chip that will allow people to play or watch TV, DVDs, CDs and MP3 music files on different devices throughout the home using a remote control.

"Athlon 64 gives the PC the quality of a dedicated game console," said Tim Bajarin, president of consultancy Creative Strategies Inc. "They're pushing the envelope in processor designs and speeds. Its backward compatibility makes it a viable competitor to Intel."

AMD also brought in Dweezil Zappa, the son of late rock musician Frank Zappa, in a bid to lend some hipness to the launch of the microprocessor. Zappa said he was using an Athlon 64-based computer to mix a 75-minute piece of music into "surround" sound and to archive all his father's music.

"I feel like I'm the space monkey," he said. "They're launching me into space," by allowing him to be an early user of the Athlon 64.

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Go AMD! Go Zappa!

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Bangor, ME
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http://www.hothardware.com/hh_files...51_launch.shtml

specs and benchmarks on the "long awaited" 64 bit proc from AMD.

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Registered: Nov 2000
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quote:

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The Athlon 64 crunches 64 bits of data at a time, performing much faster than existing 32-bit software.

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Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Oceanside, CA
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So what is the advantage? Why are Apple (via IBM), Intel, and AMD making this move? Surely it must provide some advantage in everyday computing.

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Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Shreveport, LA
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it doesn't have to represent any advantage to everyday computing at all if it represents a large advantage to their profits, you know.

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Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Oceanside, CA
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I would think that, if the fancy new processors from a company provided a significant performance hit, consumers would be annoyed and profits would suffer.
Of course, I would probably buy one just to say "What? You're STILL using a 32-bit processor? Bow to me, e-peon." Then I'd get beaten up, but the money would still be in Apple's hands, so I guess they wouldn't care.

Nobody ever cares. *sniff*

/me goes off to buy a 64-bit G5 and some Bactine.

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Registered: Nov 2000
Location: UK
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Biggest technical reason is getting rid of the 4 GB memory space limit. Not a problem for consumers today, but by marketing and selling 64 bit processors today it will lower the impact when the memory space limit actually becomes a real problem.

There are other reasons for switching to a 64 bit architecture, but they largely only apply to niche markets that can use the extra precision. There is no *compelling* reason for normal users to switch to a 64 bit architecture today though.

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Registered: Nov 2000
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quote:

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Originally posted by Talarohk
...if the fancy new processors from a company provided a significant performance hit...

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: aggressivly happy
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if its cheep i will buy it

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