AMD Athlon 64 Revisited
Introduction
The AMD Athlon 64 was the first desktop computer processor to support 64-bit extensions to the x86 architecture used by Intel and Intel-compatible processors from the 8088 up through the Pentium 4. Since its introduction in 2003 (see my article "Understanding the Athlon 64 Family"), the Athlon 64 family has become one of the most popular processor families for high-performance desktop computers. The portable versions are also the first to bring 64-bit processing power to x86-compatible notebook and laptop computers. This article brings you up to date on the latest products and processor form factors used by the Athlon 64 family of desktop processors. A future article will look closely at the latest developments in Athlon 64 portable processors.