AMD Athlon 64 technical information

Get powerful performance for your unique digital experience

AMD Athlon™ 64 Processor Overview
The AMD Athlon 64 processor is the first Windows^®-compatible 64-bit PC processor. The AMD Athlon 64 processor runs on AMD64 technology, a revolutionary technology that allows the processor to run 32-bit applications at full speed while enabling a new generation of powerful 64-bit software applications. Advanced 64-bit operating systems designed for the AMD64 platform from Microsoft, Red Hat, SuSE, and TurboLinux have already been announced.

With the introduction of the AMD Athlon 64 processor, AMD provides customers a solution that can address their current and future computing needs. As the first desktop PC processor to run on the AMD64 platform, the AMD Athlon 64 processor helps ensure superior performance on today’s software with readiness for the coming wave of 64-bit computing. With AMD64 technology, customers can embrace the new capabilities of 64-bit computing on their own terms and achieve compatibility with existing software and operating systems.

Enhanced Virus Protection with Windows^® XP Service Pack 2
With a unique combination of hardware and software technologies that offer you an added layer of protection, certain types of viruses don't stand a chance. The AMD Athlon 64 processor features Enhanced Virus Protection, when support by the OS*, and can help protect against viruses, worms, and other malicious attacks. When combined with protective software, Enhanced Virus Protection is part of an overall security solution that helps keep your information safer.

Industry-leading performance for today’s software
It 's not just about email, Web browsing and word processing anymore. The AMD Athlon 64 processor gives you full-throttle performance to go wherever your digital world takes you. Whether you're watching videos, ripping and playing music, or playing games, AMD64 performance helps you to fully enjoy any multimedia experience with a “you are there” reality. The revolutionary architecture of the AMD Athlon 64 processor enables industry-leading performance to help maximize productivity and deliver a true-to-life digital entertainment experience. HyperTransport™ technology can increase overall system performance by removing I/O bottlenecks, increasing system bandwidth, and reducing system latency. A fully integrated DDR memory controller helps speed access to memory by offering the processor a direct connection to the main memory. As a result, end users can enjoy quicker application loading and extraordinary application performance.

With 3DNow!™ Professional technology and support for SSE3, the AMD Athlon 64 processor has more ways to accelerate multimedia applications, enabling stellar performance when working with audio, video, and photography software. For a superior experience with high-speed Internet, the AMD Athlon 64 processor combines high-speed memory access and I/O connectivity to help ensure that end users can fully take advantage of a broadband connection to streaming video and audio, and a riveting online gaming experience.

Ready for the 64-bit future
The AMD Athlon 64 processor is designed for people who want to stay at the forefront of technology and for those who depend on their PCs to keep them connected, informed, and entertained. Systems based on AMD Athlon 64 processors are able to deliver leading-edge performance for demanding productivity and entertainment software today and in the future.

With AMD64 technology, the AMD Athlon 64 processor is fully compatible with existing software, while enabling a seamless transition to 64-bit applications. Both 32- and 64-bit applications can run virtually simultaneously and transparently on the same platform. AMD64 technology enables new, cinematic computing experiences and capabilities, in addition to increased performance. AMD64 technology allows end users to take advantage of new innovations such as real-time encryption, more life-like games, accurate speech interfaces, cinema-quality graphic effects, and easy-to-use video and audio editing.

Protect investments with a technically superior PC processor
The AMD Athlon 64 processor is the world’s most technically advanced PC processor and the first Windows-compatible 64-bit PC processor. Advanced technologies in the AMD Athlon 64 processor include:

• AMD64 technology which doubles the number of processor registers and dramatically increases the system memory addressability

• Enhanced multimedia instructions support including 3DNow! Professional technology and SSE2/3

• With up to a 2000 MHz system bus using HyperTransport technology with up to 14.4 GB/sec total processor-to-system bandwidth

• An integrated memory controller with peak memory bandwidth of up to 6.4 GB/sec, supporting PC3200, PC2700, PC2100, or PC1600 DDR SDRAM

• Native execution of 32-bit software, allowing today’s PC software to provide leading-edge performance while enabling a seamless migration to 64-bit software

The combination of these innovations and features provides customers with performance they need along with tremendous flexibility. Customers can experience outstanding performance running today’s applications and prepare for the next generation of software without having to upgrade or change hardware. For business customers, this extends system life cycles, simplifies technology transition and reduces total cost of ownership.