IA32 Architecture Family: Difference between revisions

 

The first models of the Athlon were distinct, they were the first time that a competitor to Intel actually had a faster processor, without Intel having a backup plan. It was poised against the PIII, which at that time was their top model and best-running one too. The Athlon beat them to the 1 GHz mark, and at that time the 1 GHz had become completely irrelevant. It just meant that they had a new size to mark their processors with. Intel missed the point here, and they did until very shortly ago. The GHz myth had been broken, the Athlon at 1.1 GHz was still faster than the PIII at 1.3 GHz, and people knew. They didn't go for a P3 if a faster athlon was available at a lower clock speed, and at a lower price.

 

===Athlon XP / MP / Duron (new style)===