Advanced Micro Devices is building a 64-bit field of dreams.
While Intel this week was accelerating the rollout of its 3GHz Pentium 4 processor, arch rival AMD continued to build the foundation for "ClawHammer."
The 64-bit Athlon processor is expected to come out early next year, giving desktop PCs a performance similar to that of workstations used in research labs at DaimlerChrysler or NASA.
To make sure ClawHammer arrives with a solid foundation, AMD is working with a long list of partners who will build that hardware and software that can take advantage of such a chip.
The company has already sent tens of PCs fitted with the upcoming chip to game developers and multimedia software creators, said John Crank, a senior branding associate for the Athlon. This is part of Operation Rolling Thunder, AMD"s campaign to introduce the chip, he said.
AMD is, so far, the only major chipmaker to announce plans for a 64-bit chip for desktops.