Advanced Micro Devices Inc will steer clear of established 64-bit computing vendors when its launches its Opteron architecture later this year, and will instead aim its attack squarely at long-time 32-bit rival Intel Corp
The vendor"s Opteron architecture, previously codenamed Hammer, will offer customers the choice of 32-bit or 64-bit operation. The architecture will be the newest entrant to the 64-bit space after Intel, which launched its Itanium architecture in 2001, but which has yet to pick up steam in the market.
AMD claims that by offering the ability to run existing 32-bit applications, without tweaking, while also offering customers the ability to run more powerful 64 applications when they are ready, Opteron is a more palatable proposition for companies looking to make the leap to 64-bit