A family of Pentium-compatible CPU chips from AMD. The first 32-bit models were introduced as Pentium III-class CPUs in 1999 with a 200 MHz system bus and CPU speeds up to 650 MHz. Over subsequent years, AMD added numerous models of 32-bit Athlons for desktop, server and mobile use, long since exceeding the initial clock speeds (see
Athlon XP).
Slot A and Socket A
The first Athlons plugged into "Slot A," which was similar to the elongated slot used by Pentium II's and III's. Later model Athlons switched to Socket A.
Athlon 64 (64-Bit CPUs)
In 2003 and following the Opteron, which was the first of AMD's 64-bit, x86-based CPUs, AMD introduced the Athlon 64 processor for desktops and the Mobile Athlon 64 for laptops. All of AMD's 64-bit processors run 32-bit applications without any modifications (see
AMD64).
In 2005, AMD introduced the Athlon 64 X2, its first dual-core CPU. The Athlon 64 X2 has two Athlon 64 cores in a single chip package. See
Opteron,
K6 and
Hammer.