AMD reps made the point during our meeting that even with a 32 bit OS platform like the current shipping version of Windows XP, the 64 bith Athlon processor is still a high performance product for gaming and other applications. Even their mobile products with an ATI 9700 mobility chip in laptops can run games like Doom 3 very well.

Of course, gaming in true 64 bit is hampered by Microsoft's delay in getting a true consumer 64 bit OS out to folks. Currently available only in a beta version for download, Microsoft now says a 64 bit version of Windows XP will be released sometime in 2005 and their next OS, codenamed Longhorn, will handle 64 bit code natively. AMD however, isn't waiting for Microsoft to get fully into the 64 bit market. They revealed that 64 bit upgrades to both Unreal Tournament 2004 and Far Cry are in the works and should be released soon (although they will required the beta version of the Windows XP 64 bit OS to work). Another game, America's Army, will also release a 64 bit version but it will reguire a separate boot CD to be put in to "trick" America's Army and your Windows PC to play the game on a 64 bit Linux OS.