In time, 64 -bit PCs could change the face of desktop computing. A 64 -bit chip can run longer, more complex instructions than a 32 -bit one, improving performance of dataintensive tasks such as audio and video encoding, advanced engineering design apps1 ,and, naturally, games.

　　Equally key is a 64-bit CPU’s ability to recognize and use a lot more RAM2 . Today’s 32 -bit chips, such as AMD’s Athlon XP and Intel’s Pentium 4 , can address up to 4GB of RAM split between the OS and applications. Few PCs have that much memory, and even fewer apps use it. But with ever-more-complex software, that limitation may become a bottleneck, making Athlon 64’s ability to address a whopping terabyte ( 1000GB) 3 of physical memory very attractive.

　　Why is AMD pushing the 64 -bit angle at all? Because company executives believe the 64 -bit desktop age is dawning now.“Once video editors watch a 64-bit PC encode video directly to a DVD on the fly, they’ll want one , ”says Rich Heye , vice president of AMD’s microprocessor unit. And once gamers see the cinematic quality that 64-bit chips help make possible , they’ll want one. Though mass-market adoption will take a few years, “ the average lifetime of a PC is three to four years, and I think a lot of people will be running 64 bits before that’s up, ”Heye says.

　　Executives at Intel disagree, seeing 64-bit computing as largely a server technology in the short term.“With just 5 percent of servers using 64-bit addressability, there is little need today [ for 64 bits] on the desktop, ”says George Alfs, Intel spokesperson, adding that with out software and other tools to make it work at its best, 64 bits doesn’t mean much.

　　MicroDesign Resources’s Krewell sees Intel’s resistance to 64 bits for the desktop as a move to protect its sizeable investment in its 64-bit Itanium CPU, designed for servers and workstations.

　　Meanwhile, with Athlon 64 , AMD has reignited the chip wars.“That’s always good news for users, ”says MDR’s Krewell.

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　　練習題：

　　Ⅰ. Choose the word which ha s the same or similar mea ning with the underlined word:

　　1. AMD’s release of its Athlon 64 chips

　　A. launch B. set free

　　2. more complex instructions than a 32 -bit one

　　A. not simple B. not clever

　　3. Because company executives believe

　　A. workers B. managers

　　4. to protect its sizeable investment

　　A. rough B. huge

　　5. desktop age is dawning now

　　A. returning B. coming

　　Ⅱ. Question :

　　Where were 64-bit CPUs used before?

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　　參考答案

　　Ⅰ. 1. A 2 . A 3. B 4. B 5. B

　　Ⅱ. servers and high-end workstations

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　　參考譯文：

　　“64 位大帝”登基

　　64 位的臺式電腦朝著普及邁出了重要的一步: 超微的速龍64 位處理器和蘋果電腦的G5 臺式平臺一起投放市場, 這意味著曾經專為服務器和高端的工作站保留的64 位處理器, 現在也在零售貨架上可以買到, 用于裝備個人電腦系統。

　　64 位系統能夠改變桌面計算的現狀, 因為64 位的芯片能運行比32 位的芯片更長、更復雜的指令, 改良執行大運算量任務時的性能, 例如音頻和視頻解碼、高級工程設計應用程序, 當然了, 還包括電腦游戲。

　　同樣重要的是64 位處理器具有識別和使用更多內存的能力。今天的32 位芯片, 包括英特爾的奔4 和超微的速龍X P, 能夠在操作系統和應用軟件之間多達4GB 的內存中尋址。擁有如此大內存的個人電腦很少, 在應用程序方面能與之配敵的就更微乎其微了。但是目前以及將來使用更復雜的軟件時, 這種局限就成了瓶頸, 這使得64 位處理器能夠尋址巨大的1 TB 內存的能力變得非常有吸引力。

　　超微到底為什么要推出64 位? 這是因為, 公司的決策者們相信, 64 位臺式機的時代已 經來臨了。“ 當電視圖像編輯們目睹64 位電腦快速地將電視圖像直接解碼成DVD 格式時, 一定也想擁有一臺這樣的機器, ”超微處理器部門的副總經理里奇· 海伊說。另外,游戲玩家看見在64 位芯片的幫助下, 電影畫質成為可能, 他們也會希望擁有一臺。64 位電腦大規模地進入市場還需要幾年時間, 但海伊說:“ 一臺電腦的平均壽命是三到四年, 我想許多人會在那段時間里改用64 位電腦的。”

　　英特爾的經理不同意這個看法, 他認為64 位在短時間內仍將主要作為服務器技術。英特爾的發言人喬治· 阿爾福斯說:“ 僅僅5% 的服務器使用64 位工作能力, 今天只有極少數的臺式機需要( 64 位) 。”他還補充道,“ 如果沒有相應的附帶軟件和其他工具的話, 這種能力對于讓電腦發揮最佳性能幾乎沒什么意義。”

　　微設資源的克雷維爾注意到英特爾對64 位臺式電腦的抵制是為了保護其投資巨大的專為服務器和工作站設計的64 位安騰芯片。

　　同時, 隨著速龍64 的上市, 超微顯然已經重新點燃了芯片大戰。微設資源的克雷維爾說:“ 對于消費者, 這永遠都是好消息。”