PC processors entered the Gigahertz era today in the year 2000 with AMD's Athlon
Summary
Tom's Hardware recounts AMD's 1 GHz Athlon launch in 2000, marking the start of the GHz era and highlighting AMD’s marketing edge and early industry dynamics. The piece covers technical specs (180 nm process, 22 million transistors, 1 GHz, 100 MHz FSB, 65W, Slot A/Socket A), launch pricing, industry partnerships, and contemporary reactions.