AMD's Athlon 64 is a line of 64-bit microprocessors developed by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and released in 2003. It was notable for being one of the first consumer processors to support 64-bit computing, allowing for improved performance and the ability to handle larger amounts of memory compared to its 32-bit predecessors. The Athlon 64 architecture was designed for both desktop and mobile computing, making it versatile for various applications. It featured a built-in memory controller, which reduced latency and improved data transfer speeds. This innovation helped AMD compete effectively against Intel in the processor market during the early 2000s.