The AMD Athlon processor was the first "real" processor from AMD to give Intel a run for its money. Clock for clock, against pre-coppermine PentiumIII's the Athlon was the first CPU from AMD to equal, and occasionally best the venerable PIII. Of course very few hardcore freaks like me are satisfied with leaving well enough alone. For those of us on the cutting edge (or close to being committed, depending on your point of view) getting that last ounce of performance out of your PC, and doing it stably, is the brass ring, the Holy Grail!