With the recent release of the Intel Core 2 Extreme and Core 2 Quad CPUs Intel has retaken the performance leadership position from AMD in virtually every respect. AMD has released their dual FX-74 systems to combat the Quad Core CPUs, however for most people the AM2 platform is still the platform of choice for most of the enthusiasts on that platform today, as the FX-74 is a bit of a exclusive item right now.
Major process nodes like 130 nanometer, 90 nanometer, 65 nanometer and 45 nanometer by Intel have come in the last few years on the CPU side of things. AMD moved to 65 nanometer very recently, with the majority of AMD CPUs being of the 90 nanometer process node variety. The 4800+ EE is one of the new 65 nanometer process CPUs from AMD, offering a smaller die size for the same amount of transistors, lower power consumption and higher performance per watt.
One of the pushes on the computer is the Green initiative to save the environment by reducing the Greenhouse gases emitted by human activities that include driving a car and other activities including running computers and industrial uses like factories. AMD has moved to supporting the Green initiative by offering Energy Efficient CPUs which offer the same performance as their standard CPUs while lowering the power requirements. The EE series has spawned a whole new level of computers where the energy requirements are lower, the 4800+ EE CPU being the model on the review bench today.
