Editing Itanium (section)

=== Other markets ===
[[File:HP-HP9000-ZX6000-Itanium2-Workstation 12.jpg|thumb|380px|[[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] zx6000, an Itanium&nbsp;2-based [[Unix]] [[workstation]] ]]

Although Itanium did attain limited success in the niche market of high-end computing, Intel had originally hoped it would find broader acceptance as a replacement for the original [[x86]] architecture.<ref>{{cite web
 | url=http://features.techworld.com/operating-systems/2690/will-intel-abandon-the-itanium/
 | title=Will Intel abandon the Itanium?
 | date=July 20, 2006
 | author=Manek Dubash
 | quote=Once touted by Intel as a replacement for the x86 product line, expectations for Itanium have been throttled well back.
 | publisher=[[Techworld]]
 | access-date=December 19, 2010
 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219212053/http://features.techworld.com/operating-systems/2690/will-intel-abandon-the-itanium/
 | archive-date=February 19, 2011
 | url-status=dead
 }}</ref>

[[AMD]] chose a different direction, designing the less radical [[x86-64]], a 64-bit extension to the existing x86 architecture, which Microsoft then supported, forcing Intel to introduce the same extensions in its own x86-based processors.<ref>{{cite web
  | first = Charlie
  | last = Demerjian
  | title = Why Intel's Prescott will use AMD64 extensions
  | url = http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1029651/why-intels-prescott-will-use-amd64--extensions
  | website = [[The Inquirer]]
  | date = September 26, 2003
  | access-date = October 7, 2009
  | url-status = unfit
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091010181925/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1029651/why-intels-prescott-will-use-amd64--extensions
  | archive-date = October 10, 2009
}}</ref> These designs can run existing 32-bit applications at native hardware speed, while offering support for 64-bit memory addressing and other enhancements to new applications.<ref name="vance late"/> This architecture has now become the predominant 64-bit architecture in the desktop and portable market. Although some Itanium-based workstations were initially introduced by companies such as [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]], they are no longer available.