The two major factions are emacs and vi, or more generally xemacs and vim. Both are very powerful editors, with syntax highlighting and all sorts of other features.
Neither, however, is easy to use. You have to learn all sorts of keystrokes to make it do what you want. Then, after a year or so of using it, you wonder how you ever lived without it.
Seriously, spend the time to learn one of those two, and it will pay off dramatically through convenience and productivity.