Intel launches Xeon 7100 processors
Manufacturer hopes 'summer of servers' will continue with range of eight high-performance dual-core offerings
Intel is fighting back to recover the performance crown from rival AMD with the launch of a range of dual-core server and notebook processors.
Intel has launched eight Dual-Core Xeon 7100 series processors designed for multi-processor (MP) servers using up to 32 chips. Formerly code-named ‘Tulsa’, the 7100 series boasts performance nearly three times better per Watt than previous Intel Xeon MP processors. The new series also includes lower power options and are socket-compatible with existing platforms. More than 40 server manufacturers have signed up to release 7100-based servers in the coming weeks.
The series was built using Intel’s 65nm manufacturing process, contain more than 1.3 billion transistors and have 16MB of shared cache.
Tom Kilroy, general manager at Intel’s digital enterprise group, said: “Today’s introduction continues an historic ‘summer of servers’ for Intel where we have now delivered a record 23 new processors in three market segments in less than 100 days. The Xeon Processor 7100 series is the best choice for demanding enterprise workloads based on world-record benchmarks, significantly outperforming the industry in key areas, while not compromising on the reliability and investment protection that is so critical.”
Intel showcased Fujitsu and Dell servers using the 7100 series processors to break world records for the SPECjbb005 benchmark and the TPC-H database performance benchmark, respectively.
Paul Miller, vice-president of marketing, industry standard servers and BladeSystem at Hewlett-Packard, said: “With a nearly 62 per cent performance gain over previous models, the platforms are ideal for virtualisation and maximising the performance of business-critical applications.”
The eight new processors are: 3.4GHz 7140M, 3.33GHz 7140N, 3.2GHz 7130M, 3.16GHz 7130N, 3GHz 7120M, 3GHz 7120N, 2.6GHz 7110M and 2.5GHz 7110N. Prices range from $856 to $1,980.
In addition, Intel announced that more than 200 notebooks equipped with its first mobile Core 2 Duo processors are about to hit the streets.
Formerly code-named ‘Merom’, the firm hopes that the mobile processors will be able to emulate the performance success that the desktop Core 2 Duo processors have garnered over the past month. Intel claimed that when integrated into Centrino Duo-based systems, the chips improve the viewing and playing back of high-definition video, speed up conversion of songs into a digital format and run most applications more quickly.
The mobile versions of Core 2 Duo processors are the T7600, T7400, T7200, T5600 and T5500, and are priced at $637, $423, $294, $241 and $209 respectively. They come in 1,000-unit quantities.
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