Intel Boosts Xeon Speed For Multi-Way Servers

Intel on Tuesday started shipping a faster version of its Xeon processor destined for multi-way servers.

The chip, which comes out of the Gallatin family, runs at 3.0GHz and sports a 4MB Level 3 cache, and will, Intel claimed, boost performance by up to 25 percent compared to earlier Xeons targeting four-way and up servers.

Current Xeon chips for multi-way servers max out at 2.80GHz and have a 2MB Level 3 cache.

A host of vendors will be dropping the faster Xeon into servers they sell, said Intel, including Unisys, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, IBM, and NEC. Although the chip is primarily destined for four-way servers, it can be used in systems with up to 32 processors.

The new Xeon processor is priced at $3,692 in 1,000-unit quantities, the same price point at which the once-top-dog 2.80GHz chip debuted in June, 2003.Also on Tuesday, Intel released 2.70GHz and 2.20GHz models of the Xeon processor (both boasting a 2MB Level 3 cache) at prices of $1,980 and $1,177, respectively, in 1,000-unit lots.