Intel recently introduced the Xeon 5600 series microprocessors that
include the company's first six-core server chips.
The new series comprises 15 products, including a trio of chips for
embedded systems, and are built using the company's 32-nanometer
processor technology. The series is the successor to Intel's 45-nm
5500 series introduced a year ago.
In releasing the 5500 series, Intel said the products were "as
significant and as transformational as the Pentium Pro" introduced
more than 10 years before. The latest series, however, ups the
ante, because of the transition to 32-nm technology, according to
Intel.
Benefits of the new lineup include speed. The 5600 series delivers
up to 60 percent greater performance than its predecessor. As a
result, 15 single-core servers running 5500 series processors can
be replaced with a single 5600 series server, Intel says. In
addition, customers can achieve a return on investment with the
latest products in as little as five months versus eight months for
the 5500 series.
The 5600 series offers better security through a new set of
security instructions that deliver faster data encryption and
decryption. The new chips also have Intel's TXT processor-based
security shield that provides more protection for applications
moved between virtualized servers.
The latest products also deliver better power efficiency. For
example, a two-socket server using the low-voltage, six-core L5640
chip can deliver the same performance as last year's X5570
processor, but with up to 30 percent less power consumption, Intel
says.
The 5600 series, code-named Westmere, is compatible with the same
motherboard sockets as the 5500 series. The new products all have
12 MB of L3 cache.
The seven quad-core server models have a peak clock speed of 3.46
GHz with a top thermal design power of 130 watts. The five six-core
versions reach a top speed of 3.33 GHz with the same maximum TDP.
The low-voltage six-core and quad-core models have TDPs as low as
60 watts and 40 watts, respectively. Prices range from $387 to
$1,663 each in quantities of 1,000.
System manufacturers expected to release servers based on the 5600
series include Cisco, Dell, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and
Oracle.
Along with server chips, the 5600 series also include a trio of
processors for the embedded computing segment, including two
six-core models and a quad-core version. The chips include
seven-year lifecycle support and have prices ranging from $530 to
$958 each in quantities of 1,000.
Intel also officially released the six-core Core i7-980X Extreme
Edition desktop/workstation processor, demonstrated last week at
the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The chip, which
has a clock speed of 3.33 GHz, is priced at $999 in quantities of
1,000 units.