Intel Releases Tulsa Dual-Core CPUs For High-End Systems

The new Xeon 7100 series processors for four-socket and higher servers include 1 Mbyte of L2 cache and 4 Mbytes to 16 Mbytes of L3 cache to speed up processing.

Intel already has moved its dual-core one- and two-socket processors to its newest Core architecture, which promises better performance at lower power. But the Xeon 7100, formerly code-named Tulsa, will rely on the older architecture, an Intel spokesman confirmed.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip maker said, however, that it will have what it considers to be a low-power part at 95-watts. Other models will run as high as 150 watts.

Intel said moving to a 65-nanometer processor from the older 90-nanometer processor also helps improve performance. Solution providers will see up to "twice the performance" over Intel's older multiprocessor parts, according to the company.

Intel is hoping the latest offering will help it reclaim some share in this space. The company is fighting a fierce battle for market share with rival Advanced Micro Devices in the high-end x86 server space. In the first quarter, for example, AMD captured 48.1 percent of that market in the United States.

Though smaller than the volume single- and dual-socket market, four-socket and higher systems are gaining in popularity thanks to the consolidation and virtualization trend. Sunnyvale, Calif.-based AMD has generated some buzz in the high-end market with its lower-power, high-performance Opteron.

Intel's latest release is being supported by all the usual suspects.

Hewlett-Packard said it now is shipping ProLiant servers based on the new processor. A chipset update in May allows existing models to upgrade to the 7100 series, said John Gromala, director of HP's server product marketing.

"This is when dual-core capabilities are introduced into the four-socket line," he said. "It now supports eight cores. We are seeing a big bum in performance overall."

Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP will offer two models of Xeon 7100 ProLiant servers with prices starting at $5,799.

IBM, White Plains, N.Y., will begin shipping its first servers with Xeon 7100 parts in September with volume availability in late October. Pricing was not available at press time. The server will support PCI-X 2.0 and PCI Express, an IBM spokeswoman said.

Intel is shipping eight Xeon 7100 variations. The highest-end processor runs at a clock speed of 3.4GHz and has 16 Mbytes of L3 cache. It is priced at $1,980 in low quantities. The lowest-end processor is the 7110N, which runs at a 2.5GHz clock speed, includes 4 Mbytes of L3 cache. Pricing for that chip is $856 in low quantities. The processors are available with a 667MHz or 800MHz front-side bus.