Intel To Ship Dual-Core Xeons Ahead of Schedule

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip maker credited execution by its engineers with the earlier-than-scheduled availability of the dual-core Intel Xeon processor MP, which is designed for servers with four or more processors. Initially, Intel had a 2006 target shipment for the processor but said it will now ship in 2005.

A dual-processor Xeon for two-way servers, code-named Paxville DP, will also ship this year, Intel said.

The company said Paxville will provide a 60-percent performance boost over existing chips, and use the Intel E8500 chipset, while the Paxville DP will offer a 50-percent performance boost and use the Intel 7520 chipset.

Paxville DP will be followed by more dual core technology in what Intel is calling the Bensley platform for servers and Glidewell platform for workstations. In a statement, Intel said it now has 17 multi-core projects under development and expects 85 percent of its server units to be multi-core by the end of 2006.