SAN JOSE -- Intel launched the first server CPUs using its22-nm tri-gate technology, including a new 17W part aimed at the emergingmicro-server segment. The x86 giant also rolled out new 32-nm server chips,including an entry-level part that narrows AMD's price lead in four-socketservers.
The Xeon E3-1200 v2 family is Intel's first batch of 22-nmserver chips based on its Ivy Bridge architecture. They include Intel's lowestpower server CPU to date, a 17W chip at prices as low as $189.
The low-end chip is geared for micro-servers, ultra lowpower systems that attempt to stave off rising interest in alternativeARM-based servers. Previously Intel's lowest power x86 server chip consumed20W.
Intel plans to ship Centerton later this year, a dual-coreAtom based server chip consuming just 6W. It is Intel's first Atom designsupporting virtualization and ECC memory needed in servers.
Separately Intel rolled out a new batch of E5-class 32 nmXeon chips based on its existing Sandy Bridge architecture. They include theE5-4600 family supporting up four processors in a single server. One member ofthat family now sells for as little as $551 in quantities of 1000.
"In the past if you wanted an Intel four-socket CPU, you hadto go to their E7 line which had a huge cost for extra buffers andexpandability, but now the lower cost E5 family has chips supportingfour-socket servers," said Nathan Brookwood, principal of market watcherInsight64 (Saratoga, Calif). "Intel still charges a premium for four-way CPUs,but it's not as much as it used to be," he said.
AMD had an edge in the prior generation, selling somefour-way servers at much lower prices than Intel's versions and virtually thesame price as AMD's two-way chips. "Now Intel will close that gap somewhat,"Brookwood said.
In total, Intel launched 11 Ivy Bridge server processors and17 Sandy Bridge CPUs. The chips will be used in servers from a laundry list ofOEMs including Acer, Asus, Cisco, Dell, HP, Huawei, IBM, Lenovo, NEC, Quanta,and SGI.
This story as originally posted by EETimes.
