Intel has begun shipping its first dual-core, hyper-threaded processors for multi-processor servers, but a top executive downplayed criticism of being late to market by praising Intel and its partners for fast-tracking the project.
Intel announced the availability of its first dual-core Xeon processors for entry-level dual processor servers in October, several months after rival Advanced Micro Devices announced its dual-core Opteron processor.
"We have been able to move the introduction of dual-core processors for the server market by a whole quarter and have the platform validated on time, which is pretty impressive," Intel enterprise group marketing director Rick Skett said in Johannesburg yesterday.
Skett told partners, customers and journalists that Intel had "a very deliberate" roadmap for the release of its dual-core processors. According to that roadmap, dual-core Xeon processors for the server market were to be introduced only in the first quarter of 2006.
"Intel felt the application base would be ready only next year, but for commercial reasons we have been required to execute that much quicker," he said.
Although announcing the official release to market of the dual-core Intel Xeon processor 7000 series, Skett conceded that only the 667MHz dual independent system bus version would be available immediately.
Skett revealed that Xeon chips with the 800MHz system bus would be available only in the first quarter of 2006, saying more extensive validation was required.
He concluded the briefing by highlighting the increase in performance achieved by the new processors during benchmark tests.
Related story:
Intel unveils first dual-core Xeon chip
Share