Intel launches twin Itaniums

By Alun Williams

Posted on 14 Apr 2004 at 11:39

Intel has released two new entry-level Itanium 2 processors. The 64-bit server chips were announced at Intel's developer forum in Taipei, Taiwan.

As well as an Itanium 2 processor running at 1.40GHz with 3MB of level three cache - which is available worldwide immediately - an Itanium 2 running at 1.6GHz with 3MB of L3 cache is expected to be available in May.

In terms of pricing, the 1.40GHz Itanium 2 with 3MB of cache costs $1,172 in 1,000-unit quantities and the 1.60GHz with 3MB of cache will cost $2,408, again based on 1,000-unit orders.

'As Itanium 2-based servers push further into enterprise infrastructures we are able to reduce the overall system cost while increasing the performance,' said Richard Dracott, general manager of Enterprise Marketing and Planning at Intel. 'End users will benefit from the flexibility and choice that Intel-based solutions bring to their organisations.'

Intel says that the releases are part of its goal of delivering Itanium 2-based systems 'with up to twice the performance as Intel Xeon processor based systems for the same system cost in 2007'.

The company also confirmed plans to consolidate the production processes for both of its server processors. 'In the next few years, system manufacturers will be able to design an Itanium 2 processor and Intel Xeon processor-based system using the same low cost components,' said Dracott. 'Every product and technology we roll out moves us one step closer to a common system with common infrastructure costs.'