Intel today extended its Xeon DP processor line with a new 3.06GHz version containing 1MB of on-die L3 cache - double that of the previous generation of the chip - as anticipated (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/3/31636.html).

The new Xeon lacks the Pentium 4's 800MHz effective bit rate frontside bus - the Xeon's FSB has an effective bit rate of 533MHz. But Intel claims the new chip performs more than 15 per cent faster than the previous top-of-the-range Xeon DP.

As forecast, the chip will cost $690 in batches of 1000. Intel yesterday cut the prices of similar Xeons by up to 34 per cent:

Processor	Prev. Price	New Price	Change
3.06GHz, 1MB L3, 533MHz FSB		$690
3.06GHz, 512KB L3, 533MHz FSB	$690	$455	-34%
3GHz, 512KB L3, 400MHz FSB	$658	$433	-34%
2.8GHz, 512KB L3, 533MHz FSB	$455	$316	-31%
2.8GHz, 512KB L3, 400MHz FSB	$433	$294	-32%
2.66GHz, 512KB L3, 533MHz FSB	$284	$256	-10%
2.6GHz, 512KB L3, 600MHz FSB	$273	$234	-14%
2.4GHz, 512KB L3, 533MHz FSB	$209
2.4GHz, 512KB L3, 400MHz FSB	$198

Related Story

Intel to boost Xeon cache, cut prices Monday (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/3/31636.html)