The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Intel relaunches Itanic

Just look at the size of that cache

Free whitepaper – Avoiding costs from oversizing data center and network room infrastructure

Intel launched its first Itanium 2 processor with 9MB of L3 cache yesterday, as anticipated.

The new chip is clocked at 1.6GHz, as is a version with 6MB of cache. Intel also added a 4MB version, though that runs at 1.5GHz. All three processors operate across a 400MHz frontside bus and are pitched at multi-way systems.

Intel also introduced a pair of new processors for two-way machines. Both are clocked at 1.6GHz and contain 3MB of L3 cache. The first supports a 533MHz FSB, the latter the usual 400MHz bus.

The same core, 'Fanwood', forms the basis for a new low-voltage Itanium 3, clocked to 1.3GHz and operating with a 62W heat dissipation envelope.

Intel priced the new chips at the same level as the existing Itanium MP, DP and LV parts. The three MP chips are priced at $4226, $1980 and $910, respectively - the same as the 1.5, 1.4 and 1.3GHz Itaniums with 6, 4 and 3MB of L3, respectively.

The new DP parts come in at $1172 (533MHz FSB) and $851 (400MHz FSB) - the latter representing a big discount on the $2408 Intel charged for the previous version of the chip.

Intel continues to pitch Itanium as an alternative to Risc-based big iron, while Xeon - in its 32-bit and now 64-bit forms - continues to vacuum up the low-end server arena. ®

Related stories

Major server vendors in giant, supercomputing cluster cluck
NASA's Columbia benchmarks 43 teraflops
Microsoft mocks software rivals with dual-core chip embrace
HP knifes Itanium, cans IA-64 workstations
IBM mocks Itanium server sales - again
Intel admits Itanium pains, plots server future
Intel to debut 9MB Itanic 2 'on Monday'

Free whitepaper – Standardization and Modularity in Network-Critical Physical Infrastructure

Don’t Miss

Apple MacBook AirApple sues over knock-off power bricks

Imitation not flattery

US Air Force orders 2200 Sony PS3s

Extending supercomputing Linux cluster

Xiotech iconXiotech definitely not using SSDs in near future

Are we clear on that?

HP LogoHP takes one in the servers

Comment Hurd hails 3Com 'convergence'