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Intel server maps show Foster incursion

No eight-way Foster systems for a while

Boxed processor roadmaps which Intel has shown its distributor and dealer channel show it on course to introduce product at the end of Q1 next year, with eight way systems the target of Chipzilla's desire.

However, top systems designated on the roadmaps as 8-way+ will be dominated by the Cashcades Xeon processors, with 550/2MB, 700/2MB and 900/2MB ruling the roost in Q3 and Q4 of this year, and Q1 of next year.

For eight way and four way systems, Intel hopes to sell 700/2MB and 700/1MB Xeons to the end of this year and into the first half of Q1 in 2001. But, at that time, it will introduce 1.3GHz and 1.4GHz IL chips with 512K cache into this marketplace.

At the top DP (single server) level, Xeons running at 550/512K will last until the beginning of Q4. Then Intel recommends its channel to target 1GHz and 866MHz Xeons, each with 256K level cache but running with 133MHz front side buses. This position will then be ceded to Foster early in Q1 next year, with speeds of 1.5GHz plus with 256K cache and described as IL2 systems.

At the lowest server level, it is recommending 933MHz Pentium IIIs for Q3, 1GHz Pentium IIIs for Q4 and 1.13GHz Pentium IIIs for Q1 2001. All of these will have 133MHz front side buses.

Workstations

Intel's distributor and dealer roadmaps for the workstation market are more complex. It categorises this market in four ways with estimated price tags (excluding monitors).

In the $7,500 plus "Tech Compute WS" which are quad capable, it is recommending the 550/1Mb and 550/2Mb Xeon processors, but later in this quarter these will be displaced by the 700MHz/1Mb and 700/2Mb Caschcade Xeon chips. Intel says this position will be usurped in the first six weeks of Q1 next year by 900MHz/2Mb Xeon Cashcades, and in the last six weeks of the quarter by Foster processors running at 1.4GHz and with caches of both 512K and 1Mb.

The second "Performance MR" category, applying to systems greater than $5,000 but less than the first category, the 500MHz/512 Xeon will rule the roost right until the end of the year, although at the end of this year and for the first quarter of next year, we will see Foster microprocessors using the Colusa chipset running at speeds of greater than 1.5GHz.

In the "Volume MR" ($3,500 to $5,000) category, the 933MHz CuMine using the 840 chipset will be displaced at the end of Q3by the 1GHz CuMine, also running on the 840 chipset. Again, these will cede their position to Foster/Colusa chips running at speeds greater than 1.5GHz in Q1 next year. These will have 256K integrated L2 cache.

The two lower categories, covering $2,000 to $3,500 systems without monitors, are ruled largely by the 1GHz Pentium III, althoug Foster/Colusa systems and 1.13GHz Pentium III systems will appear in Q1 next year.

Right at the bottom level, we will see the Pentium 4 (Willamette) /Tehama chipset launched in early Q4, probably September itself judging from the roadmap, running at 1.4GHz and speeds greater than 1.5GHz through the quarter.

Readers should remember that this roadmap and the desktop roadmap we published Friday relate to boxed processors. Intel will supply tray microprocessors to its OEMs independently of these plans, which are aimed at distributors and system integrators. ®

See Also

Intel revamps boxed desktop roadmaps
Pentium 4 pricing revealed
Intel's cunning server plans
Intel roadmap times, they are a changin'

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