Intel Corp. Monday said it had begun shipments of its long awaited Intel Xeon processor 2.80GHz with two processing engines. The move accelerates, according to Intel, the company’s multi-core roadmap and also enables two-way servers with ability to execute up to eight threads simultaneously thanks to four physical cores and Hyper-Threading technology.

Intel Releases Paxville DP

“The availability of our first dual-core Intel Xeon processor server platforms accelerates the delivery of Intel's aggressive multi-core server roadmap, giving CIOs and IT managers innovative new technologies and capabilities to help grow and transform their business,” said Kirk Skaugen, general manager of Intel’s Server Platforms Group.

The new dual-core Xeon processor 2.80GHz is based on the core known as Paxville, which has 2MB of level-two cache per cores and is produced using 90nm process technology. Each Intel Xeon processor with two processing engines will be able to execute up to four threads, as each of the cores support the Hyper-Threading technology. The new Xeon processors naturally support 64-bit capability, execute disable (EDB) functionality, demand-based switching (DBS) power consumption regulations and other technologies found in the current Xeon platforms.

The new processor will be compatible with mPGA604 and FC-mPGA4 infrastructures based on Intel E7520 chipset that support 800MHz processor system bus. It is recommended that systems running the dual-core Intel Xeon processors were able to supply enough power to the chips that have thermal design power (TDP) of 135W and maximum power of 150W.

The dual-core Intel Xeon processor 2.80GHz is available for $1043 in 1000-unit quantities. Intel’s single-core Xeon chip 3.60GHz is priced at $690 in 1000-unit quantitites.

The company said that over the following few months, servers and workstations based on multi-core Xeon chips for dual-processor (DP) and multi-processor (MP) applications were expected to be available worldwide from system manufacturers including ASUSTek, Dell, Egenera, Fujitsu Siemens, Gateway, HP, HCL Infosystems, IBM, Kraftway, Lang chao, Lenovo, Maxdata, NEC, Samsung, Supermicro, Unisys and Wipro Infotech.

Paxville, Dempsey Remain on Track

Intel plans to deliver three more server platforms to round out its initial dual-core server and workstation portfolio. Later this year, Intel will ship dual-core Intel Itanium processors. Within the next 60 days Intel is expected to release its dual-core Intel Xeon MP processor based on the Paxville core. In the first half of 2006, Intel is expected to deliver a volume dual-core Intel Xeon processor platform code-named Bensley along with processors known as Bensley and ship dual-core Intel Xeon processors designed for systems requiring low power consumption.

The forthcoming dual-core Intel Xeon processor 7000 sequence for multi-processor servers, code-named Paxville, is expected to run at speeds up to 3.00GHz and includes a new chipset, the Intel E8501, to support an 800 MHz system bus and support for the existing Intel E8500 chipset. The platform will also include a dual, independent system bus, DDR2 Memory, PCI Express, memory RAID and I/O technologies.