Dell leads quad-core push

Servers and workstations using Intel's "Clovertown" four-core chips are ready to ship

Better performance even at low clock rates

Dell will demonstrate its new openness on processor designs by shipping quad-core servers and workstations and its first AMD-business notebook from this week [17 November]. The firm also plans to offer “green” system configurations from next month.

The servers will tap Intel’s next Xeon 5300 line, formerly known by the Clovertown codename, which will substitute for dual-core Xeon 5100 ‘Woodcrest’ chips in a broad array of PowerEdge models. The 5300 parts are effectively two Woodcrest dies packaged together in a multi-chip module with clock speeds ratcheted down to mitigate power consumption.

Dell is taking orders now and will ship 1.6GHz and 1.86GHz parts from 17 November with volume availability coming in December. In January, 2.33GHz and 2.66GHz parts will follow.

Despite the lower clock frequency, Dell still expects significant performance gains with 2.66GHz Clovertown systems 63 percent faster than 3GHz Woodcrest systems. Also, the systems will only carry a modest price premium over Woodcrest, according to the firm.

“We’ve priced the entry-level 1.6GHz Xeon 5310 at parity with the 2.33GHz Woodcrest and the 1.8GHz 5320 at parity with the 2.66GHz so they’re priced to move customers pretty quickly from the Woodcrest line,” said Hugh Jenkins, Dell UK enterprise manager.

Jenkins said database servers and virtualisation hosts will be target markets with top-end buyers likely to select 32-48GB RAM configurations and serial-attached SCSI drives for optimal performance.

The arrival of Clovertown systems will set up an interesting head-to-head comparison as Dell will also begin shipping PowerEdge 6950 servers using AMD Opteron chips on 17 November. These systems use the Socket F architecture, allowing them to accommodate AMD quad-core parts, scheduled to arrive early next year.

On the client side, Dell also announced desktop and laptop products, including the firm's first business laptop line using AMD processors.

Dell's Latitude 131L laptop, available immediately, runs AMD Sempron or dual-core Turion 64 X2 processors. With prices starting from £444, the new model targets the entry-level business market. It has a 15.4in screen and weighs 2.8kg, with options including a nine-cell battery and smartcard reader.

The firm has also extended its OptiPlex business desktops with models based on AMD's Athlon 64 and dual-core Athlon 64 X2 chips. The OptiPlex 740 has all the features of the Intel-based OptiPlex 745, according to Dell, with AMD processors the only significant difference. Prices start at £364.

Dell said its new AMD-based business systems were the result of customer demand.
"Customers didn't say 'please provide AMD systems', but 'please provide us with a choice in case we want to change platform'. The features are much more important than the engine," said Dell's European director of business client products, Eric Greffier.

Dell also extended its Precision workstation lines to support Intel quad-core chips. The entry-level Precision 390 is now available with the Core 2 Extreme QX6700, while the two-socket Precision 690 and 490 models will be available with the Xeon 5300.

Separately, Dell said it plans to introduce energy-efficient configurations so that IT buyers can quickly identify components to save on power costs or support environmental policies.

“An organisation’s green footprint is a boardroom issue and from there a front-of-mind IT issue,” said Hugh Jenkins, Dell UK enterprise manager.

“One of the things we’re looking at is offering configurations of ‘green machines’ so if a customer chooses that configuration they would know it’s the absolute best we could do. We’re still kicking around [branding to identify these configurations] but the message will be all around energy efficiency.”